Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-16

but a ticket representing that sum. II he fails
to do a reasonable amount, or spoils material
purpoeely or through carelessness, something
is deducted from the money he has already
earned, or he may be otherwise punished.
Though strongly advised to hoard his funds until
the day Of release, he may spend it IL he likes.
The regular prison food Is better and more
abundant than most Of them have been ac-
customed to outside; but on certain days
market people are allowed to come in and sell
tobacco, fruit, dulces, &C., and there ia no law
to prevent the men from spending all they earn
in this way.
FRIENDS CAN VISIT THEM.
Once in three months each prisoner may have
visitors, and then his relatives and friends, if
he has any, flock to see him Many of them
are glad to have saved up a respectable sum to
give the wife and children or the aged parents
or young sisters, who perhaps have sadly
missed their support. Said the superintend-
ent, IF prisoners term is long it is not un-
common for him to have credit for from $500
to $500, which is paid him in cash on the day
Of his discharge and is wealth to Roto. This,
with good trade at his finger ends and the
thrifty habits he has acquired, makes q new
man of him; and IL he gets into mischief again
it is due to innate depravity rather than to
force Of circumstances. But when man has
been in prison long time and become accus-
toned 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 adrlft into the world,
even with money in his pocket, he feels an
overpowering sense Of helplessness; and many
come back and beg to be taken in again."
THE WALLED UP CELLS.
But there is another side to the picture-one
so dark and terrible that as we contemplated
it the bright day seemed suddenly overcast, the
sun ceased to shine and the birds to sing. In
this splendid model building there are Shiny,
,NOf-N oil har do eli ~,
which human beings are literally buried alive.
Having heard of them we requested to be
shown one of these cells. The gentlemanly
superintendent 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 con-
demned to SOLITARY confinement" But we
knew better, and later on the judicious invest
ment of dollar induced a subordinate to give
us glimpse Of what we came to see. Under
the massive arches of the enormously thick
walls, where perpetual twilight reigns
even in the outside rooms, are inner
cells, two feet wide by six feet long,
destitute of 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 govern
man is dead or his sentence has expired. The
tiny grated window is covered by several thick
nesses of closely woven wire netting, making
dense darkness inside, so that the prisoner can
not tell night from day. There Is no ventila-
ton, except through this netting and no OPEN
ing whatever to the tomb. Low down in the
iron door, close to the ground, is Q 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. Twice in every twenty
four hours this panel ID operated, 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 II 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 q
given length Of time he cannot live without
eating.
BURIED, THOUGH LIVING.
Not the faintest sound nor glimmer Of light
penetrates these awful walls. In the same
clothes he goes in, unwashed, uncombed, with
out even a blanket or handful Of straw to lie
on, he languishes in sickness, lives or dies
with no means Of making his condition known
to those outside. He may count the tagging
hours, sleep, rave, curse, pray, long for death,
dash his brains out, 60 mad il he likes-no.
body 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 one man has ever
been known to live year, and the majority do
not outlast the second month. Those that sur
we the six months are almost invariably
driveling idiots or dangerous maniacs. The
door is always opened at night when the SEN
tence has expired, because in his enfeebled
condition after long darkness the glare Of day
would be torture if not death. They expect to
find the wretch stone blind, emaciated to the
last degree, unable to stand, hair and beard
grown long and white as snow, nails like talons,
and garments rotten with mold.
KEPT SANE BIZ MELON SEEDS.
One man Of education and refinement kent
himself in tolerable condition through his half
year Of solitary confinement by means of q
handful of melon seeds. As he was going in
somebody gave him part Of a muskmelon
Strange to say it was not taken from him and
he carefully horded the seeds, which he put to
variety Of ingenious uses. With them and
reckoning from the number of times the food
pan slid in and out he contrived to keep track
Of the number Of days Of his incarceration:
he invented games OF solitaire" which he
played thousands of times in the darkness. and
to vary the dreadful monotony he would throw
away the precious handful and grope around
on his hands and knees until they we're all re-
collected. He says that to those little seeds
alone he is indebted for his almost miraculous
escape from insanity, idiocy or death.
On the day Of our visit to the Santiago peui-
tentiary There was one man In solitary cOufpe-
ment under two years sentence whose time
had expired within seven weeks. 1t was the
only case on record and marvel to all who
were acquainted with it. A great deal of specu-
lation is rife as to what the poor wretch win be
like when the door is opened, he manages to
exist SO long-blind no doubt and hopelessly
ruined in health and intellect If he does not
die Of the shock of liberation.
AN ARIsrocRArIc CRIMINAL.
The most narrowing tale remains to be told
one that murdered sleep" for Us through
many . night. We stood outside the living
| tomb Of q young scion of the Gillian aristoc-
| racy-a petted mothers boy" only eighteen
| years old, who has been buried in this manner
on hve years sentence, the longest ever given.
FIVE years, when rough men, accustomed to
nardships, seldom survive two months Of II
The youth is the nephew Of q former minister
OF war and belongs to Q family Of wealth and
highest social standing. He was q lieutenant
| In the regular army and shot his captain. II is
4 said to have been q deliberate murder. calling
Tor no clemency except on the score Of his
youth lie was sentenced to be shot but through
the influence Of his relatives the penalty was
changed TO one far worse-death by allow
| degrees In solitary confinement a prolonged
cruelty compared to which shooting would he
blessed boon, and the northern barbarian of
choking man to death with o rope around his
neck seems luxury. He was handsome lad
| of the style here known rubio, meaning fair
haired, blue eyed and rosy checked His last
words, uttered with u smile az he entered ths
awful place, were: II shall be only tventy-fouy
/ when come ont. not too ola .. ),