Evening star., 1938-08-26
CONVICT KILLINGS
LAID TO GUARDS
Mob of Terrorists,' Along
With 'Higher-Up,' Blamed.
200-Degree Heat Seen.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Four Philadelphia prisoners uho
had reUolted against a ntonotonous
diet Were found dead Monday in an
isolation cell block, apparently
roasted to DEATH Solid along one
lDdll OF the single story block is
panel OF radiators State officials
seek to determine whether the
little structure uas deliberately
planned rodSter."
By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. ga group
of tough" guards, whose duties Cor
oner Charles H. Hersch said included
Furnishing unruly convicts, was blamed
today for the Philadelphia County
prisons deaths in the "Klondike"-a
stuffy steam-heated isolation building.
Mr. Hersch called this class of guards
a mob of "terrorists" and said
We're going after members of the
mob, and find out how they operated "
He said deaths of four men Monday
in the "Klondike," a 15-by-50-foot
building heated by long line of large
radiators, indicated that the building
had been used Intentionally by some
of the guards as a "roaster" for dis
ciplining prisoners.
Higher Up" Blamed.
He said his investigation indicated
that higher up" also was respon-
sible for the deaths.
1t was this official, the coroner
declared, who gave the order to turn
on the heat in punishment cells where
he said the prisoners were literally
baked alive after taking part in an
organized revolt against monotonous
diet.
I'VE have definite information as to
the identity of the higher up who was
responsible for the incarceration, pun
ishment and death of these men," Mr..
Hersch said
Although he declined to discuss
names, the coroner said he had war
rants for the arrest of four to six
guards and officials and promised he
would break the case wide open."'
Temperature at Nearly 200.
Mr.. Hersch said his information
concerning the higher up was given
by four guards during six hours Of
questioning last night.
He identified two of the guards as
Francis Smith, 43, and Alfred w.
Brough, 80, held in $2,500 bail each
as material witnesses in the deaths.
Before going to the prison, where the
questioning took place, the coroner
said Smith had offered ito tell all"
Meanwhile, DR.. Martin r. Crane,
coroner's physician, reported that a
final autopsy on the bodies of the four
convicts disclosed that their hearts
had shrunk to half their normal size.
The report, announced by MIR.
Hersch, also revealed that other organs
were similarly dehygdrated
Mr.. Hersch declared that the tenn
perature must have been nearly 200
degrees in the cells where the prisoners
were confind with about 20 others for
participating in the strike.
One purpose in questioning the
guards, the coroner added, was to de-
termine whether turning on the heat
was common practice at the prison.
I'VE have learned that Capt. James
MCGUIRE of the prison staff returned
from a vacation at Wildwood which
he cut short Sunday" Mr.. Hersch said.
1T was about o'clock when he went
to the isolation block. He found the
windows closed and the heat turned on.
He ordered guards to turn off the heat
and open the windows. Some time
later-we don't know when-the heat
was turned on again and the windows
closed"