Evening star., 1929-12-12

Continued From First Page)
the country, and dump you alive. II
We die, you die
Here Is the warden's account of the
turn of the tide IN the battle:
I'VE got word that the men in front
had some plan of meeting their (the
convictsO wishes. At any rate, they SaiC
they would convince the prisoners thai
tire doors were open and that the au-
toiEopiles were ready to take them away
and they opened the doors so they
could enter the main hall and have ar
unobStructed view of the open prison
door all the way to the street, with the
automobiles waiting for them.
Both Doors Opened.
"Thereupon, the doors of the mair
hall were opened from both north anC
south wings, and we all went out into
that main hall. The convicts had uE
to now controlled a gunfire from these
doors. They came into the hall, taking
us with them, when suddenly State
trooper with astounding bravery
stepped into full range of their guns
and threw gas bomb. More followed
One rolled right under me.
THE bomb was signal for general
Some of the convicts realized they had
been tricked, and ran back into the
south wing hall, while others ran into
the porth, but they turned on us and
fired at our handcuffed officers at close
range.
"One evidently tried to shoot me ir
the head or hit me with the butt of his
gun, or perhaps a keeper struck his
hand and I got only a glancing blow
but it landed behind my head at the
base OF the skull, and began to get
dizzy.
THE gas also, by this time began tc
render me unconscious. and the last
sensation had was pain in my wrist
and was being dragged somewhere by
my handouts.
"It later turned out that it was Mac
Tagert, and they tell me that my con-
vtct orderly also assisted in dragging
me out. lost consciousness"
Three Killed in Fight.
Three convictS were killed in the f1ght
that resulted in the rescue of The
warden and the keepers. Leaving theil
dead behind, the balance, numberine
about Is, retreated to the rear hall
State police, armed with machine guns
advanced and ordered the convicts tC
tear down barricade they had erected
johnson. one of the convicts, stepped
out into the corridor to comply, bu
promptly fell with a half dozen bullets
fired by the rioters. The troopers ther
opened fire, and in the battle that fol.
lowed four of the rioters were killed.
With the barricaded position cleaned
out the State troopers and prison
guards turned their attention to thu
other prisoners, numbering about 1861
who had remained passive but restles.
during the riot. During most of tht
time they had been in the prison yarC
with only the machine guns of thu
State police between them and freedom
They were returned to their cells with.
out trouble. however.
During the several fights that marked
the days disorders several guards were
wounded and gaSed. George E. Atkins
was shot in the face and back and
probably fatally wounded: James F
Van Heusen was shot in the eye; Albert
C, Holzhauer was shot in the mouth
In addition to the warden those who
suffered from gas were Claude r
Dempsey, Walter Failey, Lucius HUI
gunin and Milton j. Riker.
Durnford Resisted.
Durnford was shot at the inception OF
the riot when he resisted an attempt
by three conVicts to seize and hold hin
as hostage. With the aid of an un-
identified convict he dragged himself
out Of reach, but died shortly after
reaching the prison hospital
The convicts then took Warden Jen-
njngS into custody and using him as q
decoy surprised and captured the other
guards. Sullivan. acting as spokesman
for the rioters, sent out an ultimatum
debating the eight officials would be
killed if the armed forces were not
withdrawn from the vicinity of the
prison
Their demand was endorsed by
Warden Jennings who sent out by 9
trusty note reading, For Gods sake
give then what they want"
The ultimatum was referred to DR.
Kieb, State commissioner of correction
at Albany, who ordered mo COM
promise" In this he was supported BY
Acting Gov. Herbert Fl. Lehman.
Lieut.. Perry of the State police, who
delivered the reply to the ultimatum
added that IF the State troopers come
in, they'll come shooting" A few
minutes later the troopers made their
gas attack, rescued the warden and the
guards and in short while ended the
revolt.
Investigation Begun.
Maj. Phillip G. RooSa, prison inveSti-
gator for the State department of cor
rection, today was conducting an in
vestigation of yesterdays riot.
One of his first discoveries was that
10 guns from the prison arsenal were
missing. A morning count of the pris-
oners showed that one of the dead con-
victs, previously identified as Duke ].
Bonnell, was in reality Julius Stefanek,
from New York City.