The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1857-07-23
Cruelty Of tho Pope.

The Pope Of Rome has prison
called Fort Urban, in which he confines
political prisoners. 1t is built on a.
small hill in the center of a postilontial
marsh, and the site appears to have
been selected as the most disarresable
and unhealthy to be found OF the
crueIties pcrpetrated in this hell upon
earth, where Gods vicegercnt torturgs
men supposed to be his enemies, the
correspondent Of the London Daily
News gives some horrible details.
"At present there are 500 prisoners
here, Of whom 100 are detained without
having been tried, and ON the mere
suspicion that if they we're at liberty
they might commit some political crime.
Many Of these poor creatures have been
Ia confinement for years, and although
being suspected is their only crime.
they are subjected 60 the same treat
mont as condemned convicts. although
the greater proportion of them belong
TO the best families Of Bologna. In
each OF the square rooms is sort Of
skylght and as they are only yonti
lated above from this narrow corridor,
one can imagine what q suGocating tenn
perature there must be, which is not
improved by German sentrios porOlI-
ing through the whole nicLt These
sentnesp parading postthe doors ofcoursc
prevent the prisoners sleeping. Spell
berg was very bad, but it is said that
this prison Of the Popcs is worse It
was in this prison that the cholera
made such fearful rayages. The medi-
cal men acted properly, and pointed
out how tho disease might easily be
mltlgatcd; but instead Of this. the
governor Of the prison cctually de-
privcd political prisoners of light and
air. They wear the same dress rs the
conyicts, and arc chained i'm a similar
manner. They have q chain on each
leg and in the center is ring. and
when they 60 TO bed, through the ring
is puta chain, and then the chain is
locked to the bed Such is the system
permitted by his Holiness, the Pope
1t any OF these political prisoners Of
tend the Governor they are chained to
the ground, on which they can creep
about three or four PAGES Although
many have cash they are not allowed to
buy little luxurics or comforts, not even
coffee In short, they seem 20 suffer
all the miseries Of the middle passage.
as on board a SLAYER and this under a
Potentatc who preteujs to be the vice
gcrcut Of the Almighty on Garth.
"Ihc poor prisoners are So altered
that even their own relations do not
know them The mortality is very
great among them. The healthy pris-
ouors and those with the most offensive
and disgusting diseases are all huddlcd
together, but the air Of this uo.some
prison is so bad that the strongest con
stltuUion cannot bear up against 1t. and
to this must be added that there is no
provision, for the common necessities
Of nature The governors deputy is "A
convict, who has great influence. and
has the power Of administering pun
ishmont to any one. Formerly the
prisoners were allowed TO attend the
church, but this is now prevented. it Is
supposed, for fear Of conspiracy. So
here is the head of the church prevent
ing his unfortunate prisoners from at
tending divine service The POPE
temporary abode at Bologna is about
two hours ride from this horrible and
pesti.cntial prison