The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-11-23 00:00:00

THE CONVICT OUTBREAK AT
DARTMOOR.

The mutinous conduct of two prisoner at the Dartmoor
Convict Prison, on Friday, would, in all probability, have
led to serious residts hut for the prompt measures adopted
by tbe officers in charge of the gang. It appears that for
about • month there had been a feeling of 'meanness
among the officers in charge of the gang, the convicts
having, at times, shown symptoms of inaubordination.
This particu'er gang usually numbers from 311 in 11
convicts. and includes some of the moat desper.de
characters of the prison. On Friday afternoon they were
working in the quarry, which adjoins the prison farm-
yarl, in charge of three warder., named leird, Parker,
and Delaney, over theni being the principal warder,
Westlake ; while on the high hank surrounding the quarry
workings were placed a number of the civil ruard A little
before four o'clock, Lori thought be saw signs of commo-
tion amongst the prisoners, and told Weslake he had
better call them In. The principal at once ordered the
prisoners to give up their too's, whereupon a convict,
named Bevan, aimed a blow at Westlake's head with •
crowbar. The warder reoeived the blow on the shoulder
and fall to the ground, but got up almost inane.
diately, not much injured, and ordered the convicts to
fall in and marrh off. When the rank was formed and
a start made, Bevan bolted towards a plantation, which
adjoins the quarry. To reach this spot he would have
to climb over a wall from four to fire feet in height,
but before he could accomplish this • shot was fired at
him. This, however, did not mirt retard his prover,
sad two other shots were immediately fired, one of which
brought him down. Directly Bevan fell, another convict.
named O'Brien, left the ranks, and made off, but his
flight was also cut short by • couple of 'hots, one pellet
taking effect in the knee, and smother lodging in the right
breast. The firing brought other ward re to the assist-
ance of their comrades, and the remainder of the gang
were marched into the prison without fu,ther difficulty
Bevan being placed on • e'retcher, Dr. Smal ey pronounced
life to he extinct. O'Brien is believed to be morta. y
wounded. It is believed the rising was the result of a
matured design among the gang to disable a few of the
officers, miss their rifles, and thus lead the way for •
general mutiny. Bevan was serving • term ir twenty.five
mr.s. penal servitude for having, about two years ato,
with three others in the burglary and out
rage atiPlited, near Bristol. Hari. one of Bevan'. associates
in this affair. is also at Dutntoor, and works in the Mons-
breaking yard.
The inquest on the body of Bevan RAI opened at the
prison on Monday. The coroner told the jury that the
case was one of • serious character, inasmuch as the de-
ceased had died by the hand of a fellow-man, and the
questioe for them was whether the violence use I vas
necemary. There were 1100 desperate crimina's in that
establishment, and 100 offesiels had to exercise such force
with such weapons as were recessary to suppress
mutinous behaviour or prevent escape from the sentence
of the law. The Governor narrated the circumstance,
attending the death. Bevan was couvicted, he said, at
Taunton ulnae for • murderous outrage item a woman
near Bride'. At Pentonville his ...ha. cter was rood. At
Port'snd he w a found scheming to esc pa al intimi-
dating. He was found to hare handed another prisoner
at that prison stool during Divine service, and with this
big comrade had removed the hers from the ventil.tor,
when the attempt was discovered. He at len th became
gal dangerous that he, with two other., was removed, an
at Portland railway station the deceased le I an attack
on the warders, and the gang had to be nverpowered by
the police. Since Bevan had teen at Dartmoor his
as atter had been girl. The inquiry was adjou ned
till Thursday
The inquest on Thomas Bevan, a convict, who was
shot hy warders at Dartmoor while attempting to escape
on Friday laid, was resumed at Dartmoor Prison on
Thursday. The governor handed in a standing regula-
tion, to the effect that if no other mune ere at hand for
stopping a convict in the act of making his escape a refern
officer or sentry would lie justified in firing upon him.
All the warder. who fired gave in their evidence that if
they had not shot the deceased he would have made his
escape, as • dense fog prevailed at the tim, me
water said, so far from any blame attaching to the
warders, their conduct was to I. commended, and he
also remarked upon the crimes of the deceased convict,
which showed what • dangerous titan he was, The
warders had received hints some time previous of the
mutinous spirit of the gang In which ileYan w. work-
ing, of which he was the ringleader and pursuing great
Power over the rest. Medical evidence proved that
death resulted trans a shot which penetrated the heart.
nie Jury
_returned • verdict of "Justifiable homic;de,- ,
and added • recommendation that men of such a ,
dangerous class should be separated from the other '
enevicte, The convict O'Brien, who was also shot, is
ellspeeted to recover.

Doe who hts the rxpe.iene . of reel life, and who is I
m.rried. writ'.:—' !quire I of thinking whet elle should
her. *v....red to b. fore gomg to h d, she thioks of it after-
w rd.. While oh. i. r •...Ivirrs treee inert:re in her mind,
. nil while 'noel, tocked on In bed, the old man is scratch-
ing his I.g. in front or the flr.., and wondering how be shall
p yth I n.xt month's Ten.. Soddenly she rey•—• James.
did you lock the door! . Whish door r sad Jetties. 'The
teller door.' arid she. • No,' said James. 'Welt, you better
IC , 4 'ern end leek it, for I hurl some person in the beck
yard lest night. Am.-rho/Iv. James paddles down stain.
and locks the door. About the time Jenne returns, and is
loin, to get into bed, she remarks, 'Did you shut the stair
deo•r . Mr,' said Jame.. ' Well, if it is not shot the cut
will rat up in the Icel.-seen.' ' bet her e ime up then; rays
J .rue I, illosturedly. 'My g00dy..., no, returoml the
wife. ' she'd suck the betry's breath.' Then Jame. paddles
down stairs again, and step, on a rack. and closed the stair
.inor. and curses the cot, end returns t, the bedroom.
Ju .t as be begins to climb into his couch, his wife
ohrierves. ' I forgot to bring op some water. Sapporo* you
bring op some in the his tin.' And so James, vrith a
mitered remark, goes down into the dark kitcsume and
fall. over a chair, and rasps all the tin were off the well is
smirch of the big tin, and than jerks the stair door OpeD,
and howls, 'Where the deuce ere the metals). t She eras
him minute directions where to find the matches, end adds
that she wonld rather en and get water herself than to
line the e.-ighh iir', o I rd--I about it. A' t, which
Jillnkee nods ti e in•t^hea, procnr., tha water, Cornea up
!taint, and plunge. 1.00 1...1. Presently his wife sera.
'James, keg here an under.tanding shoot mosey roratera.
Now, next week 1'.., got to pay —.• • I don't know what
` on re to Per, end I d oft rare,' shouts James, and be
lurches around. ant jams le.s leo, agranat the well, 'all I
want is sleep." Teat's all very well for you, snap' Ide
wire, and she palls the cover viciously : ' you Darer aldlak
1 of the worry and trouble I bare, and there'. Aremintat
Littratum who, I believe, is taking the nieselea" Lot her take 'cm.
mays Jura*. Hereupon she begins to cry softly, but *boot
A how &twiny meithides. The Thothaoies. edited by the time James is falling into a gentle dose, she punches
Helen Math," will be pubed on December 11th. it him in the ribs with bee elbow, and says. 'Did you haw
will rentals the Prat part of a new novel entitled "Story thetseendel shout MVP. Jones* ' Whathroesr Men Jason.
ef a bin," by the author of "Conlin' tilt& the Rye," Irish 'Moray. ". Why, Kn. Jones." 'When r inquired Jaw"
life a d sees, by Barnett Smith • " The Romance of Soy. '1 Modem. rase the wife. 'you are getting more ntilDid
MT." hf Ora dewing • sag 'poetry, and articles of *very d •y. You know' Mrs. Jews that lives in No. IL
powerful,metal. and interest- In the second Well. tee day bet ore yesserds, 8.... Smith told Mrs.
nano., "Wane, the laeeen. a tide of Atisti‘itho both Thompson that fleto Raker bad said Viet Mrs. JOllee had
life
will eetantene.
and
mucks., the memo., ythbkth. -- Here she panse.‘ end listens. Jamas Is snoring in
and . wiv,.., end children eta ....„.. is thdo wrofoood slumber. With a snort or re" ebo owls di the motinnanze
numbers. Them is a gee of cosstris. and It raven off him, wrap. herself op In them, and lira awake
will be the endeavour of Mitre. to give gm much in till two mm., thinking how badly abased the is. And that
quantity
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quality
as de
many gond is the way a married woman sera to sleep. "—Alfieri's*
=pubes, and etNiZif the prim 741 Per.