Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-29
Four Guards Are Shot in
Battle Around Walls After
Convicts Seize Arsenal.
BUILDINGS aHE FIRED,
WITH $500, 900 LOSS
Three Machine Guns Missing After
Riot Is Quelled and Other
Arms Recovered.
Rv the Associated Press.

yesterday led revolt Of the 1,700 in
mates, captured the prison arsenal,
with its stock of approximately so rifles
and 4 machine guns, stormed the
main gates, fred several prison shops,
with an estimated loss Of $500, 900. and
shot four guards, one seriously.
Four convicts escaped from the prison
in the first rush: two of the mutineers
were killed by the fire of the guards,
and a third was wounded seriously.
A mere handful of guards, two-thirds
of the staff being off duty because it
was Sunday, beat back the first attack
of the rioters, then, reinforced by the
remaining guards, hastily recalled, and
by State troopers, they held a yelling,
surging mob of convicts at bay until
the outbreak spent its force and quiet
was restored.
All in Cells But Seven.
The four convicts who escaped were:
George Small, serving q term of IL
years for robbery.
Joseph Caprice, serving a 20-year
term for robbery.
Arthur Barry, serving 25 years for
burglary.
Steve Pawlik. robber, serving life as a
fourth offender.
A check-up today showed that, with
the exception of the slain convicts, one
IN hospital, and the four who escaped,
every inmate of the prison was in a
cell, although the cells were crowded
because Of the damage to cell block
by fire.
Warde:- Is Kissed.
yUardar. >Yeppipoc vac bieeod and
booed today as he inspected the con-
victs returned to their cells
On completion of his inspection the
warden issued his first complete state
ment on the outbreak. He intimated
that the rioting convictS had received
aid from outside the prison.
Warden Jennings said he had ex-
pected trouble ever since the outbreak
at Clinton Prison, Dannemora, last
week. He could give no definite reason
for the revolt. but said that there had
been an air of tension about the prison
all week, and that convicts and guards
alike had expected some sort Of upris-
ing.
Prison Overcrowded.
He said the prison was greatly over
crowded, 1,772 prisoners being crowded
into 1900 cells, while 1t had been neces-
sary to use the corridors for sleeping
quarters.
While most of the rifles stolen from
the prison arsenal had been recovered,
three machine guns were missing.
Prison officials pointed to the similar
ity between the outbreak at Auburn
yesterday and the revolt of the prisoners
at Clinton Prison, Dannemora, week
ago. News of such attempts to gain
freedom travels fast along the grape
line telegraph"-A mysterious method
of communication known to the under
world.
Prison Guards Are Vigilant.
Today, vigilance at State prisons was
even more keen, four machine guns
were placed on the docks at Sing Sing
Prison, to guard the fence that separates
line telegraph"-a mysterious method
even more keen; four machine guns
River.
Sunday is a day of recreation and re-
taxation of strict discipline in State
prisons. Here and there about the
Auburn yard yesterday morning con-
victs lounged in groups, smoking, chat
ting or playing checkers or cards.
At lis pm, trusty strolled across
the yard to where Merle Osborne, keeper
Of the prison key room, stood. As he
neared Osborne, the trusty whipped
pistol from his clothing and fired.
Osborne fell beneath the feet of half
a hundred convictS who had sprung
from all parts of the prison yard in
response to the signal of the pistol shot.
Rush for Main Gates.
AS the prisoners swept over him, they
snatched Osborne's keys from his
pocket and headed for the arsenal.
There they seized every available rifle
and four sub-machine guns and rushed
for the main gates.
Milton Ryther, on guard at the gate,
locked the gates and threw the key
over the wall into the street. Then the
mob was upon him.
Under the menace of leveled rifles,
Ryther backed up the stairs to the
wall and into one Of the guardhouses
near the main gate. He was followed
by four convicts, two of whom, accord
ing to witnesses who saw the incident
from the street, carried machine guns.
While one man covered Ryther, the
of the prison with rifle and machine
gun fire. Then the four leaped from
the wall to the street.
chauffeur" Is Shot Fleeing.
Two Of the convicts, armed with
rifles, jumped into passing car driven
by Jacob Reese of Auburn and forced
him to drive them out of the city. On
the outskirts they compelled him to
stop near an unoccupied shed, which
they prepared to fire. Reese bolted.
Three shots were fired at him by the
convicts. one shot puncturing his
pocketbook.
Two other convicts escaped in car
which was parked outside the prison.
o. r. Judd Of the Barnard Fire De-
partment and Patrolmen Pelton and
Corcoran of the Auburn Police De-
partment exchanged shots with the
convicts as they leaped from the wall.
but were driven to take shelter behind
tree by hail Of machine gun bullets.
Half Of Cells Made Useless.
Meanwhile, the remaining ringlead-
ers Of the outbreak had rushed back
to the prison yard and opened fire on
the guards along the top Of the wall,
simultaneously some of the convicts set
fire to the prison shops, while others
CONTINUED on Page 8, Column 50
Dn9n DIoxyA,. nsno nf II, s,,rsau