The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-03-10 00:00:00

THII ABSAULT ON • WARDER AT PORTLAND PRISON.

Charles Alllol4 alias Barth°lrony, &Hal Gray, 27, •
convict from Portland Prison, a Birmingham painter,
ras charged with maliciously wounding William Brooks.
One count charged him with wounding with intent to
murder, a third with intent to do grievous bodily berm,
and there was another count for unlawful wounding.
Prisoner is rather below the middles's* ' • he appeared
In an oth rdinary suit of old dark cloes. fie displayed
mush solf•posessaion, and obstinately orose-examlned
tho witness...

Mr. Ktngdon, 40., and Mr. Mortimer prosecuted,
and said prisoner was • oonvlot sentenced in 1869 to
seven years' penal servitude, and on August 20, in the
morning, be was employed with 83 or 34 other mu,
under the charge of Warder W. Brooke wheellog
barrows loaded with stone. One *wield fllled a
barrow, and prisoner', duty was to wheel it. The
barrow, will not hold more then • proper load. A
fellow oonvlot Sllod his harrow, and prisoner had to
wheel it awey ; but while prisoner wee waiting, and
the other was filling she barrow, prisoner threw off the
stones. Thia was against all rot a, for the wardrr was
by to see the barrow was only properly Sled. The
warder in °barge had to cheek 'hie eondnet, and remon-
strated with hint, when prisoner said "I won't wheel
out that Narrow for you or any other fu thts plaoe."
There were 1,500 convicts in this pleas (Portland) all at
work under • few warders, and about 34 were under
charge of this one. In snob • place any Insubordination,
If allowed, might spread, until there would probably
be 1,500 men in insurrection, and It would only be
quelled with lose of Ilia. The warder, have • certain
discretion, and this one attempted to put the hand.
ouffs on the prisoner, While he was doing so, they
struggled, prisoner fell under, and while the other was
trying to pet on the handcuff, prisoner eased a stone,
and struck Wm 'severe blows. The warder was mush
h Jared, and gnat bad been very ill, his brain was
affected, and serious symptoms might return. Mr.
Clifton, the governor, mime up, and ordered prisoner
into arrest. While otitis:glint with the warier the pd•
sonar said "You bloody villain ; murder yon."
Mr. Klngdon then cabled witnesses.
Mr. G. Clifton. Governor of the Portland Convict
&titbits hment, raid prisoner came under hie ear. on the
9.h August, 1869, under sentence rf 7 years' penal
servitude. Oa 20:b August 1873, witness was making
hia periodical in,pectiou, and came to the phoe whore
Assistant-warder Brooks was in charge of • gag,
Brooks imniedlately reported that he bad teen aesaelted.
To, pri.oner was already bandcuff.4 ; Br ',he bad a
cc err. oontuaion n the left rids of the place, and
witness order.d prisoner to be removed, and soon
reinter d Mr. Brooke. 1 shorter was charged before him
with oommitting an assault on Brooks ; but this ca..
was adjourned, to allow Brooks to appear, his life being
In darler.
Cross.examlued by the °ocelot : I did not see you
ache. r a blow.
P.ison,r : How was it you said act
Mr. Clifton : I did not say so.
: Why, it's down there In black Ind white.
Mr. Citron's depoeltlon was referred to, and the
Judge told the.oonviet he was mistakeu.

Prisoner : Whore was I when you came up ?—A. Yon
were on the top of tbu bank.
Prisoner :I beg your pardon, I was M the bottom.
Who handcuffed nis 2—A. I don't know ; I did not sim
It done.

Prisoner : ire you sure I sru on the top of the
bauk ?

Mr. CI ftor : I believe you wire.
Pi fierier : Yon are • (loverument ofilcier, and are cup-
po.ed to know ever)thlog cod remember everythlig.
Besides you Pall you were going your ronods, and you
bad to go round periodioelly, arid keep an ecoount of it.
'tour lordship, • man of this description ought to know
tho state of things ea thoy aetually 000urred.
Mr. Clifton maid he was not there; and he was oily
apeaking of things in his knowledge.
, The ...Wire folly oouourred with Mr. Clifton.
. _

Prisourr7 I have another question to ask, my lord.
I was at the bottom of the bank (to Mr. Clifton) You
are sure I was at the top of the bank 7—L. I am under
the trupressioa you were at the top of the bank.
The q,teetion was repeated three are four times but
Mr. Caton adhered to his answer.

The Judge to prisoner
queetiona
Prisoner : Not that I oan think of at pendent.
The Judge (to Mr. CIMLOC) : How An the warders
armed 7

: Do you want to ask say oiler

lir. Clifton : With • outline, my lord, 'Mob thsy use
in ease of being assaulted with any deadly weapon.
They use • staff in ease of any summon moult.
By theJndge : The warder is • man of esperietnee,
and has been employed several years.
WilHam Brook.: On August 20 last, I was a warder
I. Portland Prison had obarge of a party of convicts
with a detached ps:rty of 10. making 34. Prisoner was
one, and was employsd wheellsg • barrow on a barrow-
run, • party were distributed over a large space shedd-
ing stuff. Prisoner 000tinually threw stuff out of his
bsrrow, which was oonstructed to early a oertain load.
After the barrow was loaded arid pushed out • oortain
diataacc, he eareleesly threw it over to lighten It. The
load was nothing hots fair one. I sad Footon, don't
you throw stuff out of your barrow, but wheel It your
proper distance." Prisoner said "No, you b—, I
wont for you, or any b-- here." Be become violent
and used threatening language, and I took out the
bandoaffs to put prisoner in irons. He said "Yon
b— you'll not put them on me." "I said "Oh yes I
shall." Prisoner was snaking his way to where tho
. _ . . . .

ethers were at work, and I stood in 'front, we bad •
struggle. and both fall, and,whilo I was placing the
handouffs on, prisoner took • largo stone (produosd)
with the right hand, and struck 1119 over the left
temple and eyes Ti,. stone was Mo. or 6in. through ; it
was of • round shape. with a projecting pleat, and was
very rough and jagged.—Warder Brooks continued: I
was partly stuonrd. but rooorored and found prisoner
had hold of my staff, I drew it from him and struck the
prisoner on the um, whorl the staff broke. In the souffle
nton said "You villain, I'll murder you yet." I
wound prisoner, and et few minutes after, Um Governor
came round. Tim elf oot of the blow has been that lam
very deaf in this left ear, hare • continual rolling in the
head, and my loft eyesight livery dim. I remainod In
the Infirmary till to-day, in charge of the surgeon.
Prisoner: O. the day in queotion, Bis 20th of August,
what did you do I—A. Thor* was nothing done before
you became very violent.
Q.--Do you tell the court you did nothing to me?—
No Chore was nothing dons till you left wheeling the
barrow.

Prisoner: It is eery queer I should strike you for
nothing. I did not Isere the bitrrow ; but you knocked
me down with the stet?.

Tbe warder denied knocking prisoner down.
Prisoner I beg your pardon, my lord ; he knocked
me down in the first instasoe. Did I impales the
barrow at .Il?—A_ You nerelaemy lightened the barrow
by throwing stiff out of it.
Prisoner: You said koapalsed the barrow,

The Judge : No, he did not.
Prioone.r : It la down in black and walla.

..
The Juige: No. It is not.
Pawner : If 1 am not mistaken that le what he aid

tr.
The Judge: Ho did not soy so.
Prisoner: Whioh arm did you break the staff onl—A.
De Tight arm.
Pnsocer I beg your pardon my lord, ho broke it
over the left arm—(a laogA)
'fbe Judas: When did you strike him?
Warder: When he was violent, and we were
struggling.
Prisoner: As I am standing here to-day, when he had
secured my left arm, he b the staff over it. (To
warder:) You o
The Judge: yle you
ease.
Prisoner: Who, - op Wilko took me Into
limn?
Warden.: Am I bound to answer that question
The Judge: Yee.
Warder: He was, . over to Priuolpol Warder
Hu inphries. minute;
Prisoners rowlord, I stayed there
a full -1,44f°11_,4* Thou he waked up the' tun
--.--vorbieinl warder and he were in
' - or about 20 minutes, and I
,
• quarter of an hoar, near the
Origin gut room.
Now far off wee ths nearest warder to you
Brooks: From 250 to 300 yards.
The Judge: Foot or yards
Brooks: Yard., my lord.
The Judo: Not nee: enough to some to your
maiatance un an emerooney.
Brook.: No my lord; it was in • hollow where ths
eccurreueo Mak
The Judge Whohts. therm moo go out ere they iw
&Mad, or wader soy mantas ?

over

please.

prtiou

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