Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-19
;0NV|CTS SET FIRE
TO PENNSYLVANIA
| PRISON IN R|0T|NG
Twelve Buildings Reduced to
Ashes, Entailing Loss
Of S15O,OOo.
VINE PRISONERS SHOT;
FIVE OTHERS ARE HURT
l'l35 Long -Termers Stage Dra-
matte Wholesale De-
livery.
ROUND Ur WOTING INMATES
''"'" Irpopcrs, Rushed to Scene TO
Put Down Disorder. Fire ON
Disiurbcrs.
VINE PRISONERS SHOT;
FIVE OTHERS ARE HURT
round UP nIoTING INMATES
''"i" Irooicrs, Rushed to Scene TO
fui Down Disorder. Fire ON
Disiurbcrs.
TBy United Pressl

PITTSBURGH. July iS-The in.
'Fi"r ~ the main building of the
western fcnitcntinry of p.nns.i-
'ah'" on the ch!o Rivcr. VA,
|"r'ck"d. dozen smaller buildings
connected with the Institution were
'Hrn'h ana fourteen persons. none OF
nom conviets. were injured ,his AZ
|i"rnoon In what Is declared to have
'Sen the greatest prison rio, and at
emh'"d prison delivery N the his
''ty OF the United states
Tho nine injured convicts w.r. sho.
'F city rolicc. county detectives ana
PRISON guards Three probably viii
"is Three city policemen and a
district ARE chief wcrc injured In the
Dung and r!ty fireman was serious.
ly burned
The buildings destroyed. an within
'h" great wall .that surrounds the
penit"n'iary. were - follows.
bin.ns-roon ,hrcc-S,ory frame
ana 'wo-s,ory brick, north .nI de-
s'royei 10y nnmes remainder wrecked
hy riotiny conviccs
weaving shor-larae ,hros-s,ory
trlck. burned
Machine shop .,nree--,ory brick
aroom -,vo-s,ory s,.,e.
shor snop ,ro..,ory brick.
burned.
chapei--one-story brick. burned
Large storage housc-one-story
frame. burned
kitchen--one-story frame. burned
-Four smalicr onc-story frame stor-
sg" houses. burned
Two looKout towers on tn. Driso,
wall. burned
Virtually all Of the l.lS5 prisoners
except the hny women. took bar, in
ih" rioting, both inside The main
bn.Iiine and In the prison ward. Tn.
-iot.ne lasted more than twa hours
FLAMES leaped hf,y fc.t abov. IN.
high rclson wall
Most OF the movable furniture had
hccn either burned or pricd stick
from stick, 10 furnish cudgcls for
The rioters during the mad hours Of
The afternoon state troopers. de-
tailed by order ~ the Governor.
prison guards ard city police. carry
ing pistols or riot guns. pa,roIlcd
N" corridors ana tho prison grounds.
authorized to shoot to XIII II neces-
.ary.
The fire loss is estimated nj $3.50. 900
The outbreak began with a fst
aght during mess hour. Being long
'ermerS, many OF the prisoners are
desperate. and the tractable clcmen,
found in the majority in most pris.
ons Is very small The convic,s had
been cranky" OF late. The men
wanted more cigarettes. The women
inmates wanted face powder. But
most OF all, from recent indications
In the prison. al! wanted excitement
and relief from The terrible day-af
,er-day unevcntful monotony
Two big patches OF long term pris
nncTs were received from other pris
onS. and noon today was the first
time the newcomers had been assign
ci I" places in their respective
Started with Eist-I:irbt.
i, noon, then. two notorious
trouble makers got into a hst.fpb,
GUARDS IN the mess hall rushed them
20 pry them apart. This seemed to
be The signal. prcarranged bv the
liD-read!hS. grapevine communica-
tion OF the convicts. for an outbreak,
\ sugar bowl whizzed over the
heads OF the diners and struck one eof
the guards. Instantly the others
leapcd on the tables and began throw.
b.
apart and beating the guards with
the rungs. In the prison yard. at
CONTINUED on Page 2. Col. 81