PRISON RIOT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24866, 4 May 1946, Page 7

PRISON RIOT

Armed Convicts • At Alcatraz

FORCES RUSHED TO ISLAND

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, May 2. Seven Navy, Coastguard and police boats were rushed to Alcatraz pfteon on the island in San Francisco Bay to-day to quell a' serious riot. A detachment of marines landed at nightfall. Armed with automatic weapons, the convicts were reported to have herded most of the prison guards into the cellhouse and held them hostages at gunpoint. One report stated that the convicts had a machine-gun. Late to-night prison guards are reported to have fought their way into the Cellhouse and rescued 10 guards, several of whom were in a critical condition. So far one guard has been killed and tour have been Injured. Three of the wounded officers said they were shot by Joseph Gretzer, who is serving a life sentence for murdering a United States marshal when on trial at Tacoma, Washington, on a charge of escaping from McNeil Island prison. The priaon warden (Mr Johnston) announced late to-night: “Our situation is difficult ■ and precarious. Armed prisoners on the island are still eluding us. so at the moment we cannot control them.*’ In the darkness flashes of gunfire could still be seen from the San Fran, cisco shore. The convicts are believed to have plenty of arms and ammunition, having seized weapons front the arms gallery. The Associated Press says an unconfirmed version of how the riot began is that a convict wrested a gun from a guard in the tower, made his way to the arsenal, cowed the guards there, and helped himself to weapons. He then threw the master switch to open all the cells in the block, and told all the inmates to join him. Only hardened criminals are sent to Alcatraz. Many of America’s most desperate criminals are housed there, including many notorious gunmen and bank robbers. No prisoner is ever known to have escaped from the island, which is lashed by swift and treacherous currents. Navy and Coastguard boats are encircling Alcatraz to intercept any prisoner Who might reach the Water. An eye-witness who approached close to the island in a boat said that slow, deliberate rifle fire from, the guards was being answered by tommygun bursts from the Convicts. Apparently the convicts have plenty of ammunition and are firing .five shots for every one they take. An Associated Press photographer who* went within 50 yards of Alcatraz in a boat said he saw tracer bullets streaming from the windows of the cellhouse where the convicts are barricaded. Guards crept along the building trying to fire into windows with tear gas guns, but their fire did not seem tq be very effective. The first news of the riot was an* nounced by the warden (Mr Johnston), who said he had issued a riot call because of "serious trouble." Law enforcement officers who know the Island said that although the prisoners might completely control the situation inside the cellhouse, it would be impossible for them to get outside. There are at least 100 officers at the prison. 30 or 40 Of whom would be on duty at any given time. It is not known how many are held eaptive. Doctors and nurses from the nearby San Quentin Penitentiary were summoned to Alcatraz by radio, and the San Francisco health officer ordered two emergency hospitals to stand by ready to receive patients from Alcatraz.

A Coastguard aeroplane has taken off for the island.