davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

showers Of hot embers coming from
above and redoubled their impreca-
tions.
Not all the prisoners had been
locked up when the first danger sig
nal was sounded,
These the guards tried hastily 10
herd into their cells.
The fear of escape plots is always
uppermoSt in an institution where
escape is in the mind of every man.
One group of prisoners was being
hurried along by the guards within
the doomed cell house.
They rebelled and turned ON their
keepers, striking them down with
fists, and snatching the keys from
their hands
Unlocking what doors they could,
they drove several hundred prison.
erS to open air.
PandemOnium in Prison
The entire prison became a pam
through the roof.
Shortly after the first fire was
discovered, a second blaze, in the
Catholic chapel, was found and
promptly extinguished.
But by this time a majority of
the more hardened and reckless
criminals, still hoping for escape,
still were fiendishly plotting, and
group of hfers struck down their
guards, made break for the wooden
mills, 300 yards away, and put it to
the torch.
Warden P. E. Thomas ordered the
gates opened for the fire depart
ment.
The fire fighters entered the yard,
only to find themselves face to face
with jeering, crazy mob Of rioters
who threatened to tear them to
pieces If they attempted to extin-
guish the blazes.
The fire department was forced to
withdraw, temporarily.
Fire Fighters Are Fought
Arrival Of the national guardsmen,
reinforcing the police and federal
troops, who had thrown steel ring
around the prison, gave sufficient
strength to the authorities to make
their first drive against the 1000
milling convicts.
They went in, with bayonetS, and
cleared the way for the flremen.
The blaze in the wooden mills soon
was extinguished.
The state penitentiary took on
the appearance of a siege. The
walls bristled with machine guns,
and strong military forces guarded
every exit.
At $50, with the flames of the
west cell block dying down, the
horror was heightened by collapse
of the lighting system.
A short circuit, caused by falling
timbers, threw the prison into dark
ness.
Out Of this darkness came the
hoarse cries Of men both inside the
smouldering building and in the
yard.
Then the lights flashed on again,
in festoons of temporary bulbs,
draped from the walls like the deco
rations at lawn party.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
LACK OF PREPARATION TO
CATTLE FLAMES Barred AS I
HEAVY LIFE TOLL CAUSE
Act of God
Warden'S Daughter Feels
Holocaust Couldn't
Be AVerted.

BIZ United Press
COLUMBUS, O., April %. -
Through the devastated halls Of
Ohio state penitentiary today
walked q tired little figure in a
dress of blue - Miss Amanda
Thomas.
Her eyes are dark with fatigue
and weary with the things she
has seen.
For herself and her father,
Warden P. E. Thomas, today was
a day of overwhelming disaster.
Out at the state fair grounds lie
the bodies of 317 of the men the
state of Ohio gave into her IA
theirs keeping. She saw the start
of the flames Monday night, heard
the hour-long agony of dying men
in the locked cells, saw the hun
dreds of bodies carried from the
prison doors.
In the face Of it all, she is
serene.
Standing With her back 10 the
tall bars of the prison office door,
supporting herself with one smoke
grimed arm, she spoke.
at was simply an act of God.
There wasn't a thing we could do
that wasn't done. And that
fire"
She covered her face with her
hands.
1T was fiendishl It started over
there in tiny little flame, and it
raced right up through those
cellS-nothing could stop It'll
IAN this about the guard re-
fusing to unlock the cells, I simply
can't believe. It must be that
everything possible was done. ]
Just can't think anything else"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
HORROR SCENE LASTS FOR HOURS
Red Tongue of Flame That Was to Be Signal
". for Mutiny Lights Pyre, Holding
y 1000 in Trap of Own Making
BY HARRY w. SHARPE
United Press staff Correspondent

COLUMBUS, o., April 22.-The most appalling prison
fire in history, started in fruitess attempt at muny
brought death to 319 known prisoners and probably at
the state pententay here Monday night and injuries from
which $50 more may die within the next few days.
The slow death that from burns and smoke-fled
lungs took two victims in hospitals today.
Hospitals reported there approximately $50 injured
who have slight chance of recovery and 100 others s
fering minor hurts.
Nearly 1000 armed officers patroed the walls and yards
Of the prison today.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

had a chance to flee to the yard,
stayed in the blazing cell house to
rescue his companions.
When he could find no more
living, he carried out two dead
bodies.
A strange party wended its way
through the water soaked and
charred cell block where more than
one hundred persisted.
There was Joe Russell, oiminutive
Cleveland highway robber, who is
serving g. f1fty-five-year sentence for
a series Of depredations that kept
Cleveland police chasing him for
weeks.
And there was George Mengione,
sent up from Toledo.
George and Joe are pals, George
a strapping hail-met fellow and Joe
little fellow who insists he was
only a 19-year-old kid" when he
committed his robberies.
Joe was nursing sore limbs and
bruised arms. On his face he car
ried the mark of q burn.
81 saved about twenty fellows" he
said.
Il keeled over twice and they
brought me around with ammonia"
George, too, said he saved about
a dozen of his fellows.
The pals were members Of the
white city cell block which escaped
he fire.
Ben Rudner of Canton, serving
I life sentence for completely in the
assassination of Don Mellet, Can
ION newspaper editor, worked I'M
iringly pulmotor reviving men as
they were carried from the burn
ng cell block.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
ROBINS SONG LIFE GREENSBORO SCENE

Inside eighty-six embalmers
were working silently and swiftly.
Without was the scent of
grasses and new leaves and clean
winds; within, the bitter nauseat-
ing smell of embalrning fluids, the
destructive odor of death.
At the entrance to the grounds
a little knot Of women was
gathered. Every now and then
one of them would approach the
lieutenant in command of the
guard.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

IF All could just go in for a
l. minute, mister" one old Negro
woman said. "Ah could find nah
boy right away if he's thar. His
names Thomas, mister"
She turned away in tears as the
lieutenant, stiff1y irnpersonal,
shook his head.
Just at that moment the robins
call came again from the trees.
The lieutenant's face twitched.
damn that birdi" he said.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

Members Of Company K, CLASH
fed as incor- gibleS and refused
privileges accorded other prisoners,
were among the first to become or
gained for the rescue work. Hollow
eyed, but filled with indifference for
impending death. they filed time
after time into the acrid corridors
and singly and in fourS with
Stretchers to batter down doors and
carry out victims.
Bank RObber Saves Twenty
Big Jim Morton, whom Cleveland
society banished as a bank robber
singly aided twenty men to safety.
Trip after trip he made, staggering
from doorwayS, a victim under each
arm. Finally he collapsed.
Path Sword, Columbus. rescued
twelve before he tainted. Other res
cuers, unidentified but equally cour-
ageous, performed similar acts.
A giant Negro, worn to the point
of frenzy, staggered up to a United
Press correspondent and related
how he saved 300 prisoners by chop
ping hole in one of the cell walls.
He no sooner had finished the story
than he collapsed from exhaustion.
Frank Ward, a former Cleveland
policeman, serving a sentence for
perjury, demonstrated the mettle
Of heroes when he chopped away
the bars of several cells to permit
prisoners to be rescued.
Wild Bill Croninger, desperate
gave his life for society.
Twelve times he made his way
into the furnace, each time coming
out, choking and coughing, with the
limp body of a friend. He made
a thirteenth attempt to go in-sno
collapsed, dying.
ConvictS Prove Bravery
It was here, too, that Frank Ward
once a policeman, found regenera-
ton.
Selling an ak, he hacked away az
the locks of half a dozen cell doors
Hberating their Shrieking inmate
and driving them into the open.
And there was big Jim" Morton
a desperate Cleveland bank robbeT
who broke out of his ow cell with
his bare hands, and-although he
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

COLUMBUS, o.. April 22.-In
~ the trees of the state fair
ground today, a robin sang a song
of the coming of spring and the
sweetness of life.
It sounded almost like lie.
For inside the great central ex-
hibit hall of the state fair was q
sight so supremely terrible it
seemed the robins song must be-
long to different worlds.
Through the block-long wings
of the exhibit hail stood row upon
row of white tables. And on each
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
DENIES DRYS' CHARGE
Black Duck Case Aired at
Lobby Quiz.
BvTnited Press

BV Cnfted Press
WASHINGTON. April 22.-Charges
that the Association Against the
Prohibition Amendment "manufac-
tired" public sentiment against the
coast guard shooting in the Black
Duck case last December were made
before the senate lobby committee
today in its investigation of prohi
bition lobbying.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
GRIEF-STRICKEN CONVICTS
MOURN FOR BROTHERS

rancor in his voice, only sorrow.
Yep, Hank died in there like a
rat. He never had a chance"
A reporter found Ed Sunkle, a con-
Wet, sobbing bittery in the guard Of
flee within the yard. His brother
Charles Of Napoleon, O., had been
one of the victims.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
U. S. FACES DEFICIT
Hoover Warns Congress in
Letter to Chairman.
BIZ United Press

BIZ United Press
WASHINGTON, April 22.-The
government is faced with a deficit
Of $4,000, 900 or s3O00O,OOO for the
next fiscal year, President Hoover
warned today in letter TO Chair
man Jones Of the senate appropria-
tons committee and Chairman Wood
Of the house appropriations COM
mittee, pointing to the many small
appropriation bills now pending in
congress.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

table lay the twisted body of a
man-317 of them-burned or suf-
located in the fire that swept Ohio
state prison Monday night.
e q
THEY lay in all the different
u attitudes in which men meet
death.
Some were black and crisp with
arms outstretched and charred
fingers still clinched. just as they
died clutching the bars Of their
flaming cells.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

Included in the troops,
equipped for any kind of war
fare, were 800 soldiers of the
federal garrison at Fort Hayes
and the 166th Ohio national
guard infantry, 200 regular
guards and $50 city police
men, including 100 ordinarily
detailed to night duty.
Six hundred prisoners, out of S35
herded within the central hall Of
the west cell block, fought unsuc-
cessfully for freedom in a raging
furnace, and were brought out dead
or injured after the flames died
down.
The blaze, one of three supposedly
set by yengeful lifers, was part Of
plot to throw the penitentiary into
an uproar and, in the excitement,
to SieSe control Of the institution.
All relief agencies were mustered
here today with physicians and
nurses volunteering to attempt to
save the lives of the convicts who
fought their way out Of the blazing
trap that their own comrades had
set.
In a cattle barn on the state fair
ground, the dead were stretched In
rows. All but tnirty-five have been
identified.
Demands, Warden's Custer
The 1000 convicts who escaped
unscathed arose today in cells
through which water S1oshed an
inch deep. In the west cell block,
where the fire started, little was
left except blackened ruins.
John j. Chester, county prose-
cutor, demanded that Warden P.
E. Thomas be suspended until re-
sponSibility for the fire had been
fixed. Griswold declined to dis
cusS the matter, but Thomas de-
Tended himself.
II am satisfied that everything
humanity possible was done to save
the prisoners" he said.
Only one prisoner escaped,
Michael Dorm, SO, who calmly
donned a civilian suit and walked
away at the height Of the con-
fusion.
Almost every agency Of death
fire, asphyxiation, even an acct
dental hanging of a man who was
being lowered by rope-con-
tributed to the horror.
Wooden Stairs Feed Blaze
1t was $40 p. m. when the flames
were discovered in an unused prison
block.
Wooden stairways, constructed as
a part of temporary repairs, fed the
blaze, and it spread to Cell Units G
and H, where the prisoners were re-
turning from supper to be locked In
their cells
This was the moment chosen by
the conspirators for their mutiny.
Lie leu OOllB uc VI 4ldAllCo, IAGGP~
ing up the stairs Of cell Unit I was
to have been the signal for revolt.
Instead, it lighted a pyre, welding
the locks and fusing the steel bars
that held nearly 1000 men prisoners
within a trap of their own making.
Inside the fiery pit the fear
crazed conyicts beat against the
doors and shrieked their demands
for release. Alternately they cursed
and implored the guards, outside, to
strike of the locks and let them
batter their way to freedom. But
the guards, standing grimly by their
orders, refused. They feared
general uprising, releasing nearly
5000 convicts, was in the making.
Terrified Convicts Rebel
The blaze swept upward through
the open corridors Of the cell house,
finding little timber to feed upon
until it struck the heavy roof and
ate its way through. The scream
ing men below began TO suffer
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
Ru Tinted press

BIZ UHW6u FTBS8
COLUMBUS. o., April 22.-Ben
Henderson, Cincinnati highway rob-
Der, lost a brother in the prison fire.
He pointed to a charred cell on the
Inflated sixth tier and said:
There's where my brother died"
He said it simply. There was n
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
England's Poet Laureate Dies

LONDON, April 22.-John Mase-
field was mentioned today as pos
5ible successor to the poet laureate
ship of England, left vacant by the
death of Robert Bridges Monday.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
PRISONERS HEROIC
IN RESCUE FEATS

COLUMBUS o. April 22Epohal feats of hon stood out To-
the bright mounful picture OF the Ohio pen
tertiary catastrophe.
bravery
order aid their fellow the parched
twchng lips of others parayzed watched the
deeds performed.
Most of the individual heroes assigned to the
category of killers the of three
they a of
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22

Others merely were still white
forms, tangled hair and bare feet
sticking grotesquely out from eth
er end of a sheet.
Here and there was one whose
face bore a smile strangely sin
cere, as if death had been gentle,
and not unwelcome.
= q
OUTSIDE the hall, soldiers In
Ouniform paced their patrols.
wearing paths in the fresh spring
grass.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
Graf Zeppelin on Test Flight

3u United Press
BERLIN, April 22.-The dirigible
Graf Zeppelin, making test fight
over the Rhineland, arrived at Bonnie
this afternoon.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-22
319 KILLED IN PRISON FIRE, 80 DYING
OHIO DISASTER LAID TO
FRUTLESS REVOLT EFFORT,
4
) TROOPS GUARD CONVICTS

Suspension of State Warden Is Demanded by
Prosecutor; Everything Done to Save
Men, Says Penitentiary Chief.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19
(") Indicates Where Film Is Being


(s) Indicates Where Film IL Being
Shown Today.
District of Columbia
EARLE-13th st. NV.
%METROPOLITAN- st. NV.
AMBASSADOR-18th a. Columbia I'd.
APOLLO-624 H st. ne.
AVALON-Conn. ave. and Mckinley st.
AVENUE GRAND-645 Pa. ave. sc.
CENTRAL-9th st.
COLONY-GeOrgia ave. and FarraEut
EXPRESSING 9Th st. NV.
"HOME-123O G st. ne.
JESSE-3IOO 18th st. ne.
SAVOY-3O30 14th st. NV.
STANTON-515 G st. ne.
SYLVAN-1O4 Rhode Island ave. NV.
TAKOMA--4th and Butternut sts.
"TIVOLI-14th and Park rd.
YORK-GeOrgia ave. and Quebec NV.
Maryland and Virginia
Observation-Disclosures, Md.
"ARCADE-Crisfield. Md.
Notwithstanding Md.
sASHTON-Clarend Va.
TORIUM-Onanc0ck, Va.
Observation-Disclosures Springs, w. Va
CAPITAL-Cumberland, Md.
%CAPITOL-Winches Va.
COMMUNITY-Ridge Md.
CREWE-Crcwe, Va.
EMPIRE-Pocomoke City. Ma.
EMPIRE-Saxis, Va.
FIREMEN'S HALL-Willards, Md.
sGLOBE-Berlin, Md.
observation-disclosures Md.
ERSON-BrOOkneal, Va.
LYRIC-FiShing Creek, Va.
SMARADA-St. Michaels, Md.
MARYLAND-Kitzmi Md.
%MASONIC-CIifton Forge, Va.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Md.
NELSON HALL-LOvingtOn Va.
NEW-Aberdeen, Md.
NEW-ElktOn, Md.
NEW-Hancock, Md.
%NEW-LexingtOn, Va.
NEW VIRGINIA-HarriSOnb Va.
%OPERA H0USE-Leesburg, Va.
OPERA HOUSE-Piedmont, w. Va.
PALACE-FrOStBurg. Md.
PALACE-HagerStOwn Md.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Md.
%REPUBLIC-AnnapO Md.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Vista, Va
"SECO-SiIver Spring, Md.
STATE-Bethesda, Md.
Observation-Disclosures, Md.
STRAND-Staunton, Va.
WALLACE DALE-Tangier, Va
WARRENTON-Warre Va.
WEBB-Alberton. Va.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19
FARM BELT SWEPT
BY BANK ROBBER|ES
HoId-up Men Get $4,000
From is Institutions Since
September 3.

~ the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, September 1s,-An cpl
demic of bank robberies is sweeping
like a September storm, across the
American prairies.
Sixteen farm belt banks have been
looted at the point Of guns since Sep
TENDER g. Sums totaling more than
$500 have been taken There we're
four bank hold-ups yesterday alone.
The robber bands have moved by
motor car and even airplane over the
same territory as that worked by the
James toys half a century ago. From
Missouri! to the Canadian line they have
drawn guns on bank cashiers and roared
away with their loot.
Yesterdays bank robberies were at
Wesley and Hardy, Iowa; Clifford, NO.
and Hay Springs, Nebr.
May Have Used Plane.
The Hay Springs robbery gave au-
thorities their first intimation that
bank robbers may have resorted to air
planes A plane landed in field near
that Northwestern Nebraska village yes
terdsy morning. Shortly after noon II
had disappeared. In the interim the
First National Bank had been robbed by
five men of $4,000.
The robbery was the fourth in Ne
braska within week with loot tosaling
S9s 500. The greater part Of the total
loot was taken Wednesday, robbers
holding up the Lincoln National Bank
and getting away with $4,000.
Mostly the bank robbers have had
20 content themselves with small sums.
Except for the Lincoln, Nebr., robbery,
the loot has not exceeded SIS, 900, and
mostly 1t has been greatly under that.
The Clifford, Mo, bank robbers yester-
day got only $500,
Iowa Chief Sufferer.
The state of Iowa, dotted with small
towns. each with its bank or banks, has
been the chief sufferer from the lawless
forays. Five bank robberies have &C.
Cured in that State within fortnight.
Minnesota and Nebraska each have
been visited four times, while single
bank hold-ups have occurred in Mis-
souri, Illinois and North Dakota.
Investigation Of the Verdi, Mimi,
State Bank robbery September has
brought the arrest of two men, and
three are held in connection with the
hold-up of the Kramer, N. DakS FIRST
National Bank September Is. One t1ap
is under arrest for the Central Ot1
Nebr., robbery, which took place the
same day as the Kramer, N. Oak,
hold-up.
Shoot -to-KiIl Sentiment.
The Iowa bank robbery loss since jan
uary is $4,000 taken in IA hold-ups.
None OF the robbers has been captured.
One man was shot down after roppfng
the Winterset, Iowa, Bank.
Iowa public opinion has beep roused
to the point where "Shoot-to-kill'' II
sentiment has made itself apparent.
The Des Moines Register 4nd Tribune
today offered a $500 reward to zoe nSS
person-vigilante, sheriff, deputy @
bank employe-who shoots and k1ns
bandit in the act of robbing 81 Iowa
bank. Vigilante organizations, which
seyeral years ago we're successful in
stamping out bank robberies in we
State, are being revived to war npon
the renewed robber menace.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19
EX-POLICEMAN FINED

Charged with drunkenness and as
saulting a policeman, Raymond S.
Miller, former policeman, Of the 1900
block of z street, was fined $35 in PO-
lice Court yesterday by Judge A.
Schuldt.
Policeman Ralph B. Rector of the
third precinct, testified that Miller
kicked him three times, once in the
face, after he had gone to Miller's
apartment to investigate a disturbance.
Mrs. Miller called police and told
them that her husband was drunk and
that she was afraid to enter the apart
ment. Rector declared that Miller was
breaking furniture when he arrived. A
scufhe ensued in which the policeman
was finally victorious,
Miller pleaded guilty to being drunk,
saying that he did not remember the
fisllt.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19
ToDAY's ADJUSTMENTS.

Gayety-"Kuddling Kuties," burlesque,
at ais and BIS pm.
Rialto-"Little Accident" at 1927
am, 1923, 1929. $50. 1881 and 9:32 pm.
EarIe-"M Maybe It's Love-" at I1:45
am, las, 3:45, 5:35, 1855 and 9:35 pm.
Fox-"The Sea Wolf" at l1:l0 am,
lis, $3.50, 5:45, SOL and 1913 pm.
MetrOpoIitan-"Old English" at 11:4O
am, :3s, 3:35, 5:34, 1880 and $50 pm.
Palace-"Anybody' War" at 1850
am, 2:05, 4:30, 7:l5 and $40 pm.
R-K-O -"Leathernecking, at
1880 am, 1898, $40, $40, 7:45 and
9:45 pm.
COlumbia-"Romanc (third week. ,
at ll:15 am, lis, 3:25, $50, 1885 and
GAS pm.
AmbasSad Or-"High Society Blues" at
5:45, 7:40 and 9:35 pm.
CentraI-"Rafies, from IL am, to
II pm.
Tivoli-"On the Level" at 2, 3:35,
$40, GAS, $40 and 10 pm.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19
BENNETT BALLOON RACE
RECORDS ARE VERIFIED
Bureau of Standards Shows Van
orman Covered Distance OF
542 Miles.

Ward T. Van Orman. veteran Amer
lean balloonist, today Was declared Of
ficially by the National Aeronautic AS
ISOLATION TO have been winner OF the
Gordon Bennett international balloon
race which started from Cleveland,
Ohio, September /. The announcement
was based on scaling Of the distances by
the Geological Survey and celebration
OF paragraphs by the Bureau OF Stand
ards.
Van Orman and his co-pilot, Alan L.
MacCracken, covered a distance OF 542
miles, landing l mile from North Can
ton, Mass. In addition to the Bennett
Trophy they won a prize of $1,000. The
Belgian balloon, piloted by E. Demuyter
and L. Coeckelberg, finished second,
with a distance of 448 miles, landing on
the slope of Mount Greylock, near
Adams, Mass, to win prize Of $500.
The United States took third and
fourth places, Germany fifth and
France sixth, 1t was announced.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-19

A BDOMINAL supporters fitted
"A expertIy, very reasonable prices.
GIBSON'S, GIT C Sc. NV.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-12-27

Estate and a sitting-up position by the
sound Of footsteps. They recognized
Tom Sides, one of the diggers, and
two other men who did not belong
to the crew. Tom was known to
be tricky. The men with him were
more so. They walked to the lad
der leading to the bottom Of the
excavation.
"Wait!" whispered Sam to his
companions who had started to get
up. eff they 60 down we'll pull up
the ladder so they can't get out"
Sides took the lead, carrying a
fashlight and he was almost OUT of
sight down the ladder when his de-
scent suddenly stopped. He began
to scramble back up the ladder, at
the same time letting loose whoop
of terror. The trio watching him
from the bushes saw the cause of
the whoop.
From out of the black void Of the
pit assembled a weird and fearsome
figure-the white, ghostly figure of a
human form having death mask of
a face, from the eyes and mouth of
which streamed a brilliant white
light. An unearthly, blood-curdling
Shrek assembled from the pit.
Sides and the two men with him
leaped from the premises and
plunged along the old road to the