The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-04

concealed the fate of many of the prisoners. How many had fallen in the fighting was unknown. Guards and Marines only got feet- ing glimpses of their quarry through barred windows.
 In 8 maneuver reminiscent of an attack on an enemy, Marine War ,, rant Officer Charles l.. Buckner, Memphis, Tenn, was believed to have inflicted severe casualties on the convicts, when he dropped frag- mentation grenadeS on tn m through a hole in the roof late yes- terday.
 Some convicts screamed that they wanted to surrender according to Marine Major Albert Arsenault. Their screams were followed by the sound of rifle fire from within and 1t was believed the inmates who wanted to surrender had been shot down, by their co-conspirators.
 There was a four-hour and 70 minute lull in the fighting from 12:35 p. m. to 5:15 p. m. PST (4:36 to 9:15 p. m. EDT the convicts tried to make a "deaI' with Warden James A. Johnston on an intra- island telephone.
 Answered With Gunflre
 "The only deal I will make is for you to throw out your guns and ammunition" Johnston replied.
 The answer came in chattering stream of gunf1re from the cold con- fines of Cell Block c.
 Our fire doesn't seem to have much effect on them," 8 Spokes- man for Johnston said in 8 tele- phone conversation with the United Press at 9:45 p. m. "The convicts are still shooting back at us. I don't think they are getting any, thing to eat, but I wouldn't make a guess how much longer they can hold out"
 Earlier, Johnston issued a bulle- tin stating that i've have complete ly prevented the mass escape plot .. now we must secure the fire arms and the men who have them" Cell Block Illuminated Heavy explosions rocked the tiny island in San Francisco Bay until late last night as the attackers hurled grenades. After the cease- fire order was issued the cell block was illuminated by a battery of SearchlightS to prevent any of the convictS from escaping to the water in the darkness. A police boat and several Coast Guard boats con- tinue to patrol the waters around '"The Rock"
 ConvictS who did not join the abortive break which started Thurs day, some 25O in number, were re- turned to cells after they spent Thursday night and most of yes- terday in yard, Warden Johnston said. The guards and Marines who had been guarding them joined the fight with mutineers.
 Requirements for battle-weary Marines and guards were rushed from nearby San Quentin and Den- yer and McNeil Island Federal in- stitutions.
 The Marines appeared to again have the situation "in hand" War rant Officer Buckner, doing 8 job considered almost as dangerous as climbing atop Japanese bunker, went to the roof of the building housing the cell block and, using an electric chisel, chipping a hole through which he dropped explo- siVeS in the midst of the convicts.
 Makes Death-Bed
 Guard Harold P. Sites was killed by a burst of machinegun fire that hit him in the back shortly after the fighting started. Guard William A. Miller died of wounds inflicted by the convicts while they held him as temporary hostage. Miller lay wounded 10 hours with four others before he was rescued. In a death- bed statement, he Swore that con- vict Joseph Cretzer shot him.
 Guard Robert R. Baker, recover. ing from wounds he said were in- flicted by one of the ringleaders "in cold blood" told the United Press from his bed at Marine Hos pital of their terrible ordeal.
 Baker also accused Cretzer, serv- ing life for murdering a U. s. Mar. shal, for firing the shots that wounded him and two other guards while they were lying, unarmed, in the cell block that was taken over by the prisoners.