Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-19
rErom the Nov York Word.
From the New York Verdi
Horrible Treatment OF Human Be-
iUgs in New YORK City-The Provost
uarshais Prison Gage AT the Park
Barracks-A Modern Sw eating box
Men Ncaped Eogctheriu ttIth.

BIrrackS-A uOucr DoA-
Men sfcapcd Together i'm ttIth.
1t may surprise some of our sthid and generous
hearted citizens to know that for some weeks
past a torture pen, worse than the Black Hole of
Calcutta and equalei only by the most abhor
renc cells aud dungeons of the ancient inquis-
tons of Soaiu, has been in fail operation in the
very "eye of the city, of New York, Immediately
in front of the CITY II III and within few rods OF
the statue OF Washington In this place fifty
eight soldiers were confined and suffering last
night and the absolute misery of their condition
can hardly be imagined, even by the few who
have seen them. That part of the Park Bar
racks built on Park row has been used by the
Provost Marshal for some time past for the con
finement of deserters and other prisoners under
military rule Near the Broadway end of il
portion has been boarded and partitioned up so as
10 make perfect cage, twenty feet and two
inches long and fifteen feet wide Three sides
are boardei up tight. air tight, and the nnermost
side Is fitted up with Stats about three inches
wide. with intervals Of two inches between them.
In this pen. which is more like the cage of some
wild animal, but not half 50 clean, are thrown
the prisoners that are caught 10y the Provost
Marshal's detectives and force, and there thew
are compelled to stay, gasping with the intoler
able stencil that arises from the unclean prison.
and actually lying upon each other IN heaps for
want of sufficient room upon the floor There
most OF the crowd are ob iged to sustain the
weight of those who lie upon them in this pile of
humanity Some have blankets, but they are
almost unnecessary. a the vapOrous heat arises,
sitting and suffice liing 10 any one who comes in
from the fresh outer air. The pen Is also reek
ing in filth and vermin. and the ntolerabie stencil
must in very short time destroy the physical
constitution, a the stu ton must destroy all
self respect and morale of every one who enters
~ a ,r;so,,ar that ac..ursai holp i'm side the
slate Is a stove that heats the confined atmos
phere To- double temper Iture. Our reporter
visited this place last night 10 see whether the
rumors that had circulated about IL were true,
and found that the halt had not been told. Cap
tain Steber, who is in command OF the prisoners.
was not present. but the officers who were IN
charge united in denouncing this method of
treatment. a. a shame to hum unity Their atten-
ton was called to item in the Post, which
read thus
A part of the old Park b tracks is now used
as prison for the detention OF soldiers who are
under arrest for varion- ATTRACTIONS OF military
discipline and thousands pass by that whitened
sepulchre 1.-THE dreaming of the suffering within
I'm cage twenty feet two inches long and MT
teen feet wide. bOtrtei up On three sides, with
the other airansei with Stats. like the cage of
the hyena IN the mena geria. fifty five men are
nov confuel without hunks. or beds. any
accommodation Whatever but the floor. AT
night a. the OH IA char-e has forcbly cK-
pressed it, they have ~ lie sTo ln-fashon on the
flJor with heads 90 e,eb others breasts This,
with the most economical spoon arrangement,
accommodates forty I'VE The rest are brought
out and chained around tree
Thee men have been IN this pest hole, some
as long as two m ,nlhs. for the red tape to be
spun by the lnertness, ncApAcity and fraud
which IS somewhere
"It is a disgrace 10 humanity and TO the age
On asking If il was exaggerated, they replied
that il WIS not only true. but the state of things
had been even worse. Said one of The detectives,
I'VE have sometimes had seventy men in that
very cage. When it WAS first made, months ago.
II was nearly large enough for the small humber
placed in il: but lately they have got TO sending
up prisoners from the Invalid Corps aud from the
hospitals. Sometimes the men beg Us TO take
them and chain them 70 a tree. that they may
find room 70 lie upon the ground - IL s also
stated that Captain Settler has again and again
reported this state of affairs TO Provost Marshal
General Hays, but nothing ht yet been done 70
make the condition OF these men one in which
there is chance Tor them 10 maintain life and a
comparative degree OF health IL WAS most
sickening spectacle 10 prisoners crouching and
living one upon another in filth and wfe,chedness,
and sickeuing indeed 10 catch breath of the for
tia air that pervaded the whole vicinity of the
prison cage in the interior Of the barracks" This
cage, il was stated. has hardly been cleansed
! Tor months a the "damDness would not dry 30
that the prisoners could be put again at night p"
IL the afternoon after the publication OF The
item quoted above. Gen. Hays and Gen. DIX paid
a short visit the barracks ana looked at the
scene.
IL is not unlikely that the old police headauar-
tiers at the corner OF Broom and Elm streets will
be used 4 military prison tor the incai ceratiOn
OF persons arrested by the Provost Marshal
J The Park Barracks in their present condition
on Park Row side. would be enough in warm
weather % breed eontasion. Some time ago.
the subject OF removing them altogether was
mooted in the Common Council. but nothing has
vet been done
sTA dispatch 10 the New York Tribune
says:
"Ilis proposed to pay the head of the proposed
Bureau OF Emancipation 81 600 per annrm. and
10 give him staff Of assistants. deputies and su-
pervisors.
/ To other words there i ~ he ano,her .sniace'