Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-05
CONv|CTS START
FRENz|EO RIOT
Prisoners in Michigan Prison
Chained to Cells after Bull
Pen" Is Smashed.

Jackson, Mich. Sept 3.-Five companies
OF Michigan National Guardsmen with
rifles loaded TO kill camped tonight
within and outside the walls Of the State
thorties allcge were responsible for to-
days outbreak. probably the worst in
the history of the institution, arc locked
up in the heart Of the prison. many of
them being chained to their cells.
Every convict was in custody tonight
and not single prisoner was badly hurt.
according to the statement of Warden
Simpson. He admitted that during the
riot one convict, Il trusty. was wounded
| in the arm as the result of a misunder-
| standing. but promptly MED reports that
two men were seriously shot and that
three had escaped.
! Fifty men lodged In the prison "bull
PEN have been held responsible for the
riot which ragged over an hour. Warden
simpson declared after the trouble that
he in common with other prison Of
ficials considered the pen" impregna-
hle but It failed when pitted against
the skill, the ingenuity and reckless
ness of convicted safe blowers. The
building in which the so-caled desper-
posed of u sections and attached to
the cell houses. Some one in the cell
nearest the prison stone house succeeded
In forcing the doors, This occurred short
ly after the regular hourly inspection.
L., -
victs unobserved entered the stone
house and secured mallets and sledges.
The other doors of the "bull pen" were
quickly battered in, Yelling like mad
men. the majority of the convicts
streamed into the prison kitchen and
began smashing State property. Others
remained In the yard making a tremen-
dous racket.
The convicts were SO successful In their
early movements that the riot was In full
progress when Warden simpson was
notified He Immediately asked the
militia companies in Jackson to hurry
to the prison, at the same time ordering
his guards and special deputies to hold
the rioters at bay. There was no check
ing the prisoners however. until the
soldiers arrived and then the demon
stration ended almost US suddenly as II
began. Several of the cOnvicts told the
warden they would go back Peaceably
!. The men considered most liable to at
tempt further trouble were handcuffed
to their cells while the others were
searched and locked In their steel rooms.
The only convict wounded was shot by
a man said to be Il soldier in civilian
clothes The prisoner. who was running
at the time failed to obey q command to
halt and received a bullet In the arm.
After order was restored. two compan-
les OF the Michigan National Guard ar
rived and Acknowledgement Roy c. Van
dercook, of Lansing. took personal COM
mand General Vandercook declared the
militamen would remain at the prison
until the trouble had subsidized. Warden
Simpson stated that thus far he has not
allowed any OF the convicts to be hogged
although the board of control officially au-
! thorzed Linn to use his own Judgment in
| the matter.
| There has been trouble between tn =
convicts and Officers for some Tina,
the dining room. 1t 10 claimed that a
dispute over food and service was re-
sponsible. Fearing further outbreaks
the warden secured number Of
emergency guards.
Everything was quiet about the
drawn lines tightly on every side,