There has been another outbreak in the convict prison at
Chatham.. The convicts had formed a plan to seize the warders, secure the keys, fire the building, and escape. This was to have been done on Saturday. But one of the convicts expounded the whole plan to the governor, and he immediately called .to his aid three hundred soldiers, each having ten rounds of ball-cartridge. The warders also had their muskets at hand loaded with buckshot, and thoy are under orders to fire at once if attacked. On Saturday all the preparations were made secretly. It was assumed that the moment for an outbreak would be when the convicts leave their cells after dinner to resume work; and the assumption proved to be correct. There were nine hundred convicts in the prison. After dinner they began to yell and throw their cell furniture about, but when they were let out of their cells' and saw that the plot was discovered, they stared at each other and walked silently off to work, minus several of the ringleaders, who were at once placed in irons. But they were not really cowed. When they were again locked up, the same noises were heard, and more ring- leaders were placed in irons. There was no disturbance on Sunday-
Instructions have been issued to i classify the prisoners, and to caned, in the case of all who took any part n this and other riots, the privileges and gratuities they had earned by length of outward good conduct.
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