Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-22

t1ce,'-A Big Cigarette Mandatory. HAVANA, April 9. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: 'tI've got pass" remarked one of our number as we sat on the hotel corridor one morning discussing schemes for the day, admitting Dr. H. o. Hall and family to the Cabanas and Moro Castle. We are specially fortunate in possessing this, as it costs a good deal of time and red tape just now to get such permit. We will put these points down at the head of the list.''
 "But how did you come in possession of such ticket?"
 s'It was procured for Dr. Hall, but he was unable to make use of it, so I got hold of it."
 = And how are all of us going on such 8 ticket How many of us are there ?" ''Some thirty-four including the interpreter. Pretty large family that for physician to take travelling to Cuba with him p
 'sBut they are not over nice in such mat ters, ," said the interpreter. "We can start off on this trip, and then decide upon other places of interest on the way. In the mean time you may be establishing your relation ship to the elder Dr. Hall"
 We started down toward the wharf, par ceiling ourselves off as nephews, nieces, daughters, overgrown sons, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, cousins, aunts and uncles of the aforesaid Dr. Hall After all had been done, however, we had dozen full grown women left over on our hands. The only way we could do was to call them the harem and represent that we had come on from our charming home in Salt Lake City.
 Crossing the neck of the Havana bay, we 1n,, loI %Loe eo1 ( ,&0I canopied overhead, which led by zigzag course up the steep hillside to the Cabanas, as the principal resort commanding the harbor is called. At the top our little family party was permitted to pass the guards and enter the old tumble-down fort. There noth- ing in particular to be seen to anyone who has seen Spanish fertilization of 300 years ago. The walls were enormously thick, and in their day doubtless esteemed formidable indeed; but modern artillery stationed aboard a good sized man-of-war in the har- Dor could easily rupture and obliterate the defenses. A superb panoramic view of Ha- vana below was also afforded
 I was interested in some superannuated cannon labelled 1754. After examining them carefully at both ends and in the mid dle, 1 came to the conclusion that I'd rather take my chances right immediately before the mouthpiece of the remarkable weap- ons.
 
 stairs and down stairs, now down a small ravine stream with dusty cactus, among which hairless pigs were browsing. Up, up again to the flagstaff room of Castle Moro, from which on the first morning our steamer was signalled, and which with the rugged foundations, ever washed by the incoming gulf waves, is the most conspicuous object in view of the Cuban metropolis. There was nothing of interest to me in the massive walls, parapets and drawbridge, save the discovery as to just how shiftlessly they are kept in these latter days. There are no magnificent modern guns. The slate colored linen uniforms of the men looked faded and ragged. Here and there were great piles of balls and shells, formerly plastered oyer in pyra- mid shape in order to protect them from the rusting elements of the weather; but time and the weather had miserably exposed all the piles now, and there was something op- pressive in the atmosphere of dilapidation about Some of the officers halls and drink ing-rooms alone looked inviting.
 I was glad when we marshalled our "fami ly'' into three boats and again crossed the bay to the "Punta," where we were to in speet the penitentiary of Havana. Not that Cuba has arrived at the dignity of distinct I penal institutions, local and State. As a matter of convenience the city prisons of Havana has secondary department under it's roof where the criminals are housed who have already received sentences of few years. Cases that receive a sentence of over fourteen years are transported to Spain; while twenty years is held to be the- legal limit of a e-service sentence. In addition to this, common 'Fvags" may be transported without formality to that large barren look ing island the map south of Cuba, la belled the 'sIsle of Pines.' Their occupa- tion here is not to listen to the signing of the l pine breezes, but to assist in making and such healthful occupations.
 We were ushered into the superintendent's s room, 8 cool tiled apartment furnished with telephone, electric buttons and picture of King Alphonso, in addition to the ordinary appointments. Our welcome was ceremoni ous enough at the hands of the immaculate lydressed official in charge, but he explained to the interpreter that he could not have us 1 escorted about for few moments yet. Our | few moments heightened out into over an 1 hour. Each official who entered the room | wore the governmental white cap, with visor l of tortoise-sllell in front At length the tedious wsit was over q suppose we had been sufficiently impressed with the impor- I tance of the Spanish functionaries about us 1 and their vast inf1uence) An exceedingly dapper and gallant young official, with long, preca1ious finger nails, ghastly white hands, | slightly powdered face and feet distorted into microscopic sloes offered his arm cere- .moniously to the lady first in order, and | procession. Nor did our Spanish gallant 1 fail of the most courtly attention to the lady upon his arm during the whole of the walk | Such excess of outward politeness is charac l teristic.
 | kept close under the lea of the interpre- l ter and then kept up running fire of ques- l tions through him, exacting information as 1 follows: "How many inhabitants of the ! Carcel or penitentiary proper are there?'
 ''There are 787 in here to-day. Then we have about as many more working out in chain-gangs, most of them on sugar-planta- tions in the island"
 | "You use the chain system then?'' ''Yes | sir, both inside and outside. When a man 1 is committed here we have the ring soldered 1 to his ankle with this apparatus which you l see here. To this ring are added one, two | three or four links according to the length oi the mans sentence. One link implies not l more than two years; two links not more than four; three not more than six; and foul eight years or more, since only uso foul | links. By good behavior in prison, however & man may soon be relieved from wearing the chain at all"
 As I passed through the establishment ii was my impression that from thirty to forty per cent. of the fellows still wore theil chains. We first went about through the | rooms where, all on 8 common footing, Span | iards, Cubans, negroes and Chinamen were |
 ratio expressions on all sides, it was evident
 that this was first-class place in which tc get robbed; and, indeed, I do know of young 1 man who lost his watch while passing through l these crowded rooms and never recovered it We now passed on through room after
 room, preceded wherever we went by 8 sor
 of monitor, who thwacked the door with
 common stick rough cut from tree. Thii
 was probably signal to those within te form into double lines, and remain thus dis
 posed along the back side of the room unti l we had passed out.
 In one of the first rooms we gathered unto I ourselves voluble character. I judge he
 was French, but he spoke very good Eng l fish, and about as much of it to the square 1 inch as anybody ever did. He explained l everything in an oily vein, referring witt commiserating superiority to the prisoners as
 though he were not one of their number him | self.
 | There was general classification of these non-working prisoners, so that we saw Clos negroes" in phalanxes by themselves and l long-suffering John on dress parade in his