The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-10-10
FORT LAFAYETTE.
Life in the Political prison of New York
Condition of the inmates.
From the New York Post.

From the New York Post.
Since the Goth day of last July, Fort
L,fayette-for years an unimportsnt, al
most uuooticed forti6cstion in our harbor
has been one of the ''lioDs" Of this si.
ciuity. 1t was not until this public in
stitutiou" bad been cbauged to strictly
private one, aud a place which had been
always open to visitors was closed to all
but those who we're specially aud indeed
pressingly invited, that it became an OBJ,
ject Of particular interest. SiUce Mr.. K
s. Ruggles, OF Fredericksburg. Virginia,
vent down as political prisoner, aud the
fort became "a retreat for Rebels and q
hospital for diseased rstrio,is n," the lit
tie bay.stsck forti6catioD has tecn an OBJ.
jrct Of curiosity to the passengers Of the
incoming and out. going steamers, and
the CoDey Island steamboat has done a
particularly good business this season 10
transporting people who wet, down the
bay to look at or Battle"
But general curiosity has been limit
ed to an outside view. With good op.
era glass one could see pow and then g
head (wbether Of a soldier or prisoner
was, Of course, uncertsiu) looking through
q port bole; three or four sentiuels with
muskets pacing around the walls; few
old cannon lying on the dock, and per
hsps boat passing to sud from Fort
Hamiltou--and this was ell.
1t is ehsrscteri.tie Of what Widow BE.
dott calls "buman mater" that those who
could not were extremely anxious to 60
iuside Of Fort Lafayette, while Others
who would give anthiDg to remain outside
went in and stayed for weeks. Mr. Rug
giles, the first visitor. was very lonely for
seven days, till DR.. Jobn.On, of Baltin ore,
came to keep him company. On the last
day Of June no less than seven persons
took up their residence inside the fort;
and ,iDce that time daily additions to the
company have brought the number Of res
ideuts to eighty eight.
Voluntary visitors, however. including
the intimate friend nd fam lilies oftbe pris-
oners, aud those individuals of an inquir.
ing turn of mind known as reporters. we're
courteously turned away By Lieut.. Burke.
He "hsd his ORDERS" and be couldu' t
have visitors. One indefstiga able report
er went down many times that the off
Ger on duty finally told him in o pleasant
way, thatif he came again be would put him
10 and keep him there. Another proposed
70 90 to one Of the fashionable hotels,
register bis name as a resident OF Charles
ton, talk treason and secession, and thus
get sent to the haver Of bis hopes. The
probatle difficulty of getting out" bis
copy rendered this plan impraeticable.-
The no.t pressing opportunities to zee
certain persons upon important family
matters. "cases Of life aud death" &c
have been answered with the statene ut /:
"You csn send word to the person, but you
cannot see biT.
This ,trictness in preventing visits of
curiosity and com nuuicatiou by no means
argues that there was anything to conceal
With regard to the treatment or discipline
of those wbo were detsined as prisoners
The nine or ten persons who have been
discharged, after au Incarceration of from
FIVE to forty days, have coosersed freely
With their friends about the interior ar
ranseuents Of the fort, aud the comforts
aud di-conforts of their inprisoDment.-
Not one Of them has complained OF i'll or
even upcourteous treatment. Col. Burke
does everything that he can consiste ntl J
for the comfort of bis unwilling guests
and the general testiuonyis that the prls
opers are "baving a good time"
Life in Fort Lafay yette may be described
az follows: The place is not SO much I
prison as il is somewhat EXCLUSIVE
boarding. house, with sufficiently strin
gent rules and regulations for the eight,
or less boarders in the establish % ent, -
These rules are conspicuously placed OF
the wall of each room. so that be sh'
runs may resd; and the facilities for rea
ding are somewhat in advance OF tbos'
for running. They prescribe that tn
prisoners rooms must be ready for inspee
tion Of nine O'Clock in the morning; ths
washing must be done in the yard Of tn
fort; prisoners must not talk with an.
member of the garrison, but can comwu
nieste their wants to the sergeant of tb'
guard; they must obey implicitly the di
rsctions of any member Of the guard; ant
they are notified that any transgressioI
will be punished BY solitary con6neneOt
or such other restrictions ss may be ne
sesssry to q strict enforcement OF tb
rules.
There lie nothing specially stringent a
bout these rules. The prisoners mus
and must not do certain things, but the
are allowed many privileges. Thos
Who are together in one room can con
verse freely with each other, but the
are notified that they must not talk abou