The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-05-10
PRISONERS MUT|NY
AT STATE PRISON RR!!SSOO|N
FOurteenWOundedofW of Which
Two May Die
TORCH APPLIED
TO CHAIR FACTORY

Trouble at the State Pcnitentiary
Which has been Brewing for Several
Weeks Came to Il Head Monday
Shortly after Noon when $50 Prison.
ers Mutiny.
Columbia, May S.--Mu;iny of $50
prisoners at the South Carolina state
ipenitentiary today was quelled this
afternoon after II prisoners had been
shot by guards. Two Of the wounded
men may die Several are so serious
ly hurt that they have been removed
to Columbia hospitals while the others
are being attended in the penitentiary
hospital.
l'hc trouble, according to peniten-
tlary authorities, has been brewing for
several weeks. Three weeks ago the
authorities were advised that prison
ers were in possession Of weapons. A
search was made revealing the pres
ence Of knives, razors, blackjacks and
bayonets. These were concealed in the
civilian clothing Of the prisoners. Pris
oners In the South Carolina peniten-
tiary do not wear the "prison stripes"
but are permitted to wear civilian
clothing when they are not working.
When at work they wear overalls.
Following the discovery Of the
knives, razors and bayonets, an Or
Ger was issued taking away the cloth
ing and today was set for the collec-
tion Of the garments.
Trouble has been brewing, too it is
thought for some time on account of
change in the office OF captain of
the guard A new captain Of the guard
was appointed several months ago to
succeed the captain Of the guard, re-
signed, and this caused great dissatis-
faction. Today when the clothing had
been collected and the men who work
in the chair factory, one Of the depart
ments Of the penitentiary, were Or
dered to resume their work after the
lunch hour, a majority Of them de-
clined.
Standing in body $50 refused to
enter the factory. Twenty-four, the
men who work on one floor OF the chair
factory, went to their posts, the others
standing firm. The captain Of the
guard was summoned and told the men
to enter the factory. Again declining
they are said to have stated that they
would be killed before they would re-
sumo work. The entire force Of guards
was then called out and when the
prisoners began to make demonstra-
ton with sticks they had seized and
knives they work with in the factory
the guards opened fire. Many OF the
iguards fired above the heads OF the
mutineers but some fired into the mass,
13 being wounded. Later one was hit
in the head with a piece Of iron pipe.
In the meantime it was found that
the chair factory was on fire and when
fire hose was called into play 1t was
found the hose had been cut. The city
fire department was called out but on
arrival found the shooting in progress
and did not etner. The fire was extin-
guished, however by the prison authori-
tiles. City and county police officers
went to the scene and assisted in re-
storing order but did not take part in
the actual shooting, this occupying on
ly matter OF minutes and bringing
the situation under control. A check
Of the prisoners showed, authorities
say, that no prisoner escaped from the
lyard where the demonstration took
place.
Jack Davis, originally from New
York, who Is serving sentence OF
ID years for breaking into the home
Of lDr. r. r.. Moore, a prominent dentist,
cutting the telephone wires and lock-
ing the dentist and his wife in bath
room while he looted the house, took
an odd part in the affair After the riot
was over he abused and cursed oflic-
ers, defying so men, and had to be fin
ally dubbed into submission. He was
not seriously hurt, however.
| Call to Passionate
AT a congregational meeting Of the