SIEGE OF CONVICTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18533, 18 October 1923, Page 9

SIEGE OF CONVICTS.

AMMONIA GAS USED.

TWO COMMIT SUICIDE.

NEW YORK. Oct. .7.

Three murderers in the Western Kentucky. State Penitentiary,;o who made a dash for liberty last Wednesday and had ever sin eel barricaded themselves in' the mess ' hall, were found dead % .when', the room was entered. Seven officers dashed to the second storey room after it had been flooded with ammonia. Two of the convicts had bullets through the heart. The authorities state that probably . these two committed suicide to escape death by. ammonia. '. ' '-> : ' ; '"7' : " . .• Many attempts had been made to dislodge the convicts, who were well armed. Hand grenades were aimed into the room for five minutes before the ammonia was forced through .specially . constructed pipes. Eddies of. wind blew the gas over the city a mile away from the prison. ; The authorities. announced .that it would inquire an hour for the gas to penetrate, the room and ; do v - ifs ', deadly work, while another hour would have to elapse before the troopers could enter , the room safely. A seething crowd stood some distance from the ::' gaol .'awaiting the outcome 'of the fight of ; the revolting convicts. :Among the; crowd, were the. fathers of the prisoners. ; -_•.,

Citizens went.about the streets, armed because of the "dangerous- characters /of 'the criminals, the fear being entertained •that they would escape and terrorise the countryside. >; 1 The schools - were ;*closed until the convicts -were subdued. v'^i,:

. The officials. hive hot; yet: karned the; means b*y which the prisoners : obtained : revolvers, but it is believed that the relatives ■:' of v the convicted men ; smuggled the weapons into the prison. The revolt was probably the most sensational of X its ; kind ;;in America. For days ■ the ■-:. newspapers printed •; long despatches of the siege, and the latest developments were followd : with ■:-, utmost interest. " •' ' i: .:c :^t y -^ -..-;,O^;;