The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-23

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Prison guards meantime
had nipped a threatening up
rising which was plotted in
Sections A, B, G and D Tues
day night, but failed to mate
rialize.
The outbreak was fixed for d. m
when the prisoners were marched to
the mess hall for breakfast. Guard
Lockhart was tipped to the i'm
pending break and hastily sum-
moned reinforcements, augmented
by strengthened military guard
thwarted the plan.
Out at the huge cattle barn morgue
at the state Playground, where the
victims were taken from the fire
ravaged cell block, grief-stricken
relatives today were permitted to
claim their dead.
S1rliness continued among the
convicts today and prison officials
said the outside military guard
would be maintained until COM
plete order was restored. There
were covert and open theets and
insistent demands that Warden
Preston E. Thomas relinquish his
post to ]. C. Woodland, deputy war
den, one of the heroes of the fire.
Demand Resignation
IF we don't get Woodland as war
den, we'll tear this place down,
one unnamed convict yelled as in
vestigators clambered over masses
of twisted steel and charred tim
bers.
Reports that shots were fired
Monday night when the fire broke
out, were believed partially con-
firmed today when two .38-calibre
shells, the type used in guards pis-
tolls, were Sifted from ashes Of the
devastated cells. There were con-
flicting reports of shootings. Some
convicts said one Of their number
was shot while trying to break out
Of a Smoke-filled cell.
The investigating board at Tues
days session failed to establish
whether there had been shooting,
but ordered bodies Of the victims
examined for bullet wounds.
Governor Cooper intimated find
ing of the bullets would change the
course of his investigation and
questioning Of witnesses was de-
layed until 100 p m.
Calls Back Witnesses
Warden Thomas and guard w. G.
Baldwin, who, with guard Thomas
Little, saved several score prisoners,
were asked to reappear. Attorney
General Gilbert Bettman, directing
the inquiry, said he was not salts
fed" with their stories.
The tour through the blackened
cell block was conducted by E. l..
Jenkins, penitentiary construction
engineer, who had charge Of build
ing Sections I and J, where the
blaze started. Others in the party
were Hal H. GrisWold, state welfare
director; four of Bettman's assist
ants and T. Ralph Ridley, state
architect.
ConvictS crowded around to tell
their version of the holocaust. They
seemed in q dangerous mood and
were outspoken against the warden
and guards.
Voice Mob Menace
warden Thomas was lucky he
wasn't mobbed when he came into
the yard this morning." one prison.
er said.
Thomas remained outside the wall
directing guards to prevent escapes
when the flames were roaring
through the cell blocks.
Father Albert O'Brien, Catholic
chaplain Of the prison, who rem
dered extreme JUNCTION to many Of
those who died, said the disaster
was a crime on the part of the state
"a greater crime than any of those
dead boys ever committed against
the state"
Roy r. Gill. state fire marshal,
who is conducting a secret investi-
CATION, said the situation still Is
unsettled.
While passing through the cell
houses on an inspection trip, be