The Washington times., 1938-08-23
Philadelphia Prison Horror:
FOUR SLAIN FELONS
HELD SCALDED
Several Probes OF
Convict Tragedy
Are Begun

IN 81 s-4-OAA SAASSAASNS "S@S S%@SS
In their cells at Holmesburg county
prison in the wake of a four-day
hunger strike met their deaths
by scalding, Coroner Charles D
Hersch declared today.
There is no question but that
they were scalded to death"
HerSche announced. Their
hands were shriveled, indicat-
ing immersion in hot water or
steam.
II am sure it was not fire in
their cells. That would have
burned the victims over a larger
area of their bodies because
they were placed in the punish
ment cells nude"
CONVICTS TO TESTIFY
1--WE will wait week from to-
morrow before holding the for
NAL INQUEST" HerSch said. BY
then we should have all the In
formation we need"
Hersch said that he would re
ceive reports today from his two
deputies, Lawrence Walters ano
Philip Matrone, who went to tno
prison yesterday morning shorty
after receiving word Of the prls
oners' death.
"I can't say who they are,
Hersch said, "but we know the
names of some prisoners VINO
will testify that the men were
scalded.
AUTOPSIEs ORDERED
"Maybe it was steam but the
fact that only part Of the bodies
were burned inclines me to oe-
ieve it was scalding water"
Autopsies OF the bruised bodies
discovered in ISOLATION cells after
termination O. the five-day strike
were ordered when DR.. Marion
p. Crane, coroner's physician,
said the bodies exhibited the
symptoms of nasal congestion that
is typical of death by gas, steam
or hot water"
Meanwhile, simultaneously, coun-
ty prison board and city control
ler's office Investigations were
launched in addition to the State
inquiry.
SCALDING EVIDENCE
Prison authorities and police
hastened to assert that the quar-
tet, John Walters, 43; Frank Com
odeca, 46; Henry Osborn, %, and
James M. McQuade, 26, were not
''boiled alive" by steam or Scald-
ing water. But DR.. Crane OBJ
served:
"In the absence of an autopsy,
am of the opinion that Scald-
ing water somehow got into their
cells. 1 should say that death
likely was caused by hot water.
"There were also bruises and
abrasions, and by abraSionS
mean where the skin is ripped
off. They still showed clots OF
blood. That would indicate to
me that they were beaten be-
fore being scalded to death"
PRISON HEAD PUZZLED
Prison Superintendent William
B. Mills insisted the men had not
been beaten or scalded. He as
serted they had been placed in
isolation cells because they were
agitators in the hunger strike
called Friday by $50 inmates IN
protest against prison food.
"The men have not been muir
dered," Mills declared, conced-
ing he did not know what
caused their death.
Detective Sergt. Martin Curran,
of the Philadelphia office, said ne
was told by other prisoners in the
isolation block that the quartet
died of cover exhaustion
and under-nourishment" a tie
fighting among themselves.
SERIES OF OUTBREAKS
Commons Pleas Court Judge
Harry S. McDevitt, who visited the
prison Saturday to quiet the hun
cer.strikers, said the victims could
have been scalded while breaking
steam pipes in cells for weapons
other sources pointed out, how
ever, that the steam pipes are 70
feet above the cell floor and mac
cessible to inmates.
The prison at Holmesburg has
heen the scene of at least six major
disturbances in the last decade
There were three in 1929. one each
in 1882 and 1884 and the current
one. The latest strike followed
Mills rejection of prisoners de
mands that they be given 6
greater variety of food.
Walters was serving Is to 81
years for burglary; Comodeca, II
to 20 years for an armed holdup
Osborn, three to 10 years for bur
glary and McQuade an 1S-montt
to three-year sentence for assault
and threats to kill.