The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-12-21
WONDERFUL AND xMPREsSYvE FACTS.
4 vislA e tAs Prsssa 81 Lsuvaaa-Csaviees
Csassg~ea - Livias Tsabs.

WtdUe OF AOooiuto lsoiatiOu " uhy enu " nignt
10 still enforced. and It has. on that ground.
the Maison Csntrals OF Louvain.
In England and In Franco prisoners are sub
mittod to less severe penalties, for although
thoy are condemned to silence. they at least
work In common. walk In common. pray in
common. end confinement to their coils Is only
Q temporary measure required to In oase OF In
subordinatton or misbehavior. The question
now pendant In France Of replacing the actual
penitentiary system by the solitary system
adopted In Belgium gives interest to the details
Of visit paid to tho prison OF Louvain.
The buildings are situated on the anterior
boulevards. nearly outside the town. They
date from twenty years back. but their tall
BE- given BY Iho Minister Of JussiIlse. who grants
rare visitors are always treated with the vt;
most courtesy Hnd Sonsideration and enabled led
eqnsstsS. With the 'G rules AND dssipine
The buildings ali converge to central ap.ls.
stories q csiis. While so%S sIishs repairs
suddenly spps"red stanains @otionsss a. tho
doors .mysterlouss and ghastiy Hpparit!on:
Az was adpitted tooyes. nose. and mouth By
e4ssssa .s Asna SshlSd ia back is ASA s1c
ing headgear. the prisoner OF Iouyaip must
neyeE catch passing glimpse Of any human
check. He wears his linen hood mmer and
warm brown wooon clothes. Labor Is oom S
sorry. and the days are spent In one unvary-
eonvSts. They come from the Chapel. ali the
" play e he The rs
chords. This is the signal for all the others to
Lon drn n nd m RI IN mi hnsv 10 n nd had
ding H; The m1sic las Is for fifteen minutes. and
may. at tho will OF the player consist OF re-
poeiEss- notes Tia. must strike with dreary
sigpillcance on the ears of some OF the wretch;
belong 70 the dress Of society Leon and Ar
N %a2d retyer Ere there eSDiat'nE tho murder
~ ss ss%S b IL e.
consists si " s"iH pnt a"es and brcad "nd
the I've other Of the day Ct and
who has earned a certificate OF good conduct.
quantities. Each day the, prisoners are taken
I, entirely given w to the ACCOMPANIMENT
tween ,he religious services the convio,s are At
snn af Ofst s0e
sesesion Only hose Who can neither ire read
taxes, place in the Chapel ITSELF. D, ms
chapel. II is large cycle. or wheel consisting
ERE
Of which forms Insed STAGE. on which stands
stens is divded or piseo@
the hoar service has
come. the fret cell Is orened byn warder. and
4k Tue fS.Ho to snss
SS sfis and as
performance. And SO on Till all are settled1no
medi stely preceding him has entered his al
iotted pen. After mass they are all taken back
into their cells In the same order and with the
There are about twelve flights OF steps. con.
n;o s"sS q w%ieh M sss
Sseh ssnyist H. aSs e see and iSiIox eSsTS
catch even sllmpse q his right ana loft hand
deors nor %s look s" over At the @ row
which Is hidden BY 2 boarding higher than
bis view those above or below. before and be-
The cells are clean and we'll arranged. Day.
the prisoners reach, The Ventilation j. perfect:
SUFFICIENT heat. and in the evening tho neces.
sary light is procured by. by gas Jet 70 which
mode on the best sanitary principle, n shelf
bed. The bedding lie a foundation Of sacking,
mattress, two shoots. one blanket il summer
has to fold and put these things away. The
bed itself Is taken to pieces and PLACED against
stool. The remainder Of the space is taken
up by the implements necessary to the convcts
Some Of the convicts are shoemakers others
br2,okbnders: tall1rs carpsnters even smiths;
| one. Those who have had a superior educa-
| ton are employed In copying students ESSAYS;
equally between tho State, and himself. This
latter portion is again suodiyided. ono. half be;
posited at the canteen for his private use. His
day. In the evening Labor ended f he d lines
| and goes to bed. To the dreary silence of tho
The rules Of tho prison, are such that tho con-
yiots must ropInco their hooded masks mas as soon
ssr faces ve to he IT,
per9hance, face is seen by doctor it IS paied
ana The want Of bracine blowing air air. for even
the daily walk OF an hour in the prison yards is
iron gates, stretching out but Ike the Sick Of ia
soon wither and die. The prisoners have that
| naccid fleshiness which comes from alb
| ity; yet In contradiction TO the opin-
ion prevailing in Franco that no
man could stand solitary. confinement
for ten years without succumbing or getting
insane It has been found not to be the case at
Louvain. Two of the inmates have dwet there
since 1864. the date OF its foundation. being
transferred to the Central house after a ton
years imprisonment at Client. They had been
condemned to death, but, owing 70 the virtual
abolition OF tho penalty OF death in Belgium.
the King had committed their sentence to tho
perpetual ontombment of their present abode.
When prisoners have deserved an a!loviation
OF their penalty by ten years Of uninterrupted
good conduct, they are sent TO Ghent. whero
the rules OF the prison allow OF their working
in common.
The secondary buildings contain tho In
Urinary, laundry. linen rooms. bath rooms.