Evening star., 1952-08-02
Montreal Police
|QueII Mutiny
'0f 700 Convicts
Tear Cos, Guns Used;
Rioters Set II Fires;
At Leust II Hurt
BY HE Asseeiuied Press

MONTREAL. Aug. 2.-Police
used tear gas and gunf1re early
today to quell riot Of hundreds
of prisoners in Montreal's Bor.
deaux Jail. It was the third dis
order in the prison in three
months, and like the others was in
protest over food. .. '
At least IL prisoners were in
jured, two by gunfire. Chief Emile
Drapeau of the Montreal Fire De-
partment, which was called in to
help smash the mutiny, was
treated in a hospital for injuries
\suffered when a prisoner struck
him with an iron bar.
Police officials. still refusing to
disclose the details of what went
On inside the prison, denied
published reports one of two gun
shot victims had died. The police
said they fired pistols over the
heads of the rioters. It was not
clear whether the two victims
got accidental direct hits or were
struck by ricocheting bullets.
Clash With zoo Police.
An estimated 700 convicts broke
out of their cell blocks early last
night, set II fires. looted the prison
lcanteen. broke plumbing to flood
the floors and then clashed with
200 police in a bloody battle in tho
main prison courtyard.
The police managed to drive the
rioters back into their cell blocks
with tear gas and by firing pistols
but only temporarily. The con-
victs - some awaiting trial for
murder but the rest serving terms
of only two years or less-smashed
the main locks of the cell blocks
and spilled back into the yard to
yell and taunt the police.
Aware the broken locks made it
impossible to keep the convicts
behind bars for the night, the
police stood by and allowed the
prisoners to blow off steam. Quiet
finally was restored shortly after
midnight and the prisoners bunked
down as best they could, many in
the prison yard.
Probe Results Not Disclosed.
The demonstration was almost
o duplicate Of the two separate
days of rioting in the prison early
lin May. Injuries In those riots.
however, were comparatively
minor. After the May disturbances
an oficial Investigation was
promised by the Quebec provincial
government, but no results have
been announced.
One prisoner was heard to shout
last night 1--WE could pick the steel
wool out Of the corn we had TO-
night for supper"
There was no immediate state
ment from the jail governor, DR..
Zenon Lesage, or other prison au-
thoritieS.
Fragments Of information seep.
ing from behind the big iron doors
Of the jail, where prisoners serving
only two years or less are held, in
dicated this sequence Of events
last night:
A prisoner in the mental wing
feigned illness, called a guard.
overpowered him and grabbed the
keys to set other prisoners, free.
The mental wing houses both
convicts and prisoners not con.
victed.
Blazes Quickly QuelIed.
AS the demonstration snow
balled, more than so carloads Of
heavily armed police and a three.
alarm contingent Of fire equip
ment raced to the jail. about 10
miles from downtown Montreal.
The f1remen brought the blazes
set by the prisoners quickly under
control as the police moved in
on the rioters.
Twelve arnbulances were at the
scene, but only the two who were
shot were taken away. The rest
of the injured were treated in the
prison by nine doctors.
When the disturbance was
smashed, police removed a dozen
men who are awaiting trial for
murder and other charges to pro-
vincial police headquarters down.
town. Later, to further ease the
tension, some 100 additional con-
victs-reportedly including some
of the ringleaders of the demon
stration-were removed to other
tails.