Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-17

and become accustomed to the quiet and
order that reigns here, he has forgotten how
to think for himself, and even his former
name has become strange to him. When
first turned adrift into the world, even with
money in his pocket, he feels an overpower-
ing sense of helplessness; and many come
back and beg to be taken in again
Solitary Confinement in Chile.
But there is another side to the picture
one so dark and terrible that as we con-
templated it the bright day seemed suddenly
overcast, the sun ceased to shine and the
birds to sing In this splendid ttmodel''
building there are Shiny, noisome cells
where daylight never enters, in which hu-
man beings are literally buried alive. Hav-
ing heard of them, we requested to be shown
one of these cells. The gentlemanly SUPER
intendent denied there were any such, and
showed us the interior of two or three twi-
light cells, which he said were the worst in
the penitentiary and designed for those
condemned to SOLITARY confinement" But
we knew better; and later on the judicious
investment of dollar induced q subordi-
nate to give us a glimpse of what we came
to see.
Under the massive arches of the enor-
mously thick walls, where perpetual twi-
light reigns even in the outside rooms, are
inner cells, two feet wide by six feet long,
destitute of a single article of furniture.
Until recently those confined in them were
walled in, the bricks being cemented in
place over the living tomb. Now there is
a thick iron door, which is securely nailed
up, then fastened all around with huge
clamps, exactly as vaults are closed in the
Santiago Cemetery; and over all the great
red seal of the Government is placed-not to
be removed until the man is dead or his
sentence has expired. The tiny grated win
dow is covered by several thicknesses of
closely-woven wire netting, making dense
darkness inside, so that the prisoner cannot
tell darkness from day. There is no ventila-
tlon except through this netting, and no
opening whatever to the tomb. Low down
in the iron door, close to the ground, is
tiny sliding panel, a foot long by two or
three inches wide, arranged like a double
drawer, so that food and water may be
slipped in on shallow pans and the refuse
returned.
The Visit of the Death Angel.
Twice in every "a hours this panel is op-
Grated; and if the food remains untouched
certain number of days, it is known the
man is dead, and only then can his door be
opened unless his time has.expired. If the
food is not eaten for only two or three days
no attention is paid to it, for the prisoner
may be shamming; but beyond given
length of time he cannot live without eating.
Not the faintest sound nor glimmer of
light penetrates these awful walls. In the
same clothes he goes in, unwashed, un-
rombed, without even blanket or handful
Of straw to lie on, he languishes in sickness,
lives or dies, with no means of making
MS condition known to those outside. He
may count the tagging hours, sleep, rave,
curse, pray, long for death, dash his
brains out, go mad if he ikes-nobody
Knows it. He is dead to the world, and
buried, though living. Six months is the
Usual sentence, and, until lately, two years
has been the limit. They told us that but |
me man has ever been known to live |
year, AMI the majority do not outlast the |
econd month. Those that survive the six |
months are almost invariably driveling |
diots or dangerous maniacs. The door is |
.lways opened at night, when the sentence |
las expired, because in his enfeebled con-
ition after long darkness, the glare of |
lay would be torture, if not death. They |
xpect to find the wretch stone blind, ema-
lated to the last degree, unable to stand,
air and beard grown long and white as
now, nails like talons, and garments rotten
With mold.
Saved by Handful of Seeds.
One man of education and refinement
ept himself in tolerable condition through