Weekly Trinity journal., 1860-11-10

The Political Prisons of Naples.

The Naples correspondent of the London
Telegraph gives the following account Of a visit
to the horrible dungeons where Bomba incarcer-
ates his political enemies
In the center of Naples, within two hundred
yards of the royal palace, is the Largo del
CASTILLO, one of the most frequented parts of the
city. good looking man of apparently thirty
years of age now joined our party, aud was intro
duced "a Signore IA We descended from
the ground floor Of the palazzo to sort of back
yard, and proceeded through filthy passage to
the door of the prison. On opening it, we found
ourselves on a dark and dirty staircase leading
to some half dozen locked ard boltcd doors.
One of these was opened, and we were in
cell. 1t was sufficiently high but even with
two prisoners in it the smell was offensive
that it was scarcely possible to advance. In
each cell-and we visited several-was the
urinary aud necessary for the prisoners, who
could never get further from this hidoous
nuisance than four yards. The air that came
through the bars of the opened window was
already tainted by the filth of the yard. This
is not very bad now" said the gaoler " there
used TO be twenty and thirty prisoners in each
room" AS we were going down the stairs
Signore IA, pointing to narrow door, said
to me, How many times | have been taken
through that horrid door!" "You!' | eXcam
ed, looking at the well dressed gentlemanly
young man" You! What can you mean ~
" Sgnore | have been thirteen years prisoner,
and six different times in this prison. lie could
not have been more than seventeen when he was
ncarceraiod on suspicion of some political crime,
and had just returned from the dungeons of
Ischia Il think he said) "And your health ~
| asked. "Ruined (; | spit blood constantly"
We now light torch, and descend filthy
staircase TO small ironbound door After an
ominous Gathering of chains we open 1t, and
enter a small cell some twelve feet by six as far
as one could judge by the single torch. There Is
u stone couch by one side oi the wall, and on the
other in the shelving roof, small slit just ad
mitting q ray of light. Our feet were splashng
in filth and damp, and some hideous moths were
nuttering in the dark atmosphere. And this
s-Y' "Oh, a cell, and not very bad one"
is the answer. " Look at thiSY' We enter,
four or five of U.S. into another dungeon, our
handkerchefs over our mouths and nostrls, and
our eyes streaming from the punBcnt ana putrld
air. We five quite lill the place ], being tall,
have to stoop. The cell, beginning at height
of seven feet shelves down to two feet in length
of about twelve, leaving space of four yards
square for an average man to stand upright IN.
They close the door and take out the light, and
we see that there is not even crcvicc through
which light or air can penetrate we are in AS
dark and damp II vault rs II we were laying IN
our collins, only that not II burial place in
England could now show Il catacomb so pestllent
as this living tomb " No one could stay here
twenty four hours" said one OF the party.
was there six days and nights on one occasion,
remarked Signore IA. One could not help
looking with wonder, as we returned to the open
air, at this victim returning TO look at the scenes
OF his suffering, like II man going back to view a
precipice over which he has safely passed. But
| must finish my picture, the blacklist part OF
which remoins to be filled in. We returned to the
courtyard, through which hundreds pass daily
THE police printing office is there among other
things) and enter a portico. Here the stencil is
hon. liam 4 ~ "
planned by two rows Of commobi" of the most
filthy description on each side of passage
leading to small door heavily guarded with
chains aud bolts. To our horror we proceed
through filth past description in any public
journal, and unchain, unbolt, and finally open
this door, which we are requested to pass. Being
determined to see the worst, | entered. though
absolutely i'll from the horrd effects OF the
enluva. A square cellar, without ray OF light
or breath of air, through the center of which
ran the drain of the horrid commodi" which
have endeavored to describe, was the last place
shown us as cell in constant use by the late
aud present King for the detention of their polit-
ical prisoners.