Descendants
Information supplied by Julie Skellern jools@maxnet.co.nz
THE MERCURY
MONDAY MORNING NOV 5, 1860
The Attempt to Break out of Oatlands Goal
To the Editor of the Mercury
Sir- in your paper of the 29th of last month I find a
short account of the attempt recently made by the five
convicts, named Henry Singleton, John Smith, Edward
Mooney, John McKay and Frederick Eley to escape from the
Oatlands Goal and as I am the Javelin Man who is stated
to have been secured by main force, "I beg to say it
was my cries for assistance that gave the alarm to the
Javelin Man Clifford in the outer yard and which bought
the police into the Goal to my rescue and not any
shouting of the other Javelin Man who was unfortunately
locked up in a cell in the small yard. The attack
made upon me was very violent and so sudden was it that I
immediately called for help as loudly as I could, I was
blinded by the hands of one of the prisoners, thrown down
and kept on the ground with my face downward, and I was
much bruised about the body, the effects of which have
confined me to my house ever since, under the treatment
of the medical officer of the goal. Trusting you
will excuse this liberty of writing to you.
I remain Sir, Yours respectfully
John Housego
Javelin Man H.M. Goal.
Oatlands
Nov 2nd 1860.