The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-07
CAPTIVE SOLDIERS.
How They Are Punished For
Desertion and Other Crimes.
A Prison With Considerable
Freedom for the Prisoners.

A Prison With Considerable |
Freedom for the Prisoners.
Situated on the highest point in Fort
Leavcn worth, Kan, aud overlook
Jag the Missouri river IS the United
States military prison-the bottom to
which the dregs Of the army settle The
law says the prison is ''lor the continc-
mcnt and reformation Of offenders
against the rules, rcgu. atioas and laws
for the government Of the army Of the
United States, in which shall be securely
confined and employed at labs.. and
governed in the manner hereinafter dI-
rcctcd, all offenders convicted before
any court martial or military commits
sioa in the United States and sentenced
according to the law to imprisonment
therein"
Unlike institutions of similar charac-
ter, all possible liberty is allowed the
convicts. The "sllent 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 unotti
! cial visitors are admitted to the prison
two days a week The prisoner may
/ l; ha
outside by letter and receive mail sub
ject to inspection by the chaplain.
Once week the convicts must bathe,
and they are supplied with an unlimit-
ed quantity Of clean clothing. This
clothing is a uniform OF gray, the dis
tinctive marks being q large red num-
Der placed o1 the back.
When a convict enters the prison be
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. HenCelorward h
is no longer Smith or JONES' but Say
mo. 800" The prison physician ther
takes him in hand, and even the mos
minute personalities are noted.
Once in the prison the convict IS II
charge of the provost guard, party o
men assigned by the secretary of war o
enlisted under his direction, and sc
lected with a special eye to their titnes
for the duty. Few of them are unde
six feet in height and a majority ar
men who have seen years of hard service
These are the subordinate officers, an
the only ones, excepting the chaplain
surgeon and commandant. The latte
is Captain James W. Pope.
Despite the easy discipline there ar
few escapes from the prison. PerhaT
the law has something to do with tn
vigilance of the guards, as it makes tn
. escape of the prisoner penal offersaf fc
/, the guard.
Although there are 400 prisoners COZ
" fined, there are but thirty-six cells, tw
of these being dark. These dark eel
7 are the only punishment inflicted on tt
:, prisoners, further than the cutting o
of "good time"
New men are first placed in the cell
>, If. after a while they merit the favo
:, they are sent to the dormitories, whe
greater freedom is allowed them. Phi
oncrs are divided into three classes. eat
class being designated by a distincti'
badge attached to some cOnspicu0t
= part of the outer garment of the prise
dress On being assigned to a ella
- the prisoner is made acquainted with II
rules relating to the conduct and trea
- ment of prisoners. Prisoners Of Il
third class whose conduct may warra
it are promoted after ten days to Il
second class. Prisoners of the first ella
! rethose whose quiet, orderly habits al
general good conduct in class second h
gained them the confidence of the of
- GERS. Promotions are made by the col
= mandant.
q The dormitories differ little from t
Ia quarters of common soldiers. A row
n iron cots. around which a broad ais
N runs, and separated from each other
a space of two feet, constitutes t
IS furniture. During the day the beds &
lR made up. Each prisoner IS allowed
&c keep a box, provided by himself,
o which he places such mementoes frt
ID the outer world as he chooses, besid
C. some articles of apparel other than thu
ay furnished by the prison. A gratl
Il cuts off the guard room from the slee
ed ers. and at the same time furnishes
Id easy view of the whole sleeping room,
st During the day the prisoners are g
ce ployed as the commandant may ele
h. but the greatest number at one emplt
n9 ment are in the shoe shop. This is i
ny long room in the third story Of bui
to ing two hundred feet long. There
made all the footwear for an army
fifteen thousand men. The enor2n'
number of shoes consumed may be ST
ast from the number made last year, wi
he II, 700 pairs of boots and IS, 421 pairs
"a shoes were turned out. 4 pair of C
L. -rv1< \