Evening star., 1938-08-25
(Picture on Page A-3.)

PHILADELPHIA. Aug 25.-Arrest
Of at least eight persons in the baking
to death" of four convicts who led
hunger strike at the Philadelphia
County Prison was predicted today by
Coroner Charles A. Hersch.
He said the investigation he is con-
ducting with District Attorney John A.
Boyle indicates that at least that
many would be implicated in the deaths
of the men in steam-heated punish
ment cells. He did not indicate
whether they were employees of the
prison or officials Two guards already
have been held as material witnesses.
State prison investigators said they
planned to turn on the heat and enter
the stuffy cells to learn whether the
punishment cell block was "a deliber-
ately planned roaster."
To Face Same Conditions.
Charles I. Engard. secretary of well
fare directing the States investigation
Of the deaths in the Philadelphia
County prison, disclosed that men from
his ofice and two State policemen
would make the test.
He said they would subject them
selves to the same conditions the
prisoners faced in the heated cells,
termed as horrible as the black hole
Of Calcutta.
They plan to close the windows
and ventilators," he said, lust as
We understand they were closed Sun
day night. and have the steam pres
sure in the radiators turned on to the
same degree they were when the
prisoners were in there"
He said he wanted to know II
large radiators In the cell block were
really needed just to heat the build
ing in the winter. or If there was
something else in mind"
Warden Sees No Ulterior Motive.
William B. Mills. superintendent of
the prison. said If the building was
deliberately planned as a rooster" +"
he was unaware Of 1t.
Coroner Hersch announced he would
ask Gov George H. Earle for State
troopers to take over the prison during
the investigation.
The coroner said the convicts suf-
located in almost alright cells, where
they were confined during an organ
lied revolt against a "monotonous"
diet Steam radiators were turned on
full, he declared, and "in two days
steamtng, they (the convicts) literally
baked to DEATH" He asserted "the like
has not been seen in history"
Common Pleas Judge Gerald F.
Flood placed the coroner and the dis
trict attorney in sole charge of the
investigation after Mr. Hersch charged
that the detention of the two guards
yesterday by city police was "prema-
ture.' 1t was the first time a case had
been taken from the police and given
to district attorney in 20 years.
Witnesses Bail Set.
The guards, Alfred w. Brough. 80.
and Francis Smith, 43, were held in
$2.500 bail each.
Mayor Wilson said he had "a state
ment by witness that these two men
(the guards) turned the steam on"
and added: Il did my duty under
the law. So far as I am concerned, I
shall do nothing more"
A shake-up in the city police homi-
eide squad was started by the Mayor
because, he said, there were discrep-
ancies between preliminary reports
by the squad and later evidence he
received from the superintendent Of
police about the prison deaths.
He ordered captain and two other
members of the squad transferred
temporarily to the detective bureau.
He said the first reports showed no
sign of violence in the deaths, but
that later reports disclosed what
Mayor Wilson said was sufficient evi-
dence to justify arrests.
Some One Unknown Blamed.
Warden William B. Mills, who has
claimed that mot a violent hand was
laid on the prisoners" said some one
as yet unknown closed the windows in
the cell blocks and turned on the
steam radiators. The radiators are
in a corridor outside the cells, he said,
and could not be reached by any
prisoners.
Coroner Hersch said his request for
troopers would be transmitted to Gov.
Earle as soon as the Governor returns
from an airplane vacation to Central
America. At Vera Cruz, Mexico, where
the Governor stopped last night on his
way home, he declined to discuss the
case, saying he would withhold COM
ment until he returned to Harrisburg.