This is the story of a prison riot, the most violent in terms of loss of life of the first seven decades of the 20th century. It was triggered by the ruthless plot of two desperate prisoners, Daniels, and Pardue, trying to escape by taking hostages and bargaining with an administration which they presumed, mistakenly, was weak and gullible. The drama began on a quiet morning which soon turned into a red October afternoon followed by a black and tragic night. The time: October 3, 1929, the place: The Colorado State Penitentiary, Canon City, Colorado.