GAS ENDS GAOL MUTINY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 886, 1 February 1930, Page 26

GAS ENDS GAOL MUTINY

1,580 CONVICTS BATTLE WITH TROOPS 12 KILLED IN FIGHTING "We have guns trained on Warden Jennings and 12 guards. If you don’t give us free passage in 15 minutes we will kill them all.” This startling message was sent to the State authorities in New York recently by the ringleaders of 1,580 convicts in Auburn Prison after they had broken into their second revolt since July. "There will be no compromise,” answered the acting-governor, Mr. Lehman. despite the urgent message sent by Jennings: “For God’s sake, give them what they want.” Instead of agreeing to the request, Mr. Lehman dispatched 1,000 soldiers, armed with machine-guns and tear-gas bombs, with instructions to fight the convicts in a pitched battle, if necessars', and restore order before nightfall. Captain McGrath led a detachment of troops into the prison grounds at 2.35 p.m. All traffic within a mile of the prison had been stopped and the surrounding area was filled with armed men, including many citizens of Auburn, who had seized revolvers and formed themselves into a volunteer corps. It was shortly before noon that the convicts suddenly rose, armed with guns that had been smuggled into prison. They killed the chief warder, Mr. Durnford, and seized the warden and other officers as hostages. The troops quickly drove the convicts into the main hall, killing three of the rioters. The warden’s wife had then barricaded herself in her home within the prison walls, but had the protection of a strong body of armed employees. A message from the prison said that Warden Jennings and all the guards had been released, and the mutiny was under control. Their rescue was effected under cover of a gas attack. Troops hurled bombs through the inner gate into the main hall and a few moments later flung the gates open. Amid a shower of revolver shots the warden and the guards rushed away from the convicts. One Rf the guards was shot through the neck. Soldiers then penned the convicts into the back of the main hall, and it was only a matter of time before all prisoners were back in their cells. The total number of dead in the mutiny was unofficially estimated at 12, six of whom were killed by machine-gun bullets.