Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-20
Outcome of the Mutiny in Mine at
Lansing, Kansas,
RINGLEADERS TO Be PUNISHED
Superintendent and Guards Over
awed the Mutineers.
CONFLICT UNDER GROUND

LEAVENWORTH, Kan, March 2o.-'rwo
convicts of the Lansing penitentiary were
wounded last night by the guards who went
down into the penitentiary mine to subdue
2s4 prisoners who entered the colliery Mon-
day and refused to come out until their
demands for better food were granted.
All the convicts were run down in var
| ious parts of the workings by a heavy de.
tail of guards who descended the shaft
shortly before midnight. A volley was
fired when the bottom was reached, with
the intention of intimidating the mutineers
1t is supposed the stray bullets hit two Of
the convicts. Neither was seriously hurt,
however, and the volley effectually subd led
the others. who were almost famished out
and apparently glad to get of so easily.
They scattered through the workings, leav.
ing the fifteen guards whom they had
overpowered and held as hostages. The
| latter were quickly hoisted to the surface
and the work of rounding up the convlcts
began. Fast as they were caught they
were taken up, and before morning all
were securely locked in their cells at the
penitentiary. They had been practically
without food for twenty-four hours. and at
daybreak were given only a cup of coffee
and a few slices of bread.
Warden Tomlinson announced that he
will severely punish the leaders.
The wounded men are Ralph Clark. under
berry, who will lose an arm and Alfred Hat
field. serving ten years for manslaughter.
Hatfield received a flesh wound in the leg.
Origin of the Trouble.
In the Kansas state penitentiary coal
mine, at Lansing, 2s4 prisoners, who went
down into the mine on Monday morning,
mutinied and held fifteen guards hos.
tages. They refused to let the guards
come to the surface until Warden Tomlin-
son promised to give them better food,
They threatened to kill the guards if their
mines are worked by the worst class OF
convicts. and among those who mutinied
are twenty life prisoners. Warden Tome
linson refused to grant the demands.
Many complaints have been made by the
prisoners because of the grade Of food fur.
nished them, and to this dissatisfaction has
been added allegations of mistreatment
All the penitentiary shops We're closed
and the convicts were locked in their cells,
in order to have all the guards in readiness
for emergency to handle the convicts should
they attempt to rush from the mine.
The miners threatened to wreck the
mines, but the threat was laughed at by
Warden Tomlinson.
The first outbreak In the mine took place
shortly after the noon meal Monday, and
was started by the convicts in division NO.
s. OF the nineteen men in this division
sixteen seized the guard and overpowered.
him, and announced that they had decided
to strike.
Wanted to Do Less Work.
They told the guard that they had decid.
ed to mine two instead of three cars of coal
as a days work in the future, and that
they proposed to have better food. This
guard was left in charge Of two Of the con-
victs in the mutiny, while the others marchs
ed to the adjoining division and called on
the convicts there to Join the revolt.
The conpicts were soon marching through
the mine from one division TO another, yells
ing and swinging their lamps and picks.
Other desperate convfcts entered into the
spirit. while short-term men generally off
fered no opposition to the mutineers, ana
quietly Joined them. So far as can be learn
ed no opposition of any kind was offered
the convicts. The officers bsng 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.
Guard McShane, one of the fifteen hos-
tages was hoisted to the surface last night
the striking convicts permitting II because
Of his being Ill. He reported that the pris-
oners have been careful TO avoid any vior
lent act. The other guards. he said, are in
good condition. and will hold out as long as
the convicts remain mutinoue.
Convict Comes I'D.
An hour later a signal came from below.
and a lone convict, not in sympathy with
the strike, was hoisted. As the cages were
half the distance from the bottom of the
shaft, the prisoner was forced TO cilmp fVo
feet, crawling up on the shaft tinbers to
reach the cages. The convict said the
men in the mine had had nothing to eat
since noon Monday, except some corn cof-
fee, which was made from corn used to
feed the mules in the mine. The mules, he
said would be eaten unless the strike was
ended soon.
Later another convict was hoisted to the
surface to confer with the warden.
As the night wore on the warden held q
consultation with his officers and 1t was
decided to attempt a rescue Of the guards
and also to overawe the convicts and force
their surrender. Selecting his men, the
warden, with seven or eight guards heavf-
ly armed entered the hoist. and were soon
speeding downward. When near the bot
tom Of the pit heavy fusillade was
opened, the shots being fired toward the
top of the shaft.
This took the convicts by surprise, and,
thinking that the shots were intended for
them they hastily fed leaving the guards,
who were soon Joined by their comrades,
after which they were sent to the top. The
armed guards then started after the con.
victs, and soon had the rinEleaders under
arrest, when the others gave in and sur
rendered. The work of taking them to the
surface began, and before morning the
convicts were again behind the bars OF
their cells.