CO129-456 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1919 [10-12] — Page 500

OPY.

VERDICT.

со

481

10095

!

We find that Warder Speed and Harnam Sing

ge20outside of

condemned cell) died as & rault of injuries inflicted on ther

by escaped prisoners No. 24, No. 791 and No. 850 during their escope from Victoria Guol on the early morning of 15th December, 1919. In the case of No. 1785 we have no evidenc9 as to whether or not this man was in possession of a dagger

or other similar weapon.

To wish to draw attention to the unsatisfactory state of affairs at the gnol at the time of the escape ns disclosed by the evidence we have heard, which all points to the fact that the escape of the prisoners was directly due to collu- -sion on the part of officials connected with the Gool. With- -cut such collusion it could not have been possible for the

the prisoners to introduce into Cell No. 63, many implements found after their escape, nor should it have been possible to pro- -vide themselves in their cell with suits of plain clothes. It also appears to us probable that the daggers or knives, with which Warders Speed and Harnam Singh ware stabbed were actually made within the wall of the Gool.

In our opinion the present gas system of lighting that port of the Gool from which the prisoners escsped is ntirely in- -adequate. Several witnesses, mentioned the difficulty they exporinead on this account. We consider that some system of lighting should be introduced by which it would be possible to flood the corridors with electric light in case of emergen-

-cy.

We are also of opinion that the present alarm system should be looked into with a view to improvement.

The Gool buildings in some cases appear to us to be too

close