The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1876-11-22
SPANISH PRISON HoRRoRs.
Ca5Gs Patriots IIerdsd Wuh TIC Worst
~ Criminals.
From the London Times.

From the London Times.
In Ceuta the prisoner is alone, separa-
ted from his friends. without God 10
love or hope in; without any religious
consolation or education whatever. He
drags and curses throughout his weary,
suffering life, then lies down and dies with
blasnhemy On his lips. In the Autumn
of 1887 an English gentleman--now hol-
dug Her Majesly's commission as Vice
Consul In well-known town In Spain
Was riding along the then unniade rrad
between Puerto santa Maria and San
lIsucar de Barrameda, where 900 consicts,
called presidarios, or inmates Of the
nearest l,resiiios, were al work, making
the road which. waiered with these poor
wrrtches' blood, b nov me Of the best In
spain. The sight that saw says he--
and give his osn words-'curdied and
froze nay blood. These 1000 men were
lent by the Government TO The contractor
who had engaged 10 make the road. They
worked-driveD 10 Il by blows from the
thick sticks Of other prisoners made cabos,
nc sexrgeanis, because stronger or more
brutal than themselves. from morning
until night, on one scaniy n,ess Of potiage.'
Tie winter passed along unusual in its
severity in lss7-is3s, and the wind swept
IN fury across the low. aguish fats Of Sau
Lucar. NY friend expostulatsd with the
suITriniendeni, and said. This 10 not even
lplman; d h flendish; n 10 helish 10 treat
human beings thus 4 cannot help IT,
was the answer; the contractor does ~ he
chooses.' Ny friend passed by once more.
An oyerseer rude by On horseback one
OF Those poor. hAlf-starved fellows came
crouching 10 his slirrup TO suppiicaie for
mercy. He Ioosened his right foot from
the ssifrup, and struck rhe mar's naked
breast 80 fearful blow that the blood
Rushed from his mouth. He ruled over
on the earth, and was carried OF q corl~e.
Ever since that awful sight, when had
occasion 10 pas thosc presidarios, sci
spurs 10 my horse, and galsopsd Away
froni the spot z.a-. ~ ~. -@..4
There n a mound In the battle-ground
Iof San Luear which Its rotiing inhabi-
tan,s oyald speak, could tell tale Of awful
suffering hardly equalled In these latter
days. There sleep 800 Of those l,o0 rag
grd, reckless, wicked men who were
placed by the Government Of Madrid al
the disposition of their rmd CONTRACTOR
Cold, privatian, biows. aud want of cloth-
Ing did their fell work. Norr heard these
suns Of crime cry out; M ear bowed down
Ilo listen 10 their complaint; they never
knew ofany ear that would hear, and 80
they passed away, by i've and BY fifiieS,
aud a little lime and chalk Dissolved the
,al. and tile road was made, aud the
remnant Of the band, mot The l,00O.' we're
drafted hack 10 their respective prisons.
Il may be said. nay, d Was said These
are such awfully deprased and lost sons of
lcrime thai IL b best 10 KIN them Possibly
hut no. under the pretence Of offering
them llie and work, 10 give them death
and slavery. Utterly reckless i know
lthey were. A friend ofuine used TO give
lthe poor fellows cuartos 20 buy bread
when lhey thsonged round him and
pleaded their hunger. Said the overseeI
Ia humane one) 10 him. IT Is hogoodi
they won't buy bread with your farthings,
I,hey yin only gamble, aud lose all The
J RAG. they have 10 one another The end
lof this narrative is Instructive enough
1.-The merciless Government contractor dird
I'm gieat poverty, and on his deathbed no
pen,ed aloud Of bis lnhumanihss. Be
. fore his death he had been brought d
ItriaI Coz mnider, hut was acquitfe'l, a.
,, though one Judge. the hrst before whom
Ihls ease came, said, 4 win leave no sion'
unlurned 20 bring that man 10 the gal'
lows, 4z j.
The ascent 20 the hocho. or chief prison
lls long and severe; the silence and desc
laiIon as one approaches the summit ar
: extreme. On either side spreads the blus
cleaning ssa, fiecked with scnresa pass
ling sall, and away 20 the eastward mas
lof whiss cloud, rising up n though out Q
Itnt Nkftts Htus< h11 tt*'hhg - 49,
English Ceuta. A few prisoners out OF
. leave, rouxh-looking fellows, tolerabl
Ispcclmsns % the 800 az 900 confined In tls
!. Aacho, passed us. They were on thel
wa, 10 the town 10 Gator for provisions, o.
lob,aIn work Cor the comlng week. for %
!. day wa, Sunday; the distant strains OF Tn
iifss aud ksttIe-druus of the troops wer
borne 10 us on the breeze, and theey
lcould lust discern them, dusky column
: vending their way 10 the review ground
where the altar. &c; Cor the Geld Ms
y was already act upon the knoll Of risin
ground. THE prisonels In this jail nun
her from 500 10 i.ooo; their haoitaf y Y
various sheds. thiniy dotted over IN
!. rIope~ % the fortress. They areallowsd
ply their several usdes. but many SCENE
lio he 200 much gone IN health, hopes, sn
spirits 10 perform any active duties .
Ithe money earned by them, ceriai
Iasporiios, as stated In NY iasi letter.