Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-19
The Imprisoned Communists.

The following are extracts from a
letter in the Times, describing a visit
10 the Communist prisoners at SatOry:
JThe various stables being made
quate to accommodate more than
portion of the prisoners, the others
were peDned like sheep in the corners
of the enclosure. There they stood
behind a rope, watched by numerous
geudarmes sentries with loaded chas-
sepOts, for the most part mOtiOnless,
many Of them probably sick and sui
fering, some In rags, some barefOOted,
many with dirty handkerchiefs as the
sole covering for their heads. As
some protection, q very slight one,
against the rain that poured steadily
down. some had covered their shOul-
ders with wisps Of the straw they had
slept upOn. Most of them looked
said they were generally very meek,
and volunteered readily for fatigue
duty. If those in the open air were
exposed to the elements, they at any
rate breathed a purer atmosphere than
was to be found in the stables. We
entered one Of these, crowded with
men OF all ages, some gray-headed,
some boys of fourteen. Most Of them
were standing, but in the background,
where the light was dim, many re-
cumbent forms could be distinguished
as soon as the eye got accustomed to
the gloom. The appearance Of four
strangers, escorted by gendarme,
evidently caused g sensation, and
probably awakened hopes and fears.
The Communists crowded around Us,
opening only a narrow avenue for our
passage. The atmosphere was I'M
speakably nOi5Ome. It was wonder
ful to see such a number of ignOble
faces, and with such a vile expression,
brought together. Among those in
the first stable we entered it was
almost in vain to seek a cOuntenance
that would not have condemned It's
owner in the eyes Of the most lenient
physiOgnOmist. Our guide told US
that numbers OF them had arrived
drunk, half mad, or completely stupe-
fed by the alcohol, with tobacco
STEPPED in il, which had been served
out to them by their leaders.
ITO prevent outbreaks and secure
many thousand desperate characters
bolts and bars, great precautions and
severity is necessary. In the walls Of
the enclosure holes have been made,
through some Of which the mouths OF
cannon grin, charged with grape and
canister, while at others sentries are
stationed. The night before last a
prisoner approached one Of these en-
brasures and persisted in looking
through. The sentry warned him TO
retire, once, twice, and thrice, aud
then he blew his brains out. The top
of his skull. we are told, few over the
wall. The victim had evidently
sought his death.
"BefOre leaving we visited the
W0men's prison, which is tWO-story
house in q corner Of the enclosure
near the entrance gate. There were
about two hundred Of them, for the
most part such as are commonly found
In the neighbOIhoOd Of soldiers bar
racks or in the lowest outskirts Of
Paris, squalid and dangerous lOcai-
ties, of which sketches are to be read
ia the pages Of Sue and of other
romance writers whose taste il is to
dive into the lowest depths Of human
depravity and degradation. There
were some gray haired old women
and some rather pretty young
ones, but the majority were
and OF indescribably repulsige aspect.
One gaunt Amazon had sort Of uni
form coat with a white band and red
cross upon the arm, and when she ar
rived, we were told, she wore epau-
lets. Madame MilIiere had been
there, vino did the hOnOrs of the HO-
tel de Vile, and who came gaily ct-
tired, but she had left before our visit.
One girl struck me particularly. She
did not look above eighteen, but may
have been two or three years older.
She was slender and well formed,
with a prOfusion Of fair hair, terribly
dirty and tangled, whereas many of
the other women, sQualid and dirty
as their clothes might be, had evil
IDENTIFY taken pains TO comb and ar
range their hair in the most becOm-
ing manner their scanty resources per-
mitted. Her blue eyes were large
and shifting, and with the expression
Of q wild animal, Of which she re-
minded me as she rOved restlessly up
Rud down one end Of q room, keeping
close to the Wsll, brushing against it,
as a hyena does Bgainst the bars in
its mOnOtOnOus weary pacing in its
narrow prison. From time TO time
She shot a side glance at our gen.
darme, who was giving particulars
about the prisoners in a pretty loud
voice, and In terms which showed
slight consideration for their feelings.
They were such glances as might titly
nave accompanied daggeF-stab."