最近有两起比较具爆炸性和戏剧性的越狱新闻。一起发生在美国的纽约州。两名狱犯，通过内应用锯子从牢房经管道成功逃出。享受了惊弓之鸟式的十多天自由后，一被击毙，一被击伤逮捕，重新抓回监狱，估计没有下一次了。我想，如果是我，情愿选择第一。 目前为止，没有关于狱犯到底是如何锯开铁管的报道。我估计用手锯的可能性非常低，可能是用电锯或汽油锯，而且还有其他工具。不过这些细节都不会公开的，就怕有拷贝猫。前段时间也有几则有关美国的监狱新闻。在美国Baltimore的一监狱，一黑帮囚犯居然有几位狱警情人，还将其中一位的肚子搞大，狂妄地说这是我的监狱。
另一起越狱发生在墨西哥。大毒枭在其所在的牢房进入洗澡间，然后通过地下隧道逃遁。如此精确定位的隧道，肯定有专业测量人员参与。当看着隧道的照片时，惊讶得用手托着下巴。长长的隧道除了通风照明设备，还铺了轨道和一辆专门改装了的摩托车, 便于逃跑时和时间赛跑。以如此的财力，物力，智力和人力，越狱的成功机率当然大多了，而且这毒枭之前有过一次越狱的经历。他目前仍然在逃，真是放虎归山。发生这类事件，对政府来说，还是件很丢面子的事，监狱长一般都要被开除。
我们的小镇上也有一座监狱，它外形俊美，结构结实，是早年殖民时期建造的皇家监狱，现在成了重点保护的文物。它奠基于1844年2月16日，1848年1月1日正式开放迎来了第一批犯人。在连续使用了150年后，才因安全和设施原因，于1998年终止其监狱功能，如今成为观光点，里面还开设了餐馆。
当年奠基的时候，由于是阴雨天，参加的人不多。奠基石下面还放了一个玻璃瓶子，内有乔治三世，五世，威廉四世和维多利亚女王时代的一些硬币，和一张纸，上写道：
ON THE 16TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1844, IN THE SEVENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA, AND IN THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES BY HIS EXCELLENCY SIR GEORGE GIPPS, THE FIRST STONE OF THIS GAOL WAS LAID BY EDWARD DENNY DAY, ESQUIRE, POLICE MAGISTRATE OF MAITLAND MORTIMER WILLIAM LEWIS, ESQUIRE COLONIAL ARCHITECT(1)
看来当年的英格兰人办事更加严谨，更加公式化。
前后150年里，这监狱一共执行了16次绞刑，绞刑犯的罪名只有两种，谋杀或强奸。绞刑常在监狱正门或后院执行，往往有人群聚集围观。公开执行的绞刑于1861年被禁止。最后一次被绞刑处决的犯人叫Charles Hines，罪名是强奸继女。但他直到最后一口气，坚持清白。据说他的最后一句话是: “I am not guilty of the crime with which I was charged, and I told the judge so, but he would not believe me. May the Lord have mercy on our souls. Goodbye all.”
这些年，还发生了两件大事。1977年，发生了一起越狱事件。一位叫Denning的囚犯和其他六位通过洗澡间里的通气管道爬出越狱。但是成功的越狱是短暂的，两小时后，经过警察大规模的追捕，全部被抓获。
1980年，狱警在一间牢房里发现了一条五米半长的隧道。第二天，告密的囚犯被杀，脖子几乎被切断。后来狱警叫来两水泥卡车将隧道填满。
我到图书馆翻了一下旧报纸，找到一篇1849年的死刑报道，文章短小精悍，它生动地描述了当时的情景。重要的是，我们可以推论当年对死刑犯的处理方式非常人道，就算和今天许多国家的标准相比。摘录如下。
'On Monday morning George Waters Ward, convicted at the late Maitland Circuit Court of the murder of Richard Connelly, was executed inside the walls of the Maitland gaol, in the presence of several hundred persons, including a great number of children, and some women. About five minutes past nine o'clock Ward was brought out from the gaol into the yard accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Rusden (who had been with him since six o'clock that morning), C. Prout, Esq., the Under Sheriff, E.D. Day, Esq., Dr. Wilton, Mr. Tristrem, and others. The Rev. Mr. Rusden read prayers, in which Ward joined with apparent fervour. Having reached the scaffold, Mr. Rusden knelt down with the unfortunate man, and passed some minutes in prayer, Ward audibly joining in the responses. About twelve minutes past nine Ward mounted the scaffold, Mr. Rusden still accompanying him, and the executioner following. On reaching the platform Ward called out in a clear firm voice, 'Good bye, Mr. Tristem, God bless you, and you all', looking round on the crowd. Having engaged in prayer with Mr. Rusden for a minute or two, Ward addressed the crowd assembled nearly as follows: "My friends, I am going to die this day, and I hope that you will take warning by me and keep from drink, and that if any of you ever give evidence in a court of justice you will speak the truth. I am not going to accuse any one, but I will only say that some spoke the truth on my trial, and some spoke false. I die in peace with all the world, and in the hope of a better life. I pray for you all, and hope you will all take warning by my example". The executioner then fastened the rope round Ward's neck, and put a white cap over his head and face, during which Mr. Rusden continued praying and Ward joining with him. Mr. Rusden then left the scaffold, and the bolt being drawn, the wretched man fell, and died after struggling convulsively for a few minutes. Ward's bearing on the scaffold was firm and composed throughout'
这里还有一段关于WARD是否清白的记录。
It will be observed that in his last address Ward did not say a word as to whether he was guilty or innocent. We believe he had, to all who visited him during his confinement, maintained his innocence of the murder of Connolly, and on Sunday morning he added that within a year he felt assured that his innocence would be made clear to all. In the course of Sunday, however, Mr. Prout, the Under Sheriff, arrived with the death-warrant, which he read to Ward, and in the course of conversation with the unfortunate man Mr. Prout urged him to tell the truth before he died ;Ward asserted his innocence, and complained that the witness M'Guire had not sufficiently identified him as one of the two men he saw at the fire. Mr. Prout remarked that there was so much evidence against him altogether irrespective of M'Guire's that no one could doubt his guilt ; and that another proof had since been afforded, inasmuch as Dr Jenkins's gold watch had been offered for sale in Maitland. Ward eagerly replied that that was impossible, for he could prove that it never had been offered for sale in Maitland. Mr. Prout immediately replied that answer had condemned him, for how could he possibly know whether the watch had been presented for sale if he did not know where it was ; it was ascertained that the murdered man had taken this watch before he left, and now he had admitted that he knew where the watch was. Ward made no reply, but sat down trembling, and visibly disconcerted. After that moment, we understand, he made no further professions of innocence.
多年来我还没有听说过澳洲有过重大冤情，因此也不具备出产包青天的土壤。
1 监狱前面的法庭
2 法庭后面庭警的办公室。
3 也还雄伟的监狱
4 高墙
5 停车场
6 如今成了博物馆
8 有点古色古香
9 正门
10 行政建筑
11 有点不寒而栗
