The Commonwealth. — 1867-01-12 (London, England)

REVOLT IN A FRENCH JUVENILE PENITENTIARY. The Juvenile Penitentiary of St. Anne, in the ne du Levant, one of the Hyeres, near Toulon, contained 223 prisoners in September last. On the 28th of that month their numbers were increased by 65 others, who had been transferred from the suppressed penitentiary of St. Antoine in Corsica. This arrival, which had been eagerly expected .by the inmates of St. Anne's, brought to maturity projects of revolt already cherished there, and these were realised on the 2nd of last October with the most appalling results. Sixteen young prisoners are now on their trial before the Assize Court of Draguignan, in the department of the Var, for acts perpetrated that night, some details of which are given below from the ptte cr accusation, or bill of indictment. Condurier,. one of the prisoners now under trial, was the ringleader of the rebellion, which broke out shortly after bedtime on the evening above stated. The conspirestore rose, put out the lights, broke the windows and the partitions, and drove out the turnkeys. After some uncertainty as to the course they should next pursue, Condurier cried out, "Let us go set the prisoners free!" Immediately nine cells, in which lads were undergoing temporary confinement for breaches of diecipline, were broken open, and amongst those who were released from them were nearly all the prisoners who are now before the court. Pillage and drink were the next object of the insurgents, and when they had bad enough of both, they quitted the storehouse, and Condurier cried oat, "Now we must thrust into it those who would sell us, and set it on fire." Then he took two of the accused, Ferandon and Allard, aside, and said to them, "I am going to put the spies into the storehouse, and when they are there, you, &minden, will set fire to it, and you, Allard, will stop them from coming out with your knife." The murderer had well chosen his instruments. Lecoq, another of the accused, said of thorn, " Feraudon, who loves to do mischief, will do this job well; and Allard, who is drunk, will do it well: also." These arrangements having been made, the destined victims were invited into the storehouse to take their fill of food and drink; and at least 12 or 14 having accepted the invitation, and been admitted by Cod darter, who thrust all others aside, Ferander by order of Condurier, set fire to a heap of papers which he had prepared beforehand; and over which he had poured the contents of a demijohn of petroleem oil. There was no escape for the unkrtunate lads entrap; ed in the blazing room; the windo vs were strongly barred, and the only Issue lay through the half-ruined door, in front of which a sheet of flame was rapidly spreading. One lad his name was Garibaldi—made the desperate attempt but Allard stabbed him three times in the thighs and the chest, and flung hire back bleeding into the fire. The survivors all clang to the window-bars, calling piteously for help. Their cries were heard by the watchman of the island semaphore, who elm° to their assistance with a coverlet soaked in water; but the murderers rushed upon him, yelling like demons, aad, to use his own expression, ho found himself caught up like a feather, and thrown into a newly-opened trench four yards deep, when he broke his leg. One of the least criminal of the revolted boys picked up the wet quilt, and tried to pass it through the bars to his comrades, but he too was .2ung into the trench, though he escaped from it without any serious injury. flaus vanished the last hope of escape for the alleged spies. When succour arrived on the 4th the fire was still burning, and the bodies of the victims had been reduced to ashes. The trial of the prisoners began on the 2nd instant, and concluded on the 7th instant, when judgment was delivered. Four of the accused were condemned to the galleys for life, and many others were sentenced to lighter penalties, three only being acquitted.