Imperial Valley press., 1930-04-23
BY HARRY w. SHARPE
United Press Staff Correspondent

COLUMBUS, o., April 23. U.H-
New precautions against trouble
were taken today at the Ohio pen
itentiary-where 800 men died in
a fire believed started Monday
night in a bold delivery attempt
when cell doors were found to have
been tampered with.
Extra guards patrolled tiers A,
b, c and ID just after dawn when
paper, ehewed gum and pieces of
wood We're found in the cell locks.
These PARTICLES would have prevent
ed locking the doors.
After the precautions, however,
the prisoners were led to breakfast
safely.
A general break for liberty was
feared when the prisoners were
marched out for breakfast this
morning, but it failed to material
ize. Preparations had been made to
quell an uprising.
Guards unlocking cells at dawn
said they found locks in cell blocks
A, b, c and ID stuffed with chewed
paper, gum and particles of wood.
Convicts in these cells refused to
90 to their cells at the regular time
. o'clock last night, and milled
around in the range corridors for 80
minutes. A guard reinforcement
finally persuaded them to retire.
There were 1900 prisoners in the
four sections. Guard Captain Lock
hart was tipped a break was plan
ned between and 6 a. IN. Iron
bars on windows of his dormitOry
were removed temporarily because
Of Monday nights disaster and the
convicts would not have experienc-
ed difficulty in reaching the prison
yard.
Lockhart said he was warned the
prisoners would concentrate on two
vulnerable points, at the southwest
and northeast stockades. Extra ma
chine guns were mounted and the
military guard oatside was strength
ened but nothing untoward occur
red.
Identity Mixed
Goldie Curtis, sent up from Ham
ilton county, and supposedly burned
to death, regained consciousness to
day and said another convict who
got his numbered shirt by mistake
was killed.
1t was in these same tiers thai
guards had trouble last night Will
an unruly group of prisoners.
The inmates had refused to retir,
when the "lights out" order wa
given at 9 p. m. The prisoner
milled about in the corridors. The,
would not heed the plea that they
retire.
Finally an extra guard group wa
sent to the cell block and persuaded
the men to return to their cells.
During the night, and especial,
after the tampercd locks were foun,
today, prison authorities mad
preparations to quell what was fear
ed might be a general attempt n
delivery.
Meanwhile state authoritie
delved into the causes Of the fir
Monday in which the 320 men wer
killed. A full picture Of the di.
aster and some of the eontributin
causes of the confusion of thos
dark hours have been CLEANED fror
the investigation ordered by Cover
nor Myers Y. Cooper. The COVE
nor's investigation, he has said,
aimed toward alleviating condition
at the prison which repeatedly wa
Overcrowded at the time the fiji
broke out Monday, t H
A confused picture of human rea
tions during the height of the fiji
was gradually taking shape today
Under the leadership Of Govern,
Myers Y. Cooper, state officials r.
sumed their investigation of h
disaster, which turned the olde
section of the prison into a roarin
inferno scarcely few minutes aftt
Liston G. Schooley, a trusty, sa
smoke from the windows of the pri
on offices.
Most of the evidence was contrt
dictory. Some bore the unmistak
bic tint of cowardice in the face {
guards and even convicts-some {
the most hardened - who rose
heroic heights of courage seemingl
to purge themselves on their pa
crimes against society.
Foremost, however, was the desil
to learn why the doors in cell. block
G. and II remained locked for a
rroximately two minutes after Il
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