CONVICTS’ REVOLT

Evening Star, Issue 23351, 22 August 1939, Page 2

CONVICTS’ REVOLT

DESPERATE SITUATION WOMAN AS HOSTAGE Armed with butchers’ knives, three desperate convicts in Indiana State Prison, United States, held a ‘J9-year-old woman welfare worker as hostage for threo hours while they bargained with the warden for their liberty. “ Give 11s guns, a ear, and freedom,” they told Warden Alfred Dowd. “If not, you’ll have a corpse on your hands,” Then, as Mr Dowd argued, warders stormed the room in which the i.oman was held captive. Two of the convicts were shot down seriously wounded. In the confusion the woman was hit in the shoulder, but she was nut badly hurt. The welfare worker, Mrs Hath Joiner, was on a visit to the prison with two other members of the State Welfare Board to see that the prisoners were not badly treated. She had gone ahead of her companions when the three convicts seized her. A guard who attempted to rescue her was slashed in the face, and they bundled Mm Joiner into the prison doctor’s office. Barricading tlio door they defied Warden Dowd, who massed "his men. armed with machine gnus and tear-gas bombs, round the office. Afraid to hurt Mrs Joiner, the warden hesitated to give the order to lire, and for hours ho argued and ) leaden with the men behind the locked door. While he talked his warders acted. They suddenly charged, burst down the door, and the battle was over.