Bisbee daily review., 1918-04-17
CONNECTS REFUSE TO WORK UNLESS GUARD
 IS REINSTATED
Prisoners Working on Roads Near Clifton go on Strike. Many of Them Are Mem bers of the 1. w. w.

The last issue of the Copper Era of Clifton. dated April 18th. has the following to say regarding the recent strike or the prisoners working on the roads in that county and show that the I. W. WIS are stlll stirring Up trou- ble.
 "II has been known that some kind of trouble was brewing at the further est road camp for some time. Rum CTS cf threatened strike by the con victs have been rife, and no one was surprised when the matter was pre- cipitated last Tuesday.
 In nest states convicts, especially ! long termers, have very little to say regarding the management of institu- tions in which they are confined, or the construction of enterprises on which they are forced to labor. Ari- zOna Is more humane. Here the con- vict is as gentle as a hired girl, and as independent as a Texas negro on Emancipation Day.
 It is the policy of the government of Arizona to work it's convicts on the pulhc highways. Many of the best roads in the state have been con structed with convict labor Under the provisions the expense of working the state convicts on the highway is borne by the state and the county in which the roads are constructed on 50-50 basis. At the present time Greenlee county is doing much road building, and has two camps of con victs building the road from Clifton to the Graham county line. The camp in which the honor convicts are locat- ed is few miles from the city, while further out are the stockades in which the other class of convicts are confined when not actively at work on the road. Among the men there are many wObblies, who have long sent ences It is alleged that some of the guarus are of the same faith and or der ot the wobblies, who were sent here by the state administration to perform the duties of guards at this i camp.
 But as stated. matters have been getting worse all the time. There has been rumors of mutiny from time to time. At the instigation of the pow CTS that be certain of the guards were let out, and men alleged to be incompetent were put in their places. Three weeks ago two guards, O'Neal and Gray, were relieved, then Me Guire cult, and Tuesday matters had reached such pass that Superintend- ent Taylor decided he had all that he could stand. The pet of the digrItntled convicts, it is alleged, was Captain of the Guards Mccullough. Engineer Bar low gave him his time Tuesday and this brought the matter to head. The convicts issued their ultimatum in which they declared that they would not go to work until McCul- iough was reinstated. The men or ganized themselves within the walls and laid their plans. Papers were drawn up and circulated setting forth tho condition on which they would consent to work, and that was the restoration of their favorite to his former position. This paper was cir culated in the stockade and nuhner- Ously signed, so it is stated.
 Matters Become Alarming.
 Matters were assuming alarming proportions. It was feared that the convicts would make a break for lib erty any hour, and such was looked for Tuesday night.
 Wednesday night Sheriff Slaughter received a message from the private secretary of Governor Hunt to take charge of the situation, to procure guards and hold the men until state officials could reach here. He at once started to follow these instructions, and proceeded to the extent of secur- ing C number of men to act as guards until the state officials could arrive. Before he started to the camp another message came from State Engineer Atwood advising the sherin to hold the guards in Clifton and not send them to the camp until further orders. Thursday morning it became known that G A Franz had taken command of the camp by orders of Engineer At wood but MT Slaughter had, up to Thursday evening. not been advised of ;he new arrangements, and the gIlards were still awaiting his orders. When news of MT. Franz being in charge of the camp reached MT. Slaughter he promptly washed ms hands of every disagreeable duty, and left the matter to those who had been put in charge of the situation, pend ing a settlement of the strike of the pets of the administration, who evl- dently feeling secure in having a friend ir the executive felt that they could bold the sovereign state of Ari- zona in contempt by issuing their ultimatum to the constituted authori- ties with impunity.
 Many things heretofore unheard oi in other localities transpire in Arl- zone One of these is the strike of a bunch of cOnvicts. Discipline must indeed be slack when such a state of things could exist. Most states are doing much to curb the harsh treat mcnt accorded the convicts in their penitentiaries. but 1t seems that the state administration of Arizona has gone far over the limit. Indeed it Is alleged that there is no such thing as Hooverizing at this camp where the pets of the administration are con fined According to reports few families in Clifton fare as well as these wards Of Arizona. who are evl- dentlv taking leniency for license.