The New York herald., 1920-01-03
GIRLS BITE, CLAW
AND KICK 3 HOURS
IN BEDFORD MUT|NY
Matrons and Guards All Bear
Marks When Fierce Reform
atory Battle Ends.
ESPECIAL prspArcH 10 THE HERALD ]

ESPECIAL pEs1ATcH no THE fERArpJ
BEDFORD. ". Y, Friday Prisoners in
the Bedford Reformatory for Women
started a mutiny today that required the
entire force of guards and matrons to put
down. Those who took part in the affair
have been star witnesses before John s.
Kennedy. vice president of the State
Prison Commission, who has been examin-
ing into the charges OF alleged cruel treat
ment OF prisoners.
A dozen or more girls took part in the
nutiny. 1t was led by Maize Rice and
Mildred Clifford, whose sensational stories
OF alleged ill-treatment have received
much publicity recently. The authorities
at the institution say that as result Of
the widespread publication of such stories.
which they brand as wholly untrue, the
discipline in the reformatory has been
broken.
The rebellious girls were In Rebecca
Hall, the disciplinary barracks Of the in
sitution. The trouble started originally
on New Years Eve. All except three of
the girls in Rebecca Hall were at liberty
to walk about the corridors, the others
being in cells upstairs. The girls de-
n,anded to be allowed to go to the
movies" that night. The request was re-
fused until each of them agreed to abide
by the rules. This they refused to do.
Immediately the girls began to shout and
scream and to beat the iron beds in their
cells. Their curses resounded through the
hall all night. The guards and matrons
were unable to quiet them.
Miss Helen Cobb. superintendent of the
institution, and Miss Julia Minogue. dis
ciplinary officer, summoned all the guards
and matrons employed in the reformatory
10 tackle the job this morning They were
unable to persuade the girls to yield to
discipline and attempted finally to control
them by physical force.
Each OF the girls fought like an enrage
animal. They kicked, scratched and at
tempted to bite all who came near them
1t took three guards and a matron to over
power Agnes Ryan. one Of the ringlelead-
ers. They then went after Maize Rice
who. the officials say II the worst behaved
girl in the institution. It took several
guards to subdue her.
Meanwhile, the other girls were throw
ing buckets, pans, brooms and everything
else they could lay hands on at the guards
and the matrona- Finally, after three
icurs' work. all the mutineers were sub
dued, and their hands tied behind them
and their feet bound. Then they were
isolated In the various barracks scattered
over the grounds OF the reformatory.
The guards and matrons were all kicked
and scratched, except one. He was said tc
be new man who sat down on a stair
way while the row was in progress keep
ing at a safe distance from the enraxed
prisoners
Miss Cobb. the superintendent. says the
mutIny was the result Of concerted
scheme on the part of the incorrigible
prisoners to get themselves into court on q
charge OF assaulting the guards and ma.
irons, as Ruth Carter did. When Ruth
Carter was placed on trial In White Plains
she told such tale OF Ill treatment tina,
the Jurors acquitted her and she was re-
leased from the reformatory. Her story
resulted In the present investigation.
Miss Cobb said also that none Of those
who took part in the mutiny were psyche
patio cases. They are just plain trouble
makers" she added They are trying tc
win their freedom In the same way the
Carter girl did,