Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-09-15
For the SPECTAToR.l
Letter from Texas.
MEXICAN CONVICTs.

Letter from Texas.
MEXICAN coNvIcTs.
SAN DIEGO, TEXAS, Aug. 80, 1886.
Editor Spectator Owing to the fact
that some interest has been aroused con
cerning Mexicn prisons and Mexican con-
victs, some facts relative to the prison life
of the "greasers" as woll as the ''gringoes''
may be of interest to your readers. AS all
the State prisons are about the same, and
all convicts are treated alike all over the
Republic, description of the Nuevo Leon
prison will suffice to show how things are
carried on in the Cactus country.
THE STATE PRISON
at Monterey is situated on the South-side
of the city, on the banks of the river, and
was originally built and used as cottage.
1t is one-story stone building, about two
hundred feet square the interior is divided
| into two patios (Court-yards or pits) of
about sixty or forty feet. In one of these
yards are confined the criminals-prisoners
sentenced to six months and above, are so
denominated- in the other the CORE
cionales, those placed in prison for offences
who are too young to commit crime. The
yard occupied by the criminals contains five
calabozas, (dungeons) the largest OF which
is about twelve feet square, a large portal
used as school, and capilla, (chapel), in
which are confined the prisoners sentenced
to receive the death penalty. Into this yard
at this time there are crowded ninety-f five
! men. Not a single woman is seen, now or
at any other time. The Maxicans punish
their women by the lash, or some other
way than by imprisonment or death. The
door of the
DUNGEONS
are left open during the day, but at P. nj.
the prisoners ale crowded into these, and
the doors closed until morning. These
| dungeons have no ventilation whatever, ex-
cepting few holes in the doors so your
readers can easily imagine the sitting heat
of such places during the sultry summer
nights, and when they are literally packed
with men. Tongue can not express, nor
pen describe, the feelings of human being
| buried alive, and the efforts of dozens Of
human beings fighting for the little breath
of air received through the small holes in
the doors aforementioned neither can
one recall all the diseases caused by such
confinement.
THE ROUTINE
| is as follows:
| At the moment prisoner passes the IN
ner gate, he is shut up in dark cell, which
is called incommunicado. This word has
| a double meaning, and is taken from COM
municate. 1t means that those confined in
this cell can not communicate with their
friends, but can communicate with the
Alcalde.) He is compelled to remain in
this cell three days, at the end of which
time he is assigned, or taken before
Judge, who orders his transfer to the patio
(yard) and there he is allowed to see his
family and friends. The prisoners are per-
mitted to
EMPLOY THEMSELVES
in any work that does not require the use of
edge-tools. The reader can very readily
see the object of this mode, e,-experience, ne
cessity and prodence having taught past
officers the foolishness of allowing convicts
to use tools that could be used as weapons.
The greater number make baskets of istle,
fibre of the maguey, Century plant, which,
when finished and painted are quite hand
some. Others make talegas, (money- -bags)
and line glass TASKS with a net work of the
omnipi esent istle. Others again, of the
same material, make some of the hand |
soonest head-rigging for saddle-horses that
can be imagined The product of the work |
of the prisoner belong to himself. This is |
the only favor paid the convict placed in a
Mexican State prison, and it really is favor, |
too for some help tieir families, others
provide themselves with the necessaries of
life-frst of which, from Mexican stand |
point, is the cigarro (cigar). Their earn
ings, however, are very small, indeed. A
basket that sells for one dollar takes six
days to make cost of material twenty-five |
earnings seventy-fve cents But |
though small they are glad enough to even
get this much, for only the prisoners who
are not definitely Sentenced are allowed to
work tor themselves. Those who are SEN
fenced are taken out with guard of police, |
armed with gun and bayonet, and employed |
in paving the streets, and other public |
works. And they have to work to suit
their task-masters, or if not, their backs
pay the penalty. Many poor fellows |
back is made literally raw from the mache
tazas, (blows with a cutlass), Inflicted by
the task master, and this in broad day
light on the streets of the city.
WHAT THEY EAT.
Breakfast biscuit or chunk Of hard, sad
bread, and coffee made of roasted corn
Dinner-small piece of par-boiled meat,
with the national frijol, (bean), and two
thick tortillas, (pan cakes). Supper-cof- |
fee as above and tortillas. This diet never
varies. The prisoners almost all belong to |
the city, and their families are allowed TO
bring them other food sometimes when the |
officers OF guards can be bribed to allow
them to do so. But how is it with the poor |
gringo, who has the misfortune to fiud him
self prisoner frequently for no crime
whatever, or for matter of which no man
need be ashamed alone, without friends
or money, and far from his home and coun-
try. and that country too, one that takes
no interest in his welfare, as it were, nor
cares whether he is imprisoned for crime,
or simply for prejudice.
Nothing is furnished but the food, such
as described above no clothing of any de-
scription, not even a bed to lie on, for beds |
are not allowed under any consideration;
no matter the terms of months or years a
man may be sentenced for, he is not per-
mitted to lie on anything but sheepskin,
which he may get if he can, for even this is
not furnished. The writer knows of an
American who slept for twenty y-three days
on the earthern floor, in the month of De-
cember, and without any covering, until
some of his fellow prisoners took compass
sion on him, and gave him an old sheep
skin. And this, too, in city where there
| is an American Cunsel. They did not
even give this prisoner a piece of soap to
wash with, which would have been boon
greatly to be desired, for in this country of
fine dust and perspiration, soap and water
applications every day are necessary prere-
quisites to health, and desired by all des-
cent and respectable individuals.
TIE SUPERINTENDENT
or governor of the prison is a rancorous old
ranchero, who can hardly write his own
name, and is most inveterate enemy of the
''gringoes," :" as he calls them, and does all
in his power to annoy an American prison
er. This functionary has the power, for
any offence committed by a prisoner, to