The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-19

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1t impossible to reach them.
When the doors were opened the con-
victs were ordered to herd in the open
mouth of the coal mine, that being the
only way to save them from getting away.
Half a dozen or more broke to run, how
ever, and were shot in the feet and legs
One man, Edward Porter, was shot and
killed as he was scaling the walls. Four
others are suffering from gunshot wounds
The guards are given credit for great
GOODNESS, and the fact that not a man
escaped will deter others from making
such attempts, 1t is stated. The total
dead Is 26 from fire and one from gum
shot. Fourteen badly burned are In the
hospital with the four who were shot,
all of whom will recover.
Report of Inspector Wilson
Montgomery, May Is. 1910.
Hon. ]. Craig Smith, President.
! Montgomery, Ala:
Dear Sir-Responding to your call
went to Lucille mines to look into the
situation there and report on same, fol-
lowing the fire which occurred in the
IS, resulting in the destruction of The
prison and the loss of some lives, I
reached Lucille Tuesday morning.
I found the following which I sub
NIT as my report. to-wit:
The prison building entirely destroyed,
20 prisoners burned to death, named as
follows: Walter Williams, Jonas Mccoy,
.
Son Davis, Him Hal, Percy Underwood.
Charlie johnson of Jefferson county, Will
Woods, Gilbert Outen, Allen Kemp,
Ebert Dixon, Lon Robertson of Mont
gomery county, Ed Sheppard, Ben How
ard of Mobile county, Frank Williams,
Perry county; Cullen jenkins, Russell
county; Ben Ridley, Lee county; jim
Davis, Calhoun county; Lawrence Jordan,
Madison county; Henry Simmons. ITALIA
dega county; John Zeigler, Elmore coun-
ty Wiley Collins, Chiffon county; John
Horton. Madison county; John Reynolds,
Barbour county; Lloyd Howard, WASH
ington county; Ed Porter of Jefferson
county was shot and killed by one of
the guards while he was attempting to
make his escape BY scaling the wall after
he had been commanded to STOP I also
found in the hospital IA prisoners suffer-
ing from burns. four suffering from shot
gun wounds, and two wounded by jump
ing or falling from the burning building.
l do not think 1t probable that any of
the burned or wounded will die as result
of their wounds or burns.
From the best information obtainable
I am convinced the cell was deliberately
set on fire as the elimination of a plot
to effect the escape of the men con-
fined at that place.
I think that at least Is or 20 of the
men were in the plot and probably 90
per cent of the prisoners confined at
| this place had knowledge of the plot
| The prison was fired in the closet on
the second floor in the northwest end
of the building, the wind was blowing
strongly from the northwest, the struc-
ture was of pine tlmbor and was dry
and naturally burned very rapidly.
There was on the night of the fire
the usual number of men on duty two
inside watchmen and one Waterman on
the yard and the usual number of night
guards On discovering the fire, the
Waterman gave the alarm and as quick
ly as possible the day guards who sleep
near the prison responded, and as soon
as he had sufficient help to hold the
men after turning them out of the cells
the Waterman in charge began to turn
the prisoners out of the cells. but for
the fact that the men became stamped
ed, it is likely the prison would have
been emptied and not a single man
hurt.
The conduct of most of the prisoners,
according to the information obtained
by me. indicated that they were more
largely interested in an opportunity to
make their escape from the clutches of
the law than in getting safely out of
| the danger of the fire.
| 1t Is my Judgment that the fire and
the loss OF life is all chargeable to the
prisoners themselves, some of VIII ON
are dead and some of whom still live.
The men in charge locally at Lucille,
| ! take pleasure in commencing; they
were cool, brave and prudent, and the
fact that not a single prisoner escaped
can but have good effect throughout
| all the prisons in the state.
The dead were buried as promptly as
| they could be under the circumstances
and the wounded given every attention.
| Tho in charge at Lucille now have the
situation we'll in hand, the prisoners are
confined In temporary quarters, while
| the wounded are receiving every atten-
ton and are In the hospital, which did
| not burn.
The Red Feather Coal company has
a contractor on the ground and work
on rebuilding the prison was begun
Yesterday. The men who escaped I'M
hurt began work in the mine this
morning and l think within four to
six weeks the new prison will be COM
pleted.
All of which is respectfully submit
ted. HUGH M. WILSON,
Associate Inspector.