"SIX MEN ARE STRAPPED TO QUELL MIMICO RIOT AMONG 169 PRISONERS," Toronto Star. September 29, 1934. Page 1 & 3.
---
"Will Tear Place Down" Brick Plant Inmates Yell as Pal Confined
----
SIX GIVEN STRAP
----
Two Others Lose Good Conduct Time at Summary Court Held at Once
----
Swift punishment was meted out to the ringleaders in a disturbance at the Ontario Brick and Tile plant, one of the Ontario reformatories, in Etobicoke township north of New Toronto, last night, when a riot of major proportions was threatened by 189 of the inmates. A summary court was held by Superintendent J. R. Elliott, superintendent, in the early hours of the morning, resulting in the application of six strokes of the strap to six six men and the loss of good time by two others. Three others were warned.
When the disturbance broke out just before 10 o'clock last night, Mr. Elliott, who was off duty, could not be reached. It was 1.30 a.m. when he arrived and found all the men waiting up in their dormitory until they could put their grievances before him. The superintendent gave the men, who, it is said, had previously threatened to "tear down the building," two minutes to get into bed, after he had spoken to them for a few minutes. The order was obeyed. The ringleaders were picked out and taken to his office where each had a separate hearing.
This morning all was quiet at the reformatory, there was no discord at breakfast. Because of the rain, the men were returned to their dormitory. a large room equipped with two-deck steel beds, which gives access to the recreation room, instead of going out to work on the grounds and in the brickyard.
Elliott reported Superintendent that conditions are again "quite normal."
Demanded Mate's Release
The disturbance broke out last night after four inmates had allegedly been disciplined during the day, and put in solitary confinement. Three were released during the day, but one was kept in his cell and it was his release that the prisoners demanded.
The superintendent refused to let the man return to the dormitory and kept him in the cell. The four men had refused to assist in unloading a car of coal used to fire the kilns, the man kept in his cell having, it is charged, also thrown missiles and broken dormitory windows the night previous.
After being in the cells for a few hours, three of the men expressed their regret at having taken exception to the work. They were immediately released.
The first sign of trouble was when the men delayed in going to bed and then indulged in a chorus of shouts and screams, which brought additional guards running to the dormitory. The yells increased in volume and were interspersed with threats to wreck the building.
Fearing serious trouble, an emergency call was put in to the New Toronto police. Leaving only one man to look after the town, the entire police force, under Chief Hedley Padgett, arrived at the institution within five minutes.
Apparently overhearing the orders to call in additional police, the men quieted down but continued their protests. They refused to go to bed and sat up waiting for the superintendent to return, determined to put their case before him. All the lights in the dormitory, including the night lights which are never out, remained on as guards, reinforced by police. kept a close watch. The men sat around sullenly, waiting for Mr. Elliott.
After remaining up all night to deal with the situation, Mr. Elliott told The Star things were back to normal to-day.
"Everybody is back in the dormitory," he said. "Things are quiet. I got here at 1.30 this morning and found the men waiting up for me. I had a short talk with some of the men, and then gave them all two minutes to get into bed. They did. I held court afterwards, assisted by the deputy-superintendent, and heard each case separately. I refused to let the man they complained about out of his cell. We are running the institution, not the men. They get a fair deal and they know it.
"Six of the men were given six strokes of the strap. Two others lost good time, 10 to 25 days. They will have a chance to work it out and regain the good time. The men dealt with were the agitators."
"The man who was in the cell, which is ten feet square and had an iron door, a bed, wash basin and toilet, threw things through windows in the dormitory the night before when the lights were turned out. I spoke with the other three men yesterday and they said that they had no grounds for taking exception to the work and were very sorry for their actions. They were released. They had asked me to see me after they were in the cells for a short time."
The prisoners sleep in one large dormitory with night lights on. The ceiling is very high and the windows are set high up in the walls. The entrance is closed by a heavy iron-barred door.
