The San Francisco call., 1897-05-30
lay it was supposed to be escape proof.

o'clock, for the purpose of inspecting the
dungeons. The entrance to the corridor
leads through double-doors. Outside is
an immens iron gate swinging on heavy
hinges imbedded in solid masonry.
few steps further there is big
wooden door-a heavy, thick affair of oak
with small wicket to let in the light.
Sullivan. accompanied by Guards Siaven,
Connolly and Anderson. proceeded into
the corridor. The iron door was closed be-
hind them by way of precaution. The
moment the lock was turned in the wooden
door Sullivan and his comrades were sur
prised TO find some of the prisoners in the
corridor. The convicts at the same time
made sudden assault on the guards,
in hopes of overpowering them and lock-
ing them inside.
There was a hand to hand scrimmage
in the guards favor. They hurriedly put
the wooden door bohind them for pro-
tecticn, while the convicts proceeded to
fortify themselves. Those who were al
ready in the orrdor proceeded to batter
down the iron doors and gratings. Rivets
and locks were wrenched from the walls
with improvised crowbars.
Soon the whole mo had access to the
corridors. The doors of their cells
were torn from their. hinges by the COM
bined force of many men and with these
q wall of iron was built inside the wooden
gate. Behind the formidable barricade
was placed jute sack filled with ball and
chain.
Sullivan, upon gaining the outer door of
the corridor. Immediately reported the
progress of affairs to Captains Berem and
Eigar. He returned to the corridor en-
trance only to discover that it was but
tressed within with all sorts of prison fur
niture. Captain Berlem ordered the sem
tries on the wall 10 open fire on the corri-
dor entrance. Encouraged by the fusilade
Sullivan, Connolly Slaven and Anderson,
armed with sledgehlmmers, attacked the
barrcaded den. Ten minutes OF pummel-
ing made hole big enough 10 allow Sui
llvsn to see how matters stood inside. He
was received with brick. A second of
this sort of missile caught Guard Connolly
in the tenn pie, infictiug an ugly wound.
Still another glanced along the roof OF
Guard Randolph's head.
The onslaught with sledge- hammers
was renewed. The entrance cleared, Sui.
Ivan and his companions. re-enforced by
Warden Hale, en- tered the corridor, while
Captain Berlem and a squad of sentries-
covered their advance with Winchesters
Before this formidable force the men re-
tired to the dark cells with curses and
yells. Demands Tor explanations of their
conduct were answered with volley OF
oaths.
Warden Hale, after inspecting the ruins
about him, ordered the men removed to
the cells in the south tankhouse. This
was accom- plished without incident, and
half an hour later the unruly conYcts
were behind grated bars believing their
billingsgate to every officer or guard that
passed within earshot. The dungeons are
a mass of ruins. Everything that It was
possible to destroy shared that fate. Even
the walls were burrowed in places.
But it was not until complete order was
restored that the prison authorities real
lied just how serious a crisis they had
avoided. The devastation of the dungeons
was attributed to pure malice until some
excavations in the floor were discovered.
Guard Sullivan had heard the order to
''dig down" repeatedly given inside,
as he was attempting to effect an
entrance to the corridor. and these
excavations added peculiar signif-
canoe to the words. 1t was the plan
of the convicts to dig down through the
floor to the engine room beneath. Once
there the men would have no difficulty in
secreting themselves, providing the ab-
ence from the dungeons was not discov-
cred. Access to the yard could be effected
without any difficulty and the cover of
tie night hour afforded an opportunity to
attempt general prison break to men
made desperate with hunger and the fear
of further dark confinement.
The plan might have succeeded, al
though it is probable that in its execution
some OF the convicts would have fallen
under the bullets of the sentries. Hereto
fore there have been only eight guards on
duty at night. An attack from behind
might have disarmed one, or even two,
and the way would then be open to bag
the remainder one by one by the holdup
system. The prison officials are not
speculating along these lines. Instead
they doubled the number of guards and
sentries tonight. The rem ainder of the
prison force is sleeping on their arms,
within calling distance The Gatling guns
are trained directly on the tank cells.
The general situation is very grave.
The prisoners thus far seem TO be m asters
OF the prison, Notwithstanding locks and
bars. The fires are out in the jutemilI,
and the police force organized into a re-
serve sentry squad. The refractory con-
victs are growing bolder and more inso-
lent under their severe punishment.
Above the walls of the prison there is
constantly arising the roar of curses and
oaths. The echoes may be heard a mile
away. There is hardly a minute in the
day when the convicts are not believing
defiance to their keepers. Outside the
prison there is almost as much turmoil.
The families of the guards fear that the
seething mass of vicious humanity may
break over its confines. The actions of
the sentries' rifles this afternoon brought
the whole population of the town of San
Quentin out of their houses. Women and
children stood about in terror-stricken
groups. They climbed the neighboring
hills to see what was going on behind the
gray walls of the prison and besieged and
waylaid all guards for news.
General r. H. Warfeld's presence about
the prison in the morning gave rise to a
rGmor that Warden Hale had invoked the
aid of the State militia.
The story grew as it travelled from
mouth to mouth, and the more imagina-
tive began to coniure up visions of blood
shed and massacre, that would send
Stephen Crane to an idiot asylum. But