The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-06-09
CAPTIVE SOLDIERS.
How They Are Punished For
Desertion and Other Crimes.
A Prison With Considerable
Freedom for the Prisoners.


States military prison-the bottom to
which the dregs of the army settle. The
law says tho prison is ''for the confine-
ment and reformation OF offenders
against the rules, regulations and laws
for the government of the army of the
United States, in which shall be securely
confined and employed at labor, and
governed in the manner hereinafter di-
rected, all offenders convicted before
any court martial or military commits
sion in the United States and sentenced
according to the law 10 Imprisonment
therein"
Unlike institutions of similar charac-
ter, all possible liberty is allowed the
convicts. The "silent system is not
in vogue except in working hours,
and even then speech is allowed be-
tween the men on matters pertaining
to their tasks. The use Of newspapers
and books is not denied at times when
prisoners are not employed and unoffi-
cial visitors are admitted to the prison
two days week. The prisoner may
communicate with his friends on the
outside by letter and receive mail sub
ject to inspection by the chaplain.
Once week the convicts must battle,
and they are supplied with an unlimit-
ed quantity of clean clothing. This
clothing is uniform OF gray, the dis
tinctive marks being a large red num-
Der placed on the back.
When convict enters the prison he
is treated much il the way usual to
such institutions. His face is shaved
and hair cut; he is bathed and given a
number, which, while he is confined, is
his only cognomen. Hen ceforward he
is no longer Smith or Jones, but (say)
"No. $780," The prison physician then
takes him in hand, and even the most
minute personalities are noted.
Oncc in the prison the convict is in
charge of the provost guard, a party OF
men assigned by the secretary of war or
enlisted under his direction, and Sc
lected with special eye to their fitness
for the duty. Few of them are under
six feet in height and majority are
men who have seen years of hard service.
These are the subordinate officers, and
the only ones, excepting the chaplain,
surgeon and commandant. The latter
is Captain James W. Pope.
Despite the easy discipline there are
few escapes from the prison. Perhaps
the law has something to do with the
vigilance of the guards, as it makes the
escape of the prisoner penal offerss for
the guard.
Although there are 496 prisoners con-
fined, there are but thirty-six cells, two
of these being dark. These dark cells
are the only punishment inflicted on the
prisoners, further than the cutting off
OF "good time"
New men are first placed in the cells.
If, after a while they merit the favor,
they are sent to the dormitories, where
greater freedom is allowed them. Pris-
oners are divided into three classes, each
class being designated by a distinctive
badge attached to some conspicuous
part of the outer garment of the prison
)ress. On being assigned to a class
the prisoner is made acquainted with the
rules relating to the conduct and treat
ment of prisoners. Prisone of the
third class whose conduct may warrant
it are promoted after ten days to the
second class. Prisoners of the first class
IRE those whose quiet, orderly habits and
general good conduct in class second has
gained them the confidence of the Off
GERS. Promotions are made by the com
mandant.
The dormitories differ little from the
quarters of common soldiers. A row of
iron cots, around which broad aisle
runs, and separated from each other by
a space of two feet, constitutes the
furniture. During the day the beds are
made up. Each prisoner is allowed to
keep a box, provided by himself, in
which he places such mementoes from
the outer world as he chooses, besides
some articles of apparel other than those
furnished by the prison. A grating
cuts off the guard room from the sleep
ers, and at the same time furnishes an