On 26 March 1857, he visited prison hulk convicts living under his regieme employed at Williamstown. Accompanied by a small number of guards Price went toward the men but his party was quickly surrounded by about a hundred inmates. Almost immediately his guards broke and ran after a barrage of rocks. Price also tried to escape but he was knocked down and severely battered with the iron bars and hammers of the workers.. He died next day, and following the inquest, fifteen convicts were tried for murder, seven being hanged.