The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-05
FOUR CONYlCTS SHOT
DEAD IN OUTBREAK
Plot for a Delivery at Folsom
Prison in California Is
Frustrated.
ONE MORTALITY WOUNDED
Two Guards Rake the Corridor
With Rifle Fire When
Criminals Appear.
ONE MORTALITY WOUNDED

SAN FRANCISCO. April "a carefully
planned prison delivery was frustrated II
the State penitentiary in Folsom this
afternoon when Ave convicts were shot
down.
Four OF the desperate criminals were
killed instantly and one MORALLY wounded
by prison guards who had been stationed
az vantage points where they could rake
the entire corridor OF the incorrigbl
ward with rifle fire at the least sign OF a
disturbance.
Only a dozen prisoners were connected
with the plot out OF the thousand or
more convcts In the prison. Previous
warning received by the prison OFFICIAL
that break was TO be attempted pre-
vented what might have been general
prison delivery. The most desperate con-
victs in the State were confined In the
Folsom prison.
The Dead and Injured.
The convicts killed were Jose Lucerics
sentenced to two years for grand lar
ceny; Earl w. Siprell. years for rob-
berry; Norman G. Hart, years for as
sault. and Raymond Blade. years for
burglary.
The fatally wounded man is Percy
Barnes, two years for grand larceny.
These convlcts were confined in the in
corrigible ward. which was not yet com
pleted the doors being of wood instead OF
steel.
The prison officials had been warned as
early as Wednesday last that such a plot
was on foot and by a system OF espiona ge
the details were overheard on Thursday
night.
Those In the plot were then trans
ferred to the incorrigible ward. were told
to abandon all thought OF attempting 10
escape that they were watched and under
strong guard and that the break would be
made at the peril OF their lives.
The convicts gave the impression tina,
they had abandoned the project. but the
prison guards took no chances Guards
II. Quintet and Il. c. Wisebeck. armed
with repeating rifles. were stationed in
the building where they had full com
mand Of the corridor on either side OF
which were the cells.
The ringieaders of the criminals gave a
Wild yell at 8 80 this afternoon and began
smashing the wooden doors of their cells
Pandemonium quickly reened In the cor
ridor. The five rngleaders We're the FIRST
to gain the corridor and as they appeared
they were greeted by bullets from the
rifles OF the two guards.
None Got Outside.
Not one OF the convcts even reached
the outside OF the building. One by one
they pitched to the stone floor of the cor
ridor. As the last man fell the two guards
trained their rifles ON the other broke
DOORS but the occupants were COVERING
In the corners.
Reenforcements for the guards came
running from all parts of the prison.
but they were not needed The guards
were doubled and quiet was soon restored.
Folsom. or Represa, as II is known
officially. Is "A prison without surrounding
walls, the convcts being employed largely
in the stone quarry and prison farm
during the day. returning to the prison
buildings at night, but always under
guard
The fact that the prison is without
walls has impressed the ccnvicts that
It would be comparatively easy to escape
at night and several fatal attempts have
been made,