Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-30
Prison Revolt Ends;
Rebels Free ; Men
And Then Give Up

LINCOLN. Nebr., Mar. 80 up.
"A 65-hour prisoner revolt at
Nebraska State Penitentiary
ended today when eight rebel
convicts released three un-
harmed hostages and then sur
rendered.
Since Sunday forenoon the
convictS and hostages, including
two captured guards, had been
barricaded inside the square,
three-story maximum security
building. or prison JAIL" on the
penitentiary grounds.
Surrender on terms laid down
by Gov. Victor E. Anderson came
after personal interviews dur
ing the night with four of the
rebels.
Three Released First
At 3:15 am. the two guards
and an inmate who had been a
prisoner of the rebel convicts
walked out of the buildings lone
exit into the glare of floodlights
that had bathed it for three
nights. Thirteen minutes later
the subdued convicts began
trooping out. one at a time.
All got hot meals-their first
since Sunday breakfast.
The guards, Eugene Swanson,
"a. and Warren B. Miller, 43,
told newsmen they were well
treated by the insurgents, who
were armed with knives and
pipes. The hostage prisoner was
Gerald Hoffman, 81, of Dallas.
Tex.
A meager supply of bread and
sugar was shared with scrupu-
lous fairness among captors and
captives alike, they said.
No Serious Violence
Mr.. Miller, jovial despite the
ordeal, said he got the knee
in the back two or three times"
for displeasing the convicts. but
beyond that there had been no
violence.
"Everytime I talked to anyone
on the phone IAN intercommuni-
cations system linking the build
ing with the warden's Office
they kept a knife at my throat
as threat" Mr.. Miller related.
Gov. Anderson, virtually Sleep
less since Sunday when he as
sumed personal command of the
situation, prescribed Is days in
the hole" with two meals
day. plus so days in solitary con-
f1nement with three meals a day
for the insurgent convicts.
The "hole" is the name given
to the first floor of the maximum
security building. The small
cells in it are barren and con-
finement represents the most |
extreme punishment given vio-
lators Of prison rules,
The upper two floors Of the
building house segregation or
solitary confinement cells.
Jail A Shambles
Newsmen who inspected the
jail-within- the-prison after the
revolt ended found it a shambles. |
with furnishings and fixtures
wrecked.
The punishment in store for |
them was spelled out to the
rebels by the Governor before |
they surrendered. Administra-
ton policy from the outset had
been to make no concessions. I
discuss no terms until the guards
were released, promise only
fairness" and wait the convicts
out. The guns of guards and
State safety patrolmen on q wall
across from the building made
escape out of the question.
The revolt began at 1920 am.
Sunday when some of the IL
convicts in the maximum Sc
curity building grabbed the
guards and promised death to
the captives if the building were
rushed.
Notes Exchanged Twice
About Is hours later, the
rebels turned out three of the
convicts. One Of the three, it
developed today, actually was to
have been a go-between and
Notes twice were exchanged
between the prisoners and the
The prisoners listed nine
grievances. In effect, they were
requests for reforms in the
handling of prisoners confined
10 the prison Jail"
The Governor said some of the
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