The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-07-19
1875 C0NVICTS'FAIL
in FIRE ESCAPE PLOT
Western Pennsylvania Pen
itentiary Is Scene OF
Long, Desperate Fight.
IA WOUNDED IN RIOT
$50 Policemen, Guards and
Firemen Battle With
Crooks and Flames.
DOZEN BUILDINGS BURN
Women Do Not Join, but Are
Grieved Because Deprived Of
Use of Cosmetics.
DOZEN BUILDINGS BURN

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
PITTSBURGH. July 1s.--The interior of
the main building of the Western
Penitentiary OF Pennsylvania, situated
on the Ohio River In the Woods Run
district, was wrecked, dozen smaller
buildings connected with the institu-
ton were destroyed by fire and four
teen persons, nine Of them convicts.
were injured this afternoon in what is
declared to have been the greatest
prison riot and attempted delivery In
the history Of the United States.
The nine convicts injured were shot
by city police, county detectives and
prison guards while attempting to
fight their way to liberty. Three were
so seriously injured that it is declared
their recovery Is impossible. The
others wounded include three city po-
lice officials and district fire CHIEF,
who were injured in the rioting, and
a city fireman, who was seriously
burned while fighting the flames.
Virtually all of the 1875 prisoners ex-
cept so who are women took part in the
rioting both inside the main building
ana in the prison yard. The rioting
lasted more than two hours and 1t was
at least that long before the firemen
had the flames under control.
Flames Infuriate Prisoners.
While $50 city and county officials
and the full corps Of guards battled with
the illaddened convicts. all OF the fire.
men from the North Side fought the
flames to keep them from destroying
the main building. where the convicts
were confined after they had been
driven from the yard AS the flames
leaped up from the buildings and licked
the window frames of the cells in
which they were confined. the prisoners
shrieked. cursed, prayed, shouted for
help and tore at the bars. Through II
all there was the desperate struggle be-
tween the hundreds of guards and police
and the criminals fighting for freedom
and to escape the fiery death that
threatened them.
The rioting and fire began simultane-
ously and according to the prison Off
cials we're a part of plot to empty
the great institution of it's hordes OF
criminals.
The noon meal had been served to
the first squad of almost 500 prisoners
in the dining hall and they had. been re-
turned to their cells and the second
squad of $50 was in the dining room
when two Of the prisoners started a
fight. Soon dishes. chairs. tables and
other missiles were whirling through the
air. Then a rush was made for the
guards. The latter, however. retreated
to the prison walls and covered the men
with their rifles.
simultaneously with the rioting fires
started in the weaving shop. the broom
shop. the shoe shop. the chapel and the
kitchen. A negro prisoner was seen
applying torch to two of the buildings
A moment later he was felled by a
guard.
The buildings. dry as finder, were
soon in flames and the prisoners broke
for the open. The rioting convicts acted
like stampeded cattle. Shrieking and
cursing. they hurled every sort of object
or weapon they could find While re-
serve guards stationed themselves on the
walls to- prevent escape in that way.
others formed lines to prevent the pris-
oners from rushing the gates
Guards Use Clubbed Rifles.
Practically all of the shooting took
place in the main building In the riot
Ing in the yards the guards used dubbed
rifles and threats of volleys to control
the frenzied prisoners. 1t was almost
half an hour from the time that the
rioting started before the $50 men had
been driven inside the building
Several times the huges gates were
swung open TO permit fire engines to
enter and at these times all that stood
between the prisoners and liberty were
two lines Of guards. one inside the gates
Nd an
ceeded in breaking through, so far as is
known.
The worst phase of the rioting came
after the prisoners had been cleared
from the yard and had been locked in
side the building. Once inside. they de-
fled the guards when ordered to 20 TO
their cells. Taking refuge on top of the
cell tiers. they rained down bricks.
pieces of cement. wash stands which
they tore from the walls and even large
pieces OF steel which they tore from
the cells.
Tearing loose steel bars from the cell
tiers. they pried and battered down
cells. brick partitions and even broke up
the cement flooring. which was eighteen
inches thick, and hurled 1t all down at
the guards and police who we're at
tempting TO control them. Practically 40
per cent of the cells were damaged In
this manner before the prisoners were
subdued and driven into cells.
The principal complaint OF the pris-
oners has been that their food was not
satisfactory and that they were not per-
mitted to have cigarettes. The women.
Il was learned, were indignant because
they were not permitted to use face
powder and rouge. saying the use Of cos
metics was as much n necessary part of
their toilet inside the prison as on the
outside
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