Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-22
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ON WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS,
BIZ JOHN BURKE,

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WAsuISaroS CIrr, July IL
We tbs day lay before TIE public, documents
lstely received from England relative 70 the Kill
ling and woundiag Of The American citizens i'm
prisoned 81 Dai'tmoor. Llteligsacer.
PLYNourl'. Goth April, 1878
we, the undersigned commissioners, appoint
ei on behalfof o,r respective governments, to
inquire INTO and report upon, the unfortunate oc
curretce the 9th of April inst. at Dartmoor
Prison having carefully, perused the proceed.
irgs of the several. courts of inquiry instituted
nnhislIsee'v after the event, by the ordefsqf adj
miral slr John I. Duckworth and major general
Brown, respectively, rs well as the dispositions
tssenat the coIpner's inquest upon the bodies OF
the PRISONERS. who lost their lives upon that me
tahchoiy occasions upon which inquest the jury
found verdict of .justifabie homicide proceed
imheeilsteiy TO the examination upon oath in the
presence ofope or more Of tie magistrates ofths
vicinity, ofall the witnesses. both American and
English, who offered themselves for that purpose
--or VINO could bediscovered as likely to afford
any material information on the subject, az well
Is those who had been previously examinett be
fore tce coroner, as otherwise; To the number ~
the whole of about eighty. We further procec d
'oannuie examination of the prisons, for the
purpose OF gearing up some points, which, up
on the evidence alone were scarcely intellle ole /;
obtaining from the prisoners and from the Off
GERS ofthe depot eli TIE sary assistance and
explanation; and promising, that we have been
from necessity compelled TO draw many of our
cenclusuas from statements and evidence high
~ contradictory, we do now make upon the
whole proceedings the following report
During the period which has elapsed since the
rf,r.l 4 C - -. -
hcatiou of the treaty of Client, an increased de-
gree Of restlesness and impatience of coufne.
fnent appears to have prevailed amongst the A.
merican prisoners at Dartmoor, which, though
not exhibited in the shape of any violent excess
ses, has been principally indicated by threats OF
Breaking out, ifnot soon released.
On the 4th of this month in particular, oaly
Two days previous to the events which arc the
subject of this inquiry, large body of the pr.
soners rushed into the market square, from
whence, by the regulations OF the prison, the,
are excluded, demanding bread, instead of BIS
curt, which had on that day been issued BY e
o'ncers OF the depot; Their demands however,
haYine been then almost irnmeda ell complied
With, ,hcy returned to their own yard, and the
employment of force on that occasion became IN
necessary.
On the evening ofthe 9th, about 6 o'clock, It
was Clearly proven to us, that a bieach OF hole
bad been made n one Of the prison walls, suifi-
cent tor a fu'i sized man 10 pass, and TIA,
others had been CONNIE need in the course of the
day near the same spot, though never cornplet-
cd.
That a = timber of the prisoners were over the
railing erected to prevent them rom oomrnuni-
eating with the sent nels on the walls, which was
III course forbidden by the regulations Of the
Prlson, and that in the sSace between the railing
, end those walls they we &c ring up pieces Of
'tir 8 wantonly pei in: each other in noisy and
cls9T..eriy manner.
Thar a much more consid.rah pumber of the
Prisoners was collected torethe. at that time in
one OF their yards near The Place where the
Preach was effected, and ths; although such col
lection OF prisoners WAS rot uuus;ial at other
times Che Gambling tables beng commonly
Kept IN that part of Il yari) yet when conn G.
ted with the circumstances Of the breach, and at
tie tine ofthe day, which was ai e. the hour he
sgial for the prisoners to e.ire to their respec-
I've prisons had ceased to sound, it became a
9ituFal and just ground OF alarm to those who
had charge Of the depot.
y was also in evidence thatyi The building fr-
m " the petty officers prison, but row The
Tird to which the hole in the wall would serve
- communication, q part of the arms Of the
gard Who were off duty, were usually kept IN
tue racks, and though there was no evidence that
this was in any respect the mot'vewhich induced
me prisoners to make the opening in the wall, or
even That they were ever acquainted with the
TACT, II naturally became at least further cause
OF suspicion and alarm, and additional reason
for precaution.
Upon these grounds Capt. Shorthand appears
70 US to have been justified IN giving the order,
which about this time he seems TO have CIV
en-, to sound Che alarm BELL the usual signal for
collecting the officers Of the depot and putting
the military on the alert
However reasonable and justifable, this was as
measure OF precarion, the effects produced
Hereby IN the prisons, but Which could not have
heen intended, were most unfortunate, and deer
iy 30 Der gretted.--A considerable number of the
prisoners IN the yards where no disturbances ex-
jsted before, and who were either already with.
in Their respective prisons, orquietly retiring as
usual towards them, immediately upon the sound
OF bell rushed back from curiosity ct ar
peafs) towards the gates, where, by that tune
The crowd had assembled, and many who were Al
che time absent from their yards, were also, from
The plan Of the prison, compelled, in order "a
reach Their own homes TO pass by the same post
and tfas that, which was merely a measure Oh
precautOn, in its operation increased Che evil Il
vas intended to prevent
almost at tlle same instant that th.-alarm bel
ranE, (but whether before or subsequent is upor
The evidence, doubtful, though capt Shorthand
eletes it positively as one OF his further reason,
ir causing It to ring) some one or more Of tho
Dr'7cvers broke the IRON chain, which was the
" astenlng Of 10. gate, leading into tht
market square, by means Of an iron bar and :
vc.y considerable number Of the prisoners ifnue