PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference-
TTC.O.885
J
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
270
of what was coming. But it is easy to find indications of bad feelings and recklessness among the prisoners (especially certain life-convicts) during the past year, and more especially within the last six months.
The following are some of the occurrences I allude to :—
قسم
1st. Long Ah You's attack on Warder Fontaine. (I held an inquiry into this at the time.) Warder Fontaine only saved himself from the attack by presenting his revolver at him.
2nd. Wee Ab Pak's information of a plot among life-convicts, reported by Mr. Waller in his letter of that date. This prisoner was of a superior class, and has acted as informer, and proved himself reliable in the Penang Gaol in 1871. Mr. Waller fully believed in the truth of the report, and timely measures were taken.
3rd. The attack on Gaoler Macdonald and Warder Fontaine by three middle-grade prisoners (the Slangore pirates of 1871), with Chang Kols. All three were flogged for that offence, and all are now mixed up in this affair. This of pirates will
gang
prove, think, to have been at the bottom of the whole affair.
ward.
I
Ith Wee Ah Pak's (above-mentioned) death from injuries received in sleeping.
5th. The stabbing of Warder Redding by middle-grade prisoner Yap Ah Quay (Slangore pirate) on 24th December, 1874.
6. The recent escapes of Lee Ah Kim, life-sentence prisoner (Slangore pirate), on 14th January, 1875; and short-sentence Chuat Tek Chew, on the 3rd February, 1875.
It is suggested, and probably with some truth, that Saturday was chosen for the out- break in consequence of a Blogging to be administered that evening, when the prisoners would be drawn up in a hollow square round the Europeans. This was postponed in consequence of the rain. The persons to be flogged, however, a Kling and a Malay, did not join in the affair.
So far as can be judged at present, I attribute the outbreak to the plotting of two notorious gangs, and to their great opportunities for so doing, through the system of working and sleeping in association. Added to this is the fact that not one of the warders, European or native, understands Chinese.
As to the part played by the two gangs, I refer to the Slangore pirates and the gang to which the late Governor's syces belonged. Both of these consist of Macao men, and the great majority of those engaged in the affair are Macao inen.
The greater number of these two gangs are already identified among the killed, wounded and missing. It will be seen also that in several of the worst prison offences reported to Government, the Slangore men were the culprits. There are certain minor points that confirm the view that the plot originated with these men.
The success of the prisoners at first is to be attributed to the facts-first, that the prisoners were armed; and secondly, that the warders were not.
Revolvers were distributed among the warders in 1873, but except ex-Warder Fontaine, none of them thought fit to wear the weapon, and Mr. Waller declined, it is stated by the Gaoler, to give an order on the subject. Under these circumstances, the 7 Europeans were of course overpowered. Of the sub-warders none assisted to any purpose except the old transmarines still serving, and one Siamese, and one Malay assistant-warder.
With regard to the arms concealed on the prisoner's person, the man had just come from the carpenters' shed, and had probably brought away the tools they had been using. The gate-keeper of the inner gate is expected to see that nothing is brought into the main yard, but evidently failed to do his duty on this occasion. A thorough search is made when the men are locked up. The overseer of the work-yard did not count the tools.
Another cause had contributed to the success of the gang's first operations is to be found in the way in which this inner gate was guarded.' It is true that it merely led from one yard into another, but the mechanic's work-yard was not supposed to be an over safe one either in construction or otherwise, and the gate should have been guarded accordingly.
The sub-warder just mentioned, Latib-Bin-Bugis, was, however, accustomed to keep the gate on the unsafe side, facing the main prison. He naturally ran off when the Chinese made for the work-yard. If this gate had been olosed, as he would probably have taken care to have done from the other side, none of the escapes would have occurred.
As regards the effectual support afforded by the European prisoners under Warder Lamb's direction, I will here merely state that it is clearly due to them that the whole gang did not make their escape.
I have taken the statements of all the Europeans concerned, but with respect to the Further inquiry makes it appear probable that a party of Chinese rushed to secure this gate simultaneously with the attack on Mr. Dent.
271
points referred to, and especially as to the slaughter that took place in the work-yard, further inquiry, when some of the warders will be able to bear examination, seems desirable.
In the mean time I will suggest that some means be taken to restore confidence and discipline, for the wildest rumours are credited outside as to the numbers who escaped, and they are probably exaggerated in the gaol. The complete failure of the attempt should be brought home to the prisoners.
February 15, 1875.
(Signed)
ALLAN SKINNER, Inspector of Prisons, Straits Settlements.
P.S.-I append a list of the killed, wounded and escaped, corrected by the Acting Superintendent up to the 17th instant.
Inclosure 2 in No. 58.
A. M. S.
Verdict of the Coroner's Jurors at the Inquest held on the Body of D. H. Dent, late Superintendent of Prisons, Singapore.
WILFUL murder against the following:-
Poh Ah Wah, middle grade, No. 4; Lee Ah Sam, lower grade, No. 159; Lee Ah Yat, middle grade, No. 342; Lee Ah Seng, middle grade, No. 331; Leong Ah Ong, middle grade, No. 25; Chin Ah Sam, middle grade, No. 321; Cheah Ah Boo, middle grade, No. 12; Oh Yang Soo, middle grade, No. 48; Low Lee, middle grade No. 251; Tun Ah Sam, lower grade, No. 325; Sim Si Hup, middle grade, No. 148; Cho Ah Pow, middle grade, No. 333; Lee Ah Kow, middle grade, No. 336; Leang Ah Boi, middle grade,
No. 270.
Together with divers other persons to the jurors unknown.
The Jury feel it to be their duty to record their unanimous opinion, that had it not been for the great lack of supervision exercised over the prisoners while at work in th workshops, and the want of a proper system of searching their persons when they left off work, whereby they were enabled to arm themselves with a variety of deadly weapons, and carry the same undetected into the prison-square, the outbreak would not have occurred; also, that had the warders of the prison been armed with the revolvers which were at one time issued to them, but which were subsequently taken from them, the outbreak would never have been attempted.
They would also recommend to the favourable consideration of the authorities the valuable assistance rendered by the European prisoners in quelling the outbreak, and by the three Kling prisoners, Chekitty, Bakardeen, and Allabux, in protecting Captain Dent from further injury.
Before me, (Signed)
A. W. V. COUSINS, Coroner.
(Signed)
ALEX. M. MARTIN. G. HARPER.
T. CUTHBERTSON, A. S. CUMMING. JOHN W. WITHAM, J. P. DE BASAGOITI. TAN SENG POH
Upon the verdict being explained to the several prisoners through the Government Chinese Interpreter, W. A. Pickering, the prisoner Poli Ah Wah makes the following statement, after having been duly cautioned: -
-- Tell him (meaning the Coroner), I am the man who killed him. The others are good men."
Before me,
(Signed)
A. W. V. COUSINS, Coroner.
Page