New Britain herald., 1929-12-24
Auburn Newspaperman Gives Out First E Witness Account of
 Riot In Prison Among Convicts

telephoned Major Frederick s. John ston, of the Auburn National Guard company. He detailed officers to go to the city in a car and pick up all available policemen and rush them to the prison. Bills then sped down 10 the prison to grapplc with the greatest crisis in his career. Within those walls Warden Je7- nings was q captive, in imminent peril of death, and with him WAS Guard Claude J. Bills, Chief Bills father, whose life also hinged upon | the action of those outside as well as within the prison walls.
 "Whcn I arrived at the prison. !" reads the report of Chief Bills, q found Sergeant Sullivan, Captain Me 1 Grain and Morrison, Poster and Clerk Demo of the prison, with my own men, Sergeant Green and Pa trolmcn Bobbctt. Arnold. BunneIl, Brandstetter and Grancy holding the 1 guard room.
 About this time John MacTag- Gart, a prison shop employc, was i led up to the wicket in the south door of the guard room Behind him was convict with a gun. We could not shoot him without sending a bull let through MacTaggart. "MacTaggart asked for Captain McGrain, who went bravely to the door. MacTaggart said John, the warden, myself and six guards have been captured by F inmates. They say that if they are not allowed to go to freedom they will kill the warden and all of the guards
 "McGrain could do nothing. The inmate took MacTaggart away.
 While they were below I asked Sullivan if there was any gas in the i prison, he said there was none. Some had been ordered, but had not arrived.
 T then took steps to get gas bombs. While doing so, MacTag- gart was brought back to the wick ct and McGrain summoned.
 "MacTaggart said: The warden 1 NdlIlS you lO ulllOCh iliS uOOTS lHu let us out
 CT cant take orders like this.' re- piled McGrain. How am 1 to know the warden said so?'
 "Thc inmate became impatient. You've got the keys, haven't you?' he asked.
 "Yos,' said McGrain, but I'm not in charge horc.'
 "'Thcn who is,' demanded the convict.
 "Ill find out said McGrain.
 "'Will you unlock the door if we bring note from the warden?" ask ed the inmate"
 It was then that Chief Bills de- termined upon q tear gas assault al once. Hastily teelphoning to Syra- Cuse and Rochester, he called fol gas bombs to be sent by airplanc or by any other rapid means.
 Refuses to Honor Note
 He resisted note bearing what purported to be the warden's sigma ture directing the opening of tho prison. accepting instead the ters. order of Dr. Raymond F. C. kieb state prison commissioner, If they come out shoot them down; if thcI don't come out. go in and get them. T
 In the lower hall Warden Jcn nings, MacTasgart and Guarls Dempsey, Ryther, Holzhauer, Hu guinen, Van Housen and Atkins were facing a situation which ever! instant became more critical.
 "The inmates brought Warder Jennings 10 the wicket, a gun as his head" the report continues. 'TheA threatened instant death. We coull only continue to stall them. Time and more time, was what we needed Then Father Clcary arrived. Ht made several trips into the prisor for parleys. The inmates became suspicious of him.
 Most of the day had been spent this way, The convicts told tn warden time was up-tO get somt action.
 I've had our plan all ready. Tn troopers had their gas masks on We needed mere gas bombs but d2 Cjdcd to use two at first. We SCI. Father Cl,ary in with q note to tel them they could come out.
 We opened the door of south nal into the guard room, and another in to the back hall. The guard rooH offered the best hope for the tcal bombs.
 Tt was 11:50 q. m. when wor. was passed to the convicts. Tie! came pouring through. Beyond they could sec the open door. The gate. aJar and even q line of cars await ing them, as they thought. Bu they met the gas and began drop ping. Those who did not go dow broke for safety. The warden fcl and the guards bucked under th' fumes, but we dragged them out.
 Air Full of Bullets
 'It was ticklish job. The ali was full of bullets. "Chief Cadin Syracuse arrived with 50 men. Chic Cavanaugh, Of Rochester, arrived with more gas and so men. Thel began the last phase of the battle with the men in the upper tiers They smashed windows and hugge, tho floors and did all they could t' escape the gas, but finally gave in We rushed them again and agai firing shots. They had to use thei arms sparingly. not having muc ammunitlon. It was evening befor we got them all."
 The final stages of the mutin came when the roundup for missin firearms began. Every cell wa emptied and all their content thrown into the corridor. Not scrap was overlooked in the searcl for l2 pistols which were missing Six were found in the prison and tn other six were located outside tn