WALLA WALLA - Two state-penitentiary inmates on a live radio call-in show last night accused the president of the penitentiary-employees union of beating prisoners.

Two of the callers who questioned Edwards said they were inmates and told Edwards that both he and they knew he beat them during a much-publicized incident at the prison July 8.

Inmate Danny Clark told Edwards on the air: "You know that you beat me and you know that you beat the rest of us." Clark was cut off, apparently because his 15-minutes prison-phone limit was over.

Another inmate who would identify himself only by his nickname told Edwards: "I still got cuff marks on my wrists, and I got my hair cut and I know I was beat. What do you got to say about that?"

Edwards replied: "Did you resist?"

"I didn't resist nothing," the inmate said. "You know I was handcuffed to the bars."

Edwards replied, "That's right."

The inmate told Edwards, "You come back with a riot squad, maced me right off, and started beating me before you ever unhandcuffed me from the bars, beat me to the floor, slammed me into the wall, and beat me all the time. And I was handcuffed all the time. How was I resisting?

"I'm saying you're all guilty of beating us, all of us, up and down the tier, the 12 or 13 of you that night."

Edwards replied: "Well, everybody to their own belief." Moments later he asked to end the coversation.

Edwards was among 12 guards who were reprimanded in connection with their response to inmate riots July 7 and 8; five guards were fired.