New Britain herald., 1921-07-18
Police Reserves And Also
Several Fire Companies
Are Called Out From
Pittsburg To Quell This
Serious Outbreak
Peep Through Prison Gates
Showed Squad Of Detec-
fves, With Drawn RevoE-
vers, Holding Prisoners.

Pittsburgh, July 1s.-A reported
outbreak of prisoners in the Western
penitentiary on the Ohio river here
was followed soon after noon today by
fire which destroyed ten frame FAC
| tory buildings within the enclosure.
Police and fire lines were drawn
tightly around the institution and de-
tailed reports of the outbreak were
unavailable. It was known, however,
that penitentiary guards reinforced
by city policemen and deputy sherifs
armed with rifles and riot guns, were
holding the prisoners at bay while a
heavy fire fighting force was en-
deavoring to extinguish the flames
Many prisoners were removed from
the south wing where the fire started
Soon afterward the great crowd which
by this time had surrounded three
sides Of the prison believed they
heard a series Of shots and the shrieks
which had come from the panic
stricken prisoners for a time SUBJ
sided.
Ambulances At Scene.
At 1:45 o'clock it was announced
burgh director of charities that he
had iust sent five city physicians to
the penitentiary and all except police
for medical aid. A number. OF am
balances reached the prison about
1:40 p. m. At that time the guards
had been strengthened at the gates of
the penieniary and all except police
men and deputy sheriffs were being
rigidly excluded SO that no statement
of what " as going on within the walls
could be obtained. It appeared. how
ever. that the ire was under control
I've Alarms sounded,
Five riot alarms were turned IN to
the police and fire departments from
tho eastern penitentiary at 1885
o'clock. Five reports then were that
prisoners had revolted and fired the
buildings which are located on the
Ohio river. in the lower part of the
old city OF Allegheny.
Nine fire companies Immediately
responded to the alarms and police
reserves were hurried to the peniten-
tiary. Telephone communication with
the institution was temporarily cut
off. Fire records show that all the
alarms were sent from a fire box in-
side the penitentiary.
Col. C. A. Rook, a member OF the
board Of penitentiaryi managers and
publisher OF the Pittsburgh Dispatch
was notified by telephone from the
penitentiary that riot was in pro-
gress ard the buildings had been set
on fire.
Police Guard Entrances.
A Gordon of police was quickly
thrown around every entrance lead
ing to the prison while fire lines were
esta b1ished some distance away. Vol
umes of smoke rising from the en-
closure indicated that the broom fac
tory was rapidly being destroyed.
Sheriff w. s. Haddock answered
call with ten deputy sheriffs armed
with riot guns.
Robert Alderdice, director of pub
lie safety, sent every available PATROL
man to reinforce the men already on
duty while the pen1tentiary guards
were mchilized within the walls.
1909 To 1900 Prisoners.
The western penitentiary contains
a popu.ation of between 1900 and
1900 prisoners some of them sent
there by federal courts and the re-
mainder from the western counties OF
Pennsylvania. There is a branch, the
farm prison at Bellefonte, Pa, to
which men of high standing in the
prison are sent, leaving the most
desperate characters in the institu-
tions.
Prisoners Held At Bay.
A peep through one of the prison
gates showed a party of Pittsburgh
detectives with drawn revolvers fac
ing a great crowd of prisoners in the
yard. The men appeared to be in
great terror from the flames which
ragged back of them. So far as could
be seen none of them was armed
Meantime the flames had crept
along the Ohio river side and many
prisoners confined in cells there
shattered the glass in the windows
and shrieked for help. Two watch
towers on the walls were attacked by
the fire and quickly consumed.
Cries OF InNeAd.
Persons in the strest could dis
tinctly hear the shrioAu and roans
of the imprisoned men and it was
reported that a number had been
hurt and taken to the first aid hos
pital in asec iton of the prison remote
from the fire ragged Many citizens
offered their services to the authori-
ties and were added to Sheriff Had
docks forces.