428
i
(ex: 21) having been brought before a deceased for a petty offence. I ordered his removal from the tailor shop after the 24th as it seemed probable that he was the ringleader; that the fire would be raised on that evening, the last on which he would have access to the shop. I therefore determined to have a minute search on the afternoon of the 24th, as soon as the convicts were locked up, instead of waiting till Christmas night.
On searching, the prisoner clothing had been piled up in a corner. I ordered it to be removed. Underneath this clothing was found about 100 lbs of picked oakum; 20 lbs of rattan shavings (used for filling mattresses) and in the midst of this a slow match about a foot long, at the further end inside a canvas haversack, of which were tied about 50 or 60 matches with powder enclosed, close to the matches it was possible the slow match might have been lighted unobserved.
A little after 3 p.m. on the 24th, I proceeded to the tailor shop with one or two Office officers and a few European prisoners. On that morning, the prisoner clothing had been changed, and a suit of clothes destined for the wash house, or for repair, had been brought into the shop, and as usual, there being no storage room, had been piled up. There was also a quantity of tinder and a bottle containing about half a pint of petroleum. The fuse had not been ignited. I afterwards lit it, and it burnt about 20 minutes, exploding powder which was close to the hand of the chief warder. Some sawdust was also found close to the fuse.
The Colonial Secretary happened by accident to visit the Gaol at this time and witnessed the discovery of the slow match or fuse.
428
i
(ex: 21) having been brought before
a
dece
for
• petty offence. I ordered his recuoval from the tailor shop after the 24th A seemed probable, if he
therefore 2011
:tly the pingleader; that the fire
really
would be raised on
day
that
evening
the
last on which he would have accesstà
A
the shop. I therefore delermined instead of waiting till Christmas night.
have
a minule search on
Th
the
H", as soon as
afternoon of the 2014 th, ao
convicts were lockedup,
thinking
to
piled up in a corner. Jeauved there to be removed. Underneath this clothing
was
found about 100 the of picked __ oakum ; 20 the of rattan shavings (used for filling mattresses) and in the midst of this a slow match about a foot long, at the further and
inside a
canvass vauvage,
of which
vvere
tied about 50 or 60 matches with
pow der enclosed, blose to the matõhed
the
was
it
possible the clow match might have
been lighted unobeerved.
A little after 3. p.m.
on
the 244.
X
I provceded to the triton shop with one
Ough
tivo
Office ro
and
a few European
prisoners . On that incoring, the prisonew clothing had been changed,
шаин
aud
suit of clothes destined for the wash hours, or for reposin had been brought into the shop, and as
usual,
been
there being no storage room, had kon
piled.
a
quantity of linder and bottle containing about half a prict of petroleum . The fuse had not keen ignited . I afterwards lit it, and it burnt about 20 urinuités,
cou
cxploding fowder which
front the hand of the chief warder Some
les found The Colonial
sawdust was alor
close to the five. Secretary happened by accident to visit the Gaol at this time and witnessed the disc
discovery.
the slow match or fuse.
H
of
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