Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-04
A PITCHED BATTLE.
Deer Island Prisoners Revolt and
Attack the Guards in a Body.
A MOB OF OVER 25o EXCITED MEN,
Armed With Knives, Hammers, Ice Picks
and Chisels, Fights
UNTIL MANY A HARD HEAD is BROKEN

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE .DIsPATCH.t
BOSTON, Feb 3.-There are a score OF
prisoners on Deer Island with bruised
heads, tonight, and strong guard of Bos-
ton police surrounds the reformatory. The
prisoners received their wounds from clubs
welded by the policemen in quelling the
worst outbreak ever seen at the place. The
police had clubs, and the prisoners had
knives, ice-picks, chisels and hammers. The
reformatory guard was helpless, and while
the Boston police were on the way to the
place the rioters had complete charge of the
institution.
Tonight the place looks as though tor
nado had struck it. Windows are broken
in almost every wing of the building, and
much other property was destroyed.
Affairs at the island have been in bad
shape for some time, owing to discussions
among the Commissioners of Public Insti-
tutions. The prisoners took advantage OF
the strained relations, and have had pretty
much their own way.
Cause of the Climax.
The confinement of prisoner in the
guardhouse last night called forth from the
others peremptory demand for his release.
This was refused, and directly after break
fast to-day the trouble began.
A concerted attack was made on the
guard house, the two guards retreating be-
fore the mob, which numbered more than
250 prisoners. After breaking the windows
and battering in the door the mob started
for the sheds. Pickaxes, clubs, ice-picks
and pitchforks were seized, and
the prisoners came back to
he nj
industry itself They went through
the rooms, and were making things lively
there about the time the police arrived.
Several of them had gone also to the store
yard near the water front. They threw
hammers and other tools into the water.
One party headed for the boiler rooms. but
Chief Engineer Page kept them at bay with
his revolver
When the Boston policemen reached the
scene the prisoners were in possession of
the loafng room. Most of them were
armed. Their yells were accompanied by
vigorous brandishing of implements. They
threatened to kill the policemen if they
entered the room. Before the attack Super
intendent Gerrish gave them an opportunity
to go quietly to their cells.
Blue Coats Have Their Effect.
The sight of the blue coats had its effect,
and more than half OF the rioters submitted
to arrest. The others were still defiant, and
the order wss given to charge. Clubs were
used indiscriminately. The prisoners made
a rush upon the officers. There were few
steps of retreat on the part of the police, and
then sharp advance. In their retreat the
prisoners separated. This made easy work.
Each officer seized man and forced him to
submission.
In the cell room the men renewed the
fight. Those possessing weapons struck the
officers. The prisoners on the upper division
fcells hurled buckets and chairs over the
railing upon the heads of the police. There
was a rain of chairs, stools and buckets for
several seconds. The scissors and knives
which the men who were employed in the
tailoring department possessed came down
from above during the melee.
The riot lasted nearly three hours. The
Mayor and commissioners of public institu-
tions visited the island after it was over,
and will remain there tonight. 1t is inti-
mated that the Mayor will make clean
sweep of the commissioners and the Deer
Island officials appoint an entirely new set.