Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-25

Continued From First Page.l
men marched withsa firm, snappy step
Guards expressed almaZement at the de-
meanor of the men, who only yester-
day were a bowling mob, refusing tc
abide by the orders of their keepers
and refusing to heed orders until their
demands for the removal OF Warden
Preston Z. Thomas were met. The
warden was not removed, however.
Another about face in the passive
resistance" campaign was seen when
convicts volunteered to relieve 20 con-
NctS who have shoveled coal in the
power house almost constantly since the
disaster.
S20th Victim Succumbs.
An unnamed convict appeared volun-
tarily in Warden Thomas office today
and said that one Of the prisoners II,
the section which burned had an
be on fire tomorrow" The fatal blaze
occurred Monday night.
The convict was said to have named
the man who made the statement. He
was turned over to the State fire mar
shall for further questioning.
Prison officials said the name Of the
informant would be withheld.
The death toll Of the fire was In
creased to 800 today when Alvin Bar
tezko and James Andrews died from
pneumonia which resulted from expo
sure.
The board Of inquiry transferred its
activities today from the penitentiary
to the ONCE Of Attorney General Gil
bert Bettman. A complete report OF
the investigation will be placed before
Gov. Myers Y. Cooper tomorrow. Until
then, the governor Will take no action
regarding the administrative personnel
at the penitentiary.
Two Blame Deaths on Delay.
Several witnesses have testified tina
confusion among the guards was partl!
responsible for the. delay in getting thu
doors Of the burning and snoke-fllleC
cells unlocked Two persons, Alder
Nice, chief of the Columbus Fire De,
partment and Deputy Warden j. c
Woodland, told the investigators they be-
1ieved all Of the men could have beer
saved had the cells been opened
promptly.
/ Opposition to Thomas was based OIL
prisoners charges that under the pres
ent regime they were treated cruelty
Other prisoners, however, said they hat
witnessed no brutality.
AS a means Of relieving crowded con
ditions at the penitentiary and thereb.
removing one Of the causes for the un
rest. Gov. Cooper was proceeding will
plans for the transfer of 500 men to tn
London prison farm. Later, a commit
tee Of citizens appointed by the governo
will formulate a new program for han
ding affairs at the State institutions
The committee will comprise five mem
bers, two Of whom already have beef
.named They are T. A Anderson Gin
cinnati welfare worker, and julius T
Stone, Columbus, banker, educator ant
scientist.
40 Bodies Unclaimed.
OF the $40 victims of the disaster Ia
bodies remained unclaimed today at tn
improvised morgue at the State fai
grounds. For those still unclaimed O
4 pm. today the State has provides
burial places in two Columbus GENE
teries. The caskets will be placed sid
by side in one huge grave after singl
rite for all.
At last nights session of the inquir
board Harry Dillehay, a truSty In tn
warden's ONCE, said he and Warde
Thomas went out into the prison var
after the fire alarm had been turned II
and that the warden exclaimed, m
Godl What's going to happen next?"
Upon returning to the guard room, Ollie
hay said, the warden ordered the guard
TO get the men out Of the f1re-menace
cells. j. H. RhoadS, a guard contra
'6iicted part of Dillehay's testimony, de
claring that Warden Thomas did not 6
into the prison court. He said Thoma
remained in the guard room and In
Structed the guards to get the key
and get them out"