The Newtown bee., 1879-08-13
An Ex-ConYict,s Story.

In one of the least inviting portions of Water street, New York, Michael Dunn, man who has spent nearly his whole lifetime in England and American prisons, has set up a house of industry and refuge for ex-conyicts, who, like himself, resolve to abandon evil ways and live by honest labor Calling there Herald reporter found Michael quietly engaged in experimenting the work of two sad looking young men, who were putting the finishing touches on some curiously wrought shawls and bedquilts. Habituated to the customary silence in separable from prison life the house was quiet as the grave, each man performing his work without even a whisper being heard. Dunn himself is pale faced, thin man, about forty-ive years old, and having careworn lines plainly marked on his anxious countenance. He is not by any means devoid of intelligence. While the writer was watching the pro cess of shawl making Dunn remarked, We get a good price for these things, but the trouble is we are not able to sell them fast enough. Some of our men are travelling in New Jersey now, trying to dispose of shawls like these you see here"
 By the way, I understand you have had considerable experience in prisons ?"
 ''It is true. Until the past eighteen months may say 1 have lived in prisons altogether since l was eight years old I psent seven years in Van Dieman's Land, ten years in Australia, five years in Gib- raltar, fourteen days in Manchester (where l was born), two years and four months in Sing Sing (the first time), three years in a solitary cell at Moyamen- sing, six months in the Montreal ail, two years and nine months in South Bos- n laSt pN in Sing, when I was innocent and every de- tective in the city knew was innocent" :"
 After answering several questions in regard to the use of the ''paddle" as mean of punishing refractory prisoners, Dunn continued:
 And mark my words, either at Sing Sing, or Auburn, or Trenton, some of these days there will be outbreaks and terrible murders by the convicts. It will be worse than the mutiny at Norfolk Isl and, near Australia, in 1S47, when the cOnvicts revolted and murdered seventeen prison officials, and they would have killed the remainder but that half regi- ment of soldiers formed hollow square and in that way saved them from the fury of the convicts."
 w ere you there at the timep"
 q No, but 1 recollect the affair well. It happened during the year l became free. dlttI serving seven years III an Dlelllitn s Land. For that outbreak there were sev- enteen convicts hanged, including the ringleader, hundreds fogged and hun dreds of others put in irons, A man known as 'Jacky-Jacky,' who had been a desperate bushranger, was the ring leader. He harangued the convicts in the messroom one morning on the Oppres- sion and tyranny which they were un- dergoing and wound up by shouting, Those who want liberty, let them follow me- Then the whole l,500 convicts rushed out of the messroom and, having armed themselves with all kinds of heavy tools, attacked the keepers and slaughtered them right and left until the soldiers ar rived. When the soldiers were drawn up, Jacky-Jacky,' went in front of them, tore open his shirt and barring his breast, asked them to shoot him, but they re- fused"