Evening star., 1938-09-02
WARDEN IS HELD
W|TH13OTHERS|N
STEAM DEATHS
Mills, Craven, Ten Guards
and Two Doctors Accused
of Negligence.
ALL TAKEN IN CUSTODY
IN COURT; DENIED BAIL
Held Criminally Lax by Coroners
Jury at End of Three.Day
Quiz in Philadelphia.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Vivid stories of prison "bakinos"
related By inmates at inquest in
death OF four men hare had Jar
flung political romifcdttons in Phil
adelphia and Pennsylvania Con-
ricts told of pleading on their knees
tor mercy uhile guards Shoued in
difference as Seueral died.
By the Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 7.-Supt.
William B. Mills, Deputy Warden
Frank A. Craven, ten guards and two
physicians of the Philadelphia County
Prison were held without bail today for
the grand jury after coroner's jury
found them criminally negligent in the
baking deaths of four convicts.
All were taken into custody imme-
diately in a crowded City Hall court
room at the conclusion of a three-day
inquest
The guards named were: Capt.
James Mcclure. Alfred w. Broush,
Francis Smith. Edward Corkerv, Sam
uel James, Thomas Cavanaugh. John
Mulherin. Sylvester Weaver, William
Stalnes and Robert Morrow.
The physicians were DR.. Hans
Abrahams, resident at the prison. and
DR.. George EnOch, who visited it.
Deliberates Three Hours.
After celebrating three hours. the
specially selected jury of six named
this group as responsible. directly or
indirectly, for allowing IS hunger
striking convicts to suffer for 20 to so
hours in stuffy isolation building
in corridor.
-Four prisoners Suffocated. and the
others were weakened and made i'll.
The district attorneys Office has
indicated it would ask the grand jury
to indict those responsible on charges
of homicide or manslaughter.
I The Jurys findings came after 10
hours Of testimony, in which prison
officials and guards shifted the blame
/ for turning on the heat Mills and
Craven said they were unaware of any
heat treatment" in the prison "Klon-
dixie" Capt. Mcclure testified that
the heat was routine punishment.
Deputy Coroner Makes Plea.
Deputy Coroner Vincent Moranz
asked the jury to hold Mills. Craven
and at least six guards. He said the
guards should be eXonerated, however.
if it was found they acted under
orders in turning on the heat.
Final witnesses were guards who
testified they heard the men in the
isolation building complaining and
saying they couldn't stand the heat"
and Dr. Martin p Crane. coroners
physician, who said the deaths were
caused by heat stroke"
"All the bodies were discolored."
DR.. Crane testified
He added they were bruised and
skinned.
Survivors of the night Of horror"
in the punishment "Klondike' have
testified the weaker men thrashed in
agony, beat themselves against the
walls and cried for their wives and
mothers.
Craven Denies Guilt.
Deputy Craven denied emphatically
at the start of today's inquest q sub
ordinate's statement that he was re-
sponsible for the heat treatment"
Mr.. Craven said he had never given
Standing order that steam heat
should be used as punishment for I'M
ruly convicts in the PRISONS isolation
''Klondike"
Guard Hart testified yesterday he
turned on heat in radiators in the
"klondike' corridor under standing in
structions from the deputy warden.
| Craven also contradicted Hart's tes-
timony that Hart had reported to him
that the heat was on during the several
days and nights when the four men
suf1ocated and 81 others were left
! weakened
1T was general orders from both
the warden and the deputy warden" :"
Capt. Of tine Guards Mcclure told
the jury yesterday, that when a
man goes into klondike he is to be
stripped Of his clothes. the doors
and windows shut and the steam
turned on
Bitter Cross Examination.
McGuires testimony climaxed a day
OF battering croSs-examination that
saw guards and Deputy Warden Frank
A Craven accused of responsibility
for turning ON the heat.
Manwhile, three perspiring expert
menters watched scientific instruments
record higher and higher tempera-
ture today in re-enactment of condi-
tons that baked to death the four
convictS.
Five men, including two State De-
partment of Health officials. volun-
teered to enter the prison "Klondike'
last night and remain while sizzling
steam. coursing Through a battery OF
radiators in the corridor, slowly heated
the building to uncomfortably high
temperatures
State Secretary of Welfare Charles
/. Engard. in charge Of the expert
ment. said two left early today-but