Dannemora, Auburn

Two famed New York state prisons were last week arenas of revolt, sabotage, death.

In Dannemora is Clinton prison, called "Siberia" by New York's underworld. There are herded the state's ugliest criminals in vicious, degenerate brotherhood. They work for 1-c- per day. While idling in the yard, 1,300 inmates suddenly mutinied, beat two guards, set fire to buildings, stormed the walls. They were unarmed but they fought for five hours. Prison guards, state troopers and citizen volunteers (including famed Baritone Reinald Werrenrath) finally quelled them with machine and riot guns, tear bombs, hand grenades. Three convicts were killed, many injured. Estimated damage: $200,000.

Six days later the mysterious underworld "grapevine" had carried news of Dannemora's riot to the state prison in Auburn. Unlike Dannemora this institution--with convict self-government and liberal policy--has often been called "the prison without walls." Built to hold 1,350, it was last week overcrowded with 1,818 malcontents. On Sunday the men, numbering 1,700, led by a trusty, walked to the yard for an outing. At the trusty's knock at the "key room," a guard opened the door, was immediately kicked senseless. After shooting another guard, stealing his keys, the convicts seized guns from the arsenal, set torches to the buildings, attacked the walls. The yard billowed with smoke, beneath which convicts chopped apart fire hoses, kept up a rattling fire. After five hours Warden Edgar S. Jennings reported the situation under control. Convicts killed: two; escaped: four. Estimated damage: $250,000.