Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-03-21
MUTINY Of CONNECTS.
Prisoners In the Kansas State
Coal Mine Rebel.
TEEN SURRENDER THEORETICALLY
The Warden Refused to Grant . Single
Demand Asked by the MutInOus Con-
victs-Tsken Out Of the Mine and
Locked In Cells.

Leayenworth, Kan, March 20.-The
conycts employed in the Kansas state
coal mine have rebelled. For IS hours
200 prisoners, holding Ii guards as
hostages, were at the bottom of the
mine without food. They demanded
less work and more food. The trou-
Bile was nothing else than mutiny, for
which about 20 convicts are RESPONSE
BILE. The trouble came up entirely UNI
expected. The demands of the con-
victs were sent TO the warden Monday
evening by a "delegation" from be-
low and were as follows: "We have
concluded to wreck everything in this
mine unless you accede to orr de-
mands. We demand that you give us
three square meals every day in the
week and that you cut the task to two
cars day. We do not want any more
cornbread or canned corn or peas.
We are willing to do what is right and
demand an answer in half an hour"
To this Warden Tomlinson replied
in the following: 81 cannot agree to
your demands. They are not right.
OF course you can wreck everything
in the mine if you want to do it, but
that will not help you or let you out.
Every officer now on the bottom must
be sent to the top in safety before
the miners are brought up"
At $3.50 o'clock last night Officer
McShane, one of the Is guards who
have been held as hostages, was raised
to the top, the striking convicts per-
hitting it on account of his being rin-
well. He reported that the prisoners
offered no violence to any of the Off
GERS and have been rather cautious
TO avoid doing any overt act beyond
striking. Officer McShane also stated
that all the remaining officers are In
good condition and will hold out as
long as the convicts insist on remain
ing mutn0us.
Shortly after nightfall the warden
and every available officer gathered
around the mouth OF the mine, each
man heavily armed. Hunger had be-
gun to tell upon the convicts and they
appealed to the warden. They sent
him word that II he would promise
not to inhict punishment for their ac-
ton they would surrender and come
up. To this the warden would not
consent, sending down word that the
surrender must be unconditional, the
question of punishment to be consid-
cred later.
AS the night wore on the warden
held consultation with his officers
and II was decided to attempt rescue
of the guards and also to overawe the
conyicts and force their surrender.
Selecting his men. the warden, with
scvcn or eight guards, heavily armed,
entered the hoist and were soon speed
ing downward. When near the bot
tom of the pit a heavy fusillade was
opencd, the shots being fired toward
the top of the shaft
This took the convicts by surprise
md thinking that the shots were in
tended for them they hastily fled,
leaving the guards, who were soon
Joined by their comrades, after which
they were sent to the top. The armed
guards tlien started after the convcts
and soon had the ringleaders under
arrest, when the others gave in and
The work of taking
them to the surface began and before
morning the convicts were again be-
hind the bars of their cells. The work
of hosting the men from the mine
lasted until nearly daylight as there
were 300 to bring up and the hoists
could lift only a handful at time.
The men surrendered uncondition,
ally, the warden having refused to
grant them single one of the de-
mands asked. After being taken from
the mines they were escorted to the
mess hall in squads and given soil
tary cup of coffee. after which they
were locked up in their cell rooms.
Most of the mutineers were negroes
and among them some of the most
desperate characters in the prison.