The New York herald., 1871-02-07
VOICE OF TIE PEOPLE.
The Experience OF n Soldier Convict nj Castle
Will. am.
MILL Iao


The Experience OF IA Soldier Convict at Castle
william.
CASTLE WILLIAM, Jan. 2s, 1871.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
have been a constant reader OF the NEW YORK
HERALD for eight years, and have heard of all kinds
OF convicrs but only since yesterday have l been
aware that there Is class OF cOnyicts that the
American people know nothing about and that
military convlcts i will now inform you what they
are ana how they are treated. military convict Is
man who in nine out of ten has been COM
PEELED to desert; some by being starved, some by
having petty tyrant captain or post commander
ana some for both combined. After deserter has
been apprehendeu and brought TO Governors
Island he has sometimes to wait three and four
months FOR trial. This farce being for all who
have been tried by court martial will agree with
me in pronounclng 1t farce another month passes
before he receives his sentence, which varies from
one to four years, some with twenty four pound
shot and chain three and half eet long attached
to the leg.
The following is the system Of imprisonment to
which military convict Is SubIected:-He is con-
fined IN the classmates OF Castle William, each case
mate having sixteen beds, on which from twenty TO
twenty-tour convicts have TO Sleep His clothing
consists Of one PAR of pants, one blouse, in some
cases an ovcrcoat two shirts, two pair OF drawers,
two par of stockings, one blanket and hat cap.
The work required Is from half-past seven until half
past eleven A. NJ, ana IRON one until four Z. NJ,
and the following Is the bill of fare
b coyast.-From two to three of fat bacon
morning and from three to four ounces OF beer the nAt
bread pint OF something they cali coffee, but
it would trouble Liebg to find what composed OF.
D,nner.-Bacon beef, the for break
fast instead OF the mysterious compound called
the same amount no OF riee soup sp or bean boallion
toned coeee bread brown and the beer frozen II the
weather permits.
Until lately person styled provost sergeant,
who would, ii q convict, after being called all the
vile names the world knows Of, say word 10 nim,
whose fathers naine, as near as | can tell, was
Kenny, give him a sound Kicking If he made
sistance; but II he ventured 10 defend himself the
person oud wait until he could catch the unfortu-
nate unawGres, ana tnen he would give II TO nun
with cluD III some cases breaking an arm or
Iip ms ne mas done with impunty. And rs there
are some persons who may eXcaln that such treat
ment would not DC tolerated by General IN. III
Neil. the Post Commandant, If he knew it, VIII
give conversation that occurred between General
Neil aud n convict about rations.
Some civilians being present while General Nell
inspecting the cohvicis on sunday morning,
they were told in the presence OF the convics, that
the LATER got hash every morning, and as mucn
most probably the General knew not how we were
treated, plucked up courage and, taking OF his cap,
spoke 10 the General as ollows:-"General, don't
get enough to eat at this post General-.'W hat Is
| your name ~ Convict-"Lovett sir.n General
! ''Wcll, Loyett how much can you eatSn Convict
| '.Twice as much l get.n General lin pas
sion)-"iou get all you Will get; you get enough for
the work you do, and can't get any more"
written If can only have the opportun,ty of dong
Military convict. Castle William, New York Harbor.
Way MOI LEX anime Druggists Well rs Their
Clerks {?
| 10 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
/ With regard to the licensing OF drug clerks I, as
/ q druggist fully concur i'll such law being passed.
| But why not ex end the same measure TO druggists
| themselves? With few thousand dollars man
| may open O drug store. engage competent clerk
| and in six or twelve months conduct the business
| himself. Nearly one-nalf our drug stores In New
| YORK are conducted by incompetent druggists male
| and female, who prepare prescriptions and pre-
! scribe for any disease human nature Is afncted
4 with Mr. Irving should include druggists In His
| bil and should compel them TO pay reasonable
salary give undstuIDed nights rest To their CLERKS
| anu mistakes VIII very seldom happen.
~ a DRUGGIST.
An Old Lady Wants Poiitcness Before QniciS
Transit.
To Tur EDITOR OF THE HERAbD:
| As the problem Of quick transit has not yet been
| solved and even when II is so the expected route
from City Hail to Harlem will take some time to
compish would suggest, on benalf OF my sex, that
| the gentlemen on Third avenue cars should mean
while study little poilteness and not allow an old
lady who is compelled to travel In them rs often as
am to stand thirty or forty blocks. suppose they
! not aware what internal suGerines would be alc-
waited 10y their gener0sits