by Barrie Jones
Chapter III (continued) recounts Henry’s nine-month probationary stay in Exeter Prison and his attempt at escape.
The Dark Side of Convict Life (Being the Account of the Career of Harry Williams, a Merthyr Man). Merthyr Express, 12th February 1910, page 12.
Chapter III (continued)
In the morning I awoke to learn that I was only to remain there three weeks, when I would be transferred to Exeter Prison, a convict receiving depot, to serve nine months’ probation, to make me fit, as the warder put it, ready for a convict prison. The day came when I was to be escorted to Exeter Prison, and my heart nearly changed places with my brain to think that I was to leave the home of my childhood for three long years, but, as there is a certain amount of courage even in a crowd, I consoled myself with the thought that some day I would be free. A thought struck me, supposing I would have a try to slip the handcuffs off, as they had placed a rather large pair on small hands, with that thought still in my mind, I said to myself, “If I failed to escape on the journey, I would have another try at the prison”. All my determinations were shattered, and I had to pay dearly the price of my attempt. All being ready, I was conveyed to the railway station, where I waved good-bye to my dear old mother, who stood weeping on the platform. I was hurried into the train, and soon I left dear old Wales far behind. In the meanwhile, I was trying to force the handcuffs from my wrists, but without success, as I was too carefully watched to do it with comfort.
A few hours elapsed ere I arrived at Exeter Prison, and once again I had to leave the outside world, Again, I was hurried into the “reception”, where I was supplied with another suit of khaki, but instead of trousers, this time I was given knickerbockers, and after listening to a sermon by the warder, who had trained himself to perfection in bouncing, I was taken up to another part of the prison, and located on a ward, known as A3. It was A1 to me. The cell in which I was confined had a great vent along the wall underneath, the window showing signs that it had been tampered with. I said to myself. “Ah, someone has been having a try to escape here, and I begin where he had left off”, but, I was not going to run my head right into it, for I must, first of all, make observations as to the systemmatical way in which the prison was worked, such as the routine of patrols, night watchmen, and so forth. All went well for about six months, when one day I picked up a piece of sharp iron out on the exercise ground, and, unnoticed by the warder, I swagged it into my cell with me, and for about three months I was picking and scraping underneath the bricks, until at last I managed to loosen six of them, taking care each night to plaster them up with whitening so as to make them look like the whitewashed walls.
I fixed to time to escape for a Saturday night in the beginning of August 1896. About midnight I listened attentively for any sound I might hear in the prison, and, satisfying myself that all was well, I took up my iron, and with my blankets all ready to descend to the ground, I suddenly gave two or three sharp knocks and out fell the bricks, but I scarcely before I had the time to get through the hole, I heard the key of a warder unlock the cell door, and two of them came rushing in, made a dash, and, drawing their kosh (batons) they pummelled me right and left. I offered no resistance, but they kicked and knocked me about, then flung me into the condemned cell which happened to be vacant at the time, and there I was left until the following Monday morning when I was brought before the Governor, who ordered me to be tried before the Visiting Committee for attempting to break out of prison. I was asked if I had anything to say, being the usual matter of form question put to prisoners by the authorities of the prison. I replied that I had not. I, of course, admitted the offence, but asked the magistrates if the officers were justified in using violence towards me in the manner in which they had done, as I made no attempt to resist when discovered. They referred me to the medical officer, and, in short, I was tied to the triangle, and flogged. Three days afterwards I was transferred to Dartmoor Convict Prison.
To be continued…..