The state herald., 1891-07-03

years in the Santiago penitentiary
their condition would be vastly bottcr-
ed They would be sure OF shelter,
sufficient food and clothes enough to
cover their nakcdness uncertain
blessings In their present state; besides
being compelled to keep ,olcrably
clean for the first time in their lives.
and made TO work ut something useful
All are Obliged to learn trades
blacksmithing, carpentcring. shocmak-
ing, etc. There is school. also
where even the Oldest and most dense
ly ignorant are taught TO read and
write; and n chapel where all receive
religious instruction. After year or
two here the Roto, who came in rae.
god, dirty and worthless TO degree,
may go forth clothed IN his right
mind, having formed new habits 81
industry. and with n resource against
future want in the trade he has learned.
But there is another side to the pie
ture--onc so dark and terrible that n
We contemplated 1t the bright day
seemed suddenly overcast. the sgn
ceased to shine and the birds To sing.
In this splendid model" building
there are Shiny, noisomc cells where
daylight never enters in which human
beings are literally buried alive. lIny-
Ing heard of them, wa requested 10 be
shown one Of these coils. The gentle
manly superintendent denied there
were any such. But we knew better:
and later On. the judicious investment
Of u dollar Induced subordinate to
give us a glimpse of what we came to
see.
Under the massive arches Of the
enormously thick walls, where per-
petual twilight rcigns even in the out
side rooms arc inner cells. two fee,
wide by six feet long. destitute Of n
single article OF furniture. There l.. a
thick iron door which H. securely
nailed np, then fastened all around
with huge clamps exactly rs vaults
are closed In the Santiago cemetery;
and over all the great rel seal Of the
government Is placcd-not 10 be re-
moved until the man II dead or his
sentence has expired. The tiny grnte.l
window Is covered with several thick
ncsscs of rloscly-woycn Dc.'ing max
;ag dense darkness inside ~ ihni III.
prisoner cannot tell night from day.
There l. no ventilation. except through
this netting nnd no opening whatever
To the tomb.
Low down In the Iron door, close To
t.. l. tfN II -
foot long by two or three inches wide.
arranged like double drawer. 80 that
food aud water mny be Slipped In on
shallow pans and the refuse returned.
Twice In every twcniy-four hours this
panel Is operated. aud II the food re-
mains untouched certain number Of
days II Is known the man Is dead. aud
only then can his door be opened un.
less his time has expired. In the samc
clothes he goes In. unwnshed. nncombcd.
without even blanket or handful of
straw 10 lie on, he languishcs In sick.
ness, lives or dies. with no means Of
making his condition known Ia those
outssse. lie may count the lngging
hours, sleep rave curse, pray long for
death. dash his brains out, 20 mnd II
he likes nobody knows H. lIo Is dcad
10 the world. and buried, though liv-
ins. Six months Is the usual sentence,
and until lately two years hns been the
limit They told us TINT bu, one man
has ever boon known 10 live 'cnr.
and the majority do not outlnst the see
ond month, Those TINT survive the
six months arc almost Invariably driycl.
Ing idiois or dangerous mnniacs The
door Is always opened nj night, when
the sentence has expired. because In
his cnfooblcd condition after long dark.
ness. the glare Of day would b. torture
II not death. 1hoy expect to ilnd the
wretch stonc.blInd. cmncinicd to the
last degree unnbl. Ia stand. hnlr and
beard grown long and whiic ns snow.
nails like tnions and garments rotten
with mold.
Ona man Of education and reiinemon,
kop, himself In iolcrnblc condition
through his half yonr Of solitary con.
ilnoment by means of n handful of mel.
on seeds A. he WIS going In. some.
body gave him pnrt of n muskmoon.
Strange 10 sny II wn- not taken from
him, and he carefully hourdod the
seeds, which he put Ia variety of In
gcnlou- uses. With them aud reckon.
Ing from the number of times food-pan
slid In and out, he contriycd Ia keen
truck Of tho number of days Of his In.
cnrccrntlon, he invented games Of
solitaire" which he played thousands
of times In the darkness; and 10 vary
the dreadful mono,ony ho would tlirDa
nway Tho precious handful and Rropc
around on his hands nnd knees until
they were Nil rc-collcc,cd. llc -ny-
TINT 10 ibos, little seeds alone he h
indebted Tor his nlmo-, miraculous cs-
cnpo from insanity. ldiocy or donih,
The most narrowing inlc remains to
be told--ono TINT murdered" sleep
for ua through many night We
stood outside the living tomb of u
young scion Df the Chilean hrlsiorrnry
- pat,ed ''moihcr'- boy''-=only ~
ycnr. old. who hnH bocn buried IN this
innnnor on i've years sentence. the
longea, ever given, flyo YEAR. when
rough men accustomed Ia hardahlps
seldom survive two months of II The
youth Is n nephew Of n former Minister
of War, and belongs To n family Of
wealth and highest social innding.
liz was lieutenant In tho regular
army, had shot his captain. I, iu snid
To have boen deliberate murder call.
Ing for no clomenry except on tho
Hoorc of his youth H. wha sonlonc.d
Ia be shot, bui through the Influence
II his relatives the penalty Wits
changed 10 one far worsn--drn'h by