The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-02-11
SLAIN WHEN
C0NVICTS TRY
PRISON BREAK
Prison Officers Are Beaten
and Then Shot by Convicts
Engineering Plot
BLAST RIPS WALLS
Help Is Summoned Before
Guards Are Finally Able to
>Subduc the COnvictS

Pittsburgh, Pa, Feb. 1.-Two prs
on officers were shot to death and
Il number of convicts were wounded
more or less seriously today in Il
riot in the western pcnitcntiary.
After an hours fight during which
riot guns, tear gas bombs, clubs and
bricks were used, the prison guards.
assisted by the county detectives and
Pittsburgh police forces, succeeded in
quelling the disturbance which start
ed when the convicts used explosives
in an effort to dynamite their way to
freedom. No prisoners escape. The
dead are: William Pieffer, assistant
deputy warden; J. A. Coax. an over
seer.
Warden J. NJ. Egan reported that
the plot was born in the minds of
four or five "bad men" recently
transferred to the prison here from
the eastern penitcntiary to be disci-
plined He added that he believed
the plot was engineered by quartet
of convicts known as "the four
horsemen." They had help from the
outside, the warden declared.
Blasts Up Wall
More than 1000 prisoners had
just had breakfast when the blast
ripped open the main gate and sec
ton of the wall, rocked the entire
district, shattered windows and caus-
ed nearby residents to flee from their
homes. Pieffer and Coax started on
| run for the hole in the wall but
were intercepted by convicts who beat
them and then shot the officers
with their own guns. The prison
, prisoners and other guards joined in
the fight. The guards concentrated
! near the gates and threatening the
prisoners with the sawedoff shot
guns ordered them to their cells
But explosion had signalized an at
: tempt to escape and with liberty in
sight they were stubborn and show
ed fight.
The prisoners in their cells added
their voice in the confusion, shouting
and beating upon the walls and bars
! and crying defiantly to the guards
| in the tiers. A few Of these con-
vcts got loose but the guards met
them hand to hand and threw them
back into the cells.
Call For Help
!. When it became evident that the
guards in the yard were not faring
so we'll call went out to the city anc
county officers were soon in the thicl
Of the fight.
With this large force at his dis
posal Warden Egan took command
He stationed detectives on the wall:
while guards and patrolmen took VI
the battle in the enclosure
The patrolmen used pi's to |:
and anything lying around loose
The officers bored in and soon thu
convicts were backed against on
of the gray stone walls. After :
brief hand to hand struggle tn
prisoners gave up and were driver
back to their cells.
Warden. Egan Immediately callet
together the prison board SO tina
the leaders of the revolt could b.
punished without delay.
Pittsburgh, Pa, Feb. ia mys
terious explosion shattered the BIZ
gates at the entrance to the western
penitentiary in lower Allegheny a
9:45 o'clock this morning. 1t is no
known whether any of the convict
escaped but Warden John Eagan sal
over the telephone that all tn
guards were armed and in position
to prevent any further outbreak.
A fire alarm brought several com
panies from the district surrounding
the prison but when the fireme
reached the gates they were halte
by the guards. Instead of openin
the doors to permit entrance Of tn
apparatus the firemen were admit
ted to the enclosure one at tim
indicating to those outside the wall
that there was serious trouble in tn
, prison yards.
Riot Call Sounded
A few minutes after the blast rocl
ed the prison riot call was SCUM,
ed. All available county detective
and city patrolmen were sent to IL
nlace Renorts Of firing from IL