Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-19
NINE coNvicTS SHOT
IN PRISON MUTiNY
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afternoon. and according to John A.
Fairman. the president, the "ringlead-
ers of tho riot and fire will be pun
| ished.'
The count shows that nine OF the
prisoners were shot by the guards and
20 seriously wounded that they may
not recover. Three policemen were
also hurt and n fireman badly burned
In addition to the casualties IL build
ings within the walls of the institu-
| ton were destroyed by fire and the
main building was almost demolished
within. Officials regard this an the
worst prison riot and attempted prison
delivery In the history OF the United
States.
Virtually all of the 1.135 prisoners,
except the fifty women prisoners. took
part in the rioting, both inside the
main building and In the prison yard
The riot lasted more than two hours
and 1t was at least that much longer
before tho firemen had the flames
under control Flames leaped fifty
feet above the high prison wall.
As the flames lcaped up from the
building and licked the window frames
of the cells in which they were penned.
the prisoners shricked, cursed, prayed.
shouted for help. and with frenzied
strength tore at the bars
The rioting and fires broke out si-
multaneously, and, according 10 the
prison officials, were part of a plot to
empty the great institution OF its horde
of criminals. But for the alertness
of the guards In refusing to be trieked
by ruse, the plan would have sue
ceeded. IL is declared.
The first squad of almost 500 prison.
ers, just after the noon hour. had had
| their meal served in the dining han
and had been returned to their cells.
and the second squad, numbering
about $50, were in the dining room.
when two OF the prisoners started a
| fight
| Dishes. chairs. tables and other mis-
siles were sent whirling through the
| air. A sudden rush was made for the.
guards, who retreated to the prison
walls and covered the crowd with their
| rifles.
| simultaneously with the rioting, fires
broke out in the weaving shop. the
| broom shop. shoe shop. chapel and
| kitchen. A negro prisoner was seen
applying a torch to one of the build
| ifsgs then TO another. A moment later
| he was felled by guard.
The buildings, dry as tinder, were
soon in flames. In an instant the
/ prisoners broke for the open. The
| rioting eonvicts went like stampedinp
cattle. shriel<ing and curslng as they
hurled every sort of object or weapon
they could find. While reserve stew
ards stationed themselves on the walls
| 10 prevent escape by that route. other
guards fastened from the buildings
| and formed lines to prevent the
prisoners from rushing the gates.
Practically all the shooting took
place in the main building. In the
| rioting in the prison yards, the guards
used clubbed rifles and threats OF vol
leys TO control the frenzied prisoners
Il was almost half ain hour from the
tifno that the rioting started before the
$50 men had been driven inside the
building.
| The worst phase of the riofing oc-
cured after the prisoners had been
cleared from the yard aud had been
locked inside the building. Once inside
they defied the guards when ordered to
their cells. and, taking refuge at top OF
the cell tiers, rained down bricks.
pieces OF cement. washstands which
| they tore from the walls, and even
huge pieces of steel from the cells.
| Tearing loose great lengths OF steel
from the cell tiers. they pried and bat
tered down cells. brick partitions. and
even broke up the cement flooring
which was Is inches thick, and hurled
the pieces all down at the guards and
police who were attempting to control
them
Practically 40 per cent of the cells
were destroyed before the prisoners
were subdued and driven back into
what cells remained.
One principal complaint of the men
was that their food was not satis-
factory and that they were not per-
mitted TO have cigarettes.
The women. IL was learned. were
indignant because they were not per-
mitted TO have face powder and
rouge" many declaring that the use
Of cosmetics was as much a neces-
sary part Of their toilet inside the
prison as IL would be If they were on
the outside.