Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-08
COMPANY c FINDS
GUARD DUTY
NOT AN EASY LIFE
OTTAWA SOLDIERS UNDER SAME
REGULATIONS THAT PREVAIL
FOR FELoNs-ARE NOT PER
MITTED PAPERS OR ANY FREE.
DOM BUT GET GOOD FOOD.

Members of Company C. according
to reports from Joliet. where the OF
tawa command Is on guard duty al
the prison, are under military disci
pline to the nth degree-far more sc
than il they were. on actual war duty
Besides following the plain military
regulations the soldiers are under al
most as strict rules as the prisoners
themselves. They are housed in what
is known as the band building, a struc
ture near the western part of the in
ner court. They are penne1 there
when 'off duty and, while they are
ION duty" are forced to patrol the
entire prison yard and cell houses
Regular prison guards are given three
meals, their hours of sleep and theI
rights to pass to and from the court
as usual Members of the companies
are locked in as tightly as any of the
cOnvicts and are not permitted to
even have their newspapers, as news.
papers within the prison are consid
cred contraband
Reports are. however, that the quar-.
ters are comfortable and that the food
is of the very best quality, while the
men realizing the importance of their
task are not discOntented with their
lot. They look upon the experience
in the proper light and are content
they can get along for the short per
iod their services will be required.
Shortly after their arrival at the
penitentiary yesterday morning Com
pany G went on guard and were re-
lieved this morning by members OF
Company l., who started their twenty
four hour grind OF guarding the pris
oners.
Mess is served in the officers din
ing hall. The very best of foods are
being provided, tho 1t is impossible
to seat the entire list of soldiers al
one table They are ushered into the
dining room in squads of about twen
ty, and when they have been empl,
provided for, a new relay takes thei
places, and so on until all have beer
given their chuck.
nr hninu for :
stay of two weeks or more. Official!
of the prison are confident 1t viii
take month to straighten out tbs
chaotic condition that followed last
Tuesdays riots.
State Conducts Inquiry.
Joliet, June S.-State authorities
today are making sweeping investl
tagion into riots that threw joliet
prison into turmoil Tuesday anC
which resulted in calling Compan,
c, of Ottawa and Company l., o
kankakee TO relieve members of thu
First |. n. G., who were first on th'
scene to Quell the revolt. but whit
/ were forced because of their assign
ment to federal duty to return It
+ their regular duties.
Three men face indictment by WI
county grand jury as result OF thel
participation in the uprising The
are John Murphy, received from Ch
cago January 3, 1915; Harry Evans
another Cook county felon receive
in May, 1915, and Roy White, kar
kakee negro. all of whom are seryin
indeterminate terms for robbery.
Murphy Leader.
Murphy, with ball and chain a
tached to his leg as punishment tc
a recent attempt to escape, was prom
inent among the rioters. Carryin
the heavy iron ball in his hand b
ran from place to place in the yar
officials say. Where he went troub
started.
Murphy. Is said to have been II
= man who fired the oil house. GuarC
state that the building burst In
flames as he came running from Il
door. Peter Waters, who was /
iured by brick thrown by one
the convcts, says Murphy was II
I man who hure he missile This &C
i responds to the statement of ri
G Chief Royce. for whom the miss
was intended, who said il was a 60
vict with ball and chain who thre
d the brick.
Attempted Escape.
q Murphy recently attempted to I
= cape by constructing false bottc
in garbage receptacle He was
jured when prodding irons used
guards at the gate reached his h
= Ing place and his attempt to lea
the prison discovered His presen
was first suspected by Henry Rel
\ who noticed the excessive weight
the receptacle.
worn from opiIHEH'l' anu p'd
announced by Warden Bowen tod
indicated an early return TO the 10
step, few privileges and rigid {
ciplne.
Warden Bowen has not iecei,
word of the governors order TOR
turn to The lockstep, but admit
that in other ways the prison wo
return to the strict regime dlscon
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Continued on Page b.