Evening star., 1931-12-14
PRISONERS STRIKE
At LEAVENW0RTH
Situation Is Tense, but Bates
Says FIare-up in Cells
Has Quieted Down.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LEAVENWORTH, Kans, December
IA tense situation prevailed at the
Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary to-
day, precipitated by demonstration by
group of unruly convicts following
last Fridays prison break.
The new trouble started last night
when the boiler house crew, numbering
about score, went on strike.
Sanford Bates, director of Federal
prisons, who arrived at the penitentiary
today to investigate the break by seven
convicts last week. said the striking crew
was relieved and the strikers we're sent
to their cells
During the night the disturbance
spread through cell house B. housing
about 300 prisoners. Convicts shouted
and yelled and beat on the bars of their
cells.
Convicts Kept in Cells.
The flare-up continued sporadically
today. but Director Bates said things
had quieted down at IL 80 am
The night-guard detail of 40 men was
called to the prison to prepare for any
eventuality.
All the prisoners were held in their
cells until after breakfast time Bates
said that after order was restored many
of the convicts were being released for
the noon meal. Those who displayed
unruliness were kept locked up.
Reason for Strike Unknown.
Prison authorities said they had not
no hot
strike. 1t was assumed. however. to be
an outgroWth of the unrest following
the break in which Warden Thomas B.
White was kidnapped and wounded,
three escaped prisoners were killed,
three recaptured and one made his
getaway
Mr.. Bates said he would have no
statement to make concerning the break
until he made complete investigation
With three of the convicts dead.
prison executives looked upon the three
survivors who were recaptured as key
witnesses in the inquiry. Peace officers
were on thc ookout for Earl Thayer, an
Oklahoma mail train robber, the one
remaining fugitive.
Convict Held Slayer of Two.
The other survivors, Stanley Brown,
Charles <Berta and Tom Underwood,
confined incommunicado. face charges
OF prison break, punishable by maxi
mum penalty of five years additional
imprisonment and $1,000 fine.
Fred Zerbst. acting warden, said they
also might be accused of completely in
assault with intent to kill Warden
White, who was injured severely by a
shotgun charge in fight with his cap
tors. TWO guards also were wounded.
The bodies of the three men were
found by poSsemen in the Emerson
Salisbury farm house, miles west of
here, have been claimed by relatives.
At an autopsy William Green, Kansas
City mail robber, was named as the
slayer of his companions, Grover C.
Durrlll and George Curtis, and himself.
Warden Reveals Blast Threat.
Authorities expressed the opinion
Thayer, who fled from the home before
the posse arrived, would have been
killed also had he remained. His coat
was found half mile from the home.
Bloodhounds lost his trail at a stream,
which he apparently waded.
Warden White revealed a convict's
threat to blow up the prison entrance
had led him to issue the order releasing
the seven convicts and seven hostages,
among them the warden, to the out
side.
The convicts. who trapped him at his
ofhce, were armed with explosives in
addition to four revolvers, a shotgun
and rife.