The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-03-20
A CONVICT MUTINY
PRISONERS HOLD KANSAS PENI-
TENTIARY NINE.
GUARDS HELD AS HOSTAGES.
DEMAND BETTER FOOD AND BET
TER TREATMENT.

Threaten TO XIII Guards IL Their De-
mands Are Not Complied with and
Also to Wreck the Mine-Have
Killed the Mine Mules and Are Liv-
ing on the Ment-Warden Says He
VIII StnrVe Them Out-COnvicts
Want Less Work.
Leavenworth Kan. March 19.-The 2SA
convicts in the coal mine at the state
penitentiary at Lansing mutinied yester-
day, seized the fifteen guards, stopped
work and took complete possession OF the
mine. The convicts hold the guards as
hostages for the enforcement of their
demands for lighter work and better food.
AS many of the convicts are life-term
murderers there was great fear to-day
for the safety of the guards. 1t appears
tonight, however that the men offered
no violence, the convicts merely going on
strike.
Guard McShane, one of the fifteen nos
tages, was hoisted to the surface tonight,
the striking convcts permitting it because
of his being Ill. He reported that the
prisoners have been careful to avoid any
violent act. The other guards, ne said,
are in good condition and will hold out
as long as the convicts remain mutinous
An hour later a signal came from below
and q lone convict, not in sympathy
with the strike was hoisted. AS the
cages were half the distance from the bot
tom of the shaft the prisoner was forced
to climb 400 feet, crawling up on the shaft
timbers to reach the cages. The convict
said the men in the mine had had Moth
ing to eat since noon yesterday except
some corn coffee which was made from
corn used to feed the mules in the nine.
The mules, he said will be eaten unless
the strike is ended soon.
Late tonight another convict was hoist
ed to the surface to confer with the
warden.
Warden Tomlinson says that he Will
force the convicts to surrender uncondi-
tionally much as he regrets starving his
own officers.
There was great CONSERVATION this af-
ternoon among the families of the guards
who are held by the convicts.
All the penitentiary shops have been
| closed and the convicts have been locked
in their cells in order to have all the
guards in readiness for emergency to ham
die the convicts should they attempt to
rush from the mine.
VIII Live on Mule Meat.
Many complaints have been made by
the prisoners because of the grade of food
furnished them, and to this dissatisfac-
ton has been added allegations of mis-
treatment. No outbreak was attempted,
however, until the men, who had enter
ed the mine. refused to return unless
their demands were grantd. They killed
the mules in the mine, and are living on
this meat.
Serious trouble is apprehended If IT is
found necessary to send deputies into the
collery
The miners have threatened to wreck
the mines, but the threat is laughed at
by Warden Tomlinson. who says they
would not attempt this as such action
would endanger their lives. He says he
will starve them out
x communication was received from
one of the guards to-day stating they
were hungry and tired, but so far as
he could learn all were alive.
How the COnvicts worked II.
Inc Drst outbreak IN the mine TOOK
place shortly after the noon meal yes
terday, and was started by the convicts
in division number eight. OF the nineteen
men in this division, sixteen seized the
guard and overpowered him, and an
nounced that they had decided 10 strike.
They told the guard that they had de-
cided TO mine two instead of three cars
of coal as days work In the future, and
that they proposed to have better food.
This guard was left In charge of two
of the convicts in the mutiny, while the
others marched to the adjoining division
and called on the convicts there to join
the revolt The convicts were soon
marching through the mine from one di-
vision to another, yelling and swinging
their lamps and picks. Other desperate
convicts entered into the spirit, while
SHORT term men generally offered no OPP
position to the mutneers, and quietly
Joined them. SO far as can be learned 10
opposition OF any kind was offered the
convicts. The officers being unarmed were
helpless, and the life Of any one would
have been forfeited had he tried even
to check the mad spirit Of the convicts.