Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1895-12-07
AUSTRALIAN CONVICT sH,r.
Some Attrasti9ns TO Bs Found Even Ia Such
N ribafinf Dsu NJ HorroTa,

Some Attrastiens to he Found Even In sush
Il fibafinE Dsn NJ Horfors'
AL Is grist that comes to the tnlll OF
the Snowman, and even q convict ship
Is scrviceable II II can only be made
attractive. There has lately arrived
In the East India dock, ut Blackwell,
tho Australian convict ship Success,
which Is TO DO put on exhibition forth.
With The vessel belongs to the old
bad systcni Of treating criminals with
barbarous cruelty, bordering on inhu-
manity. Built In 100 In British India,
OF solid teak, the Success was first an
East India trader and then an emigrant
ship. It was in the year 1882, Just d.
the time Of the gold discoveries In
Australia, that she was first turned
into convict hulk, and moorcd ut VIII.
Jamestown, Victoria. The new gold
fields attracted many bad characters
from oil parts, even convicts breaking
loose from the penal establishments,
and In order to afford safe quarters for
the worst OF tho evil doors five ships
were turned into hulks. The Success
formed ono Of tho groupi and was
known as the dark cell drill" ship,
being fitted up with solitary cells that
admit no light. One can we'll under
stand the horrors OF the rigorous sys-
tenn Of prison treatment practiced on
board these hullSs by IN inspection Of
this ship
Lying In the East India dock, she is
a weathcr-beaten old wooden vessel,
dingy and free from any suspicion OF
new paint The first wonder, indeed,
Is that she ever accomplished the
voyage from Australia TO London;
which took no less than Ave months
and half, but her stout timbcrs OF
teak OF great thickness make her
almost impregnable us fortress. The
quarters once occupied by the warders
nre shown on the quarter deolS, where
there are exhibited various rusty mus
kets, pistols, leg irons and manacles,
rs we'll as an original copy OF ticket
OF leave" signed by the governor OF
the colony. The tween deck Is filled
with cells on each side, every cell having
been for the accommodation OF three
men, and on the lower deck, where no
light and but little mir could pen.
citrate. arc tho dark, solitary cells.
which must almost have been living
tombs to the occupants. At the end OF
each cell is n space shut off by iron
rails called the tigers den," which
was used for those regarded rs ire
claimablc. Here the most outrageous
offenders were herded together In
semi.darkness, and often murder was
committed among themselves as the
result OF an old grudse or dispute.
The barbarity OF the hulk system is
further illustrated by iron nccklets by
which unfortunate malefactors were
fastened by line as II by halters, and
in some torture chambers prisoners
were SO chained that they could
neither lie, sit or knecl Hardened
rufflans though the convicts were, yet
such treatment could only have the
most fiendish results, and the prison
ers on the Success in 1857 found IN OPP
portuuity OF reveuging themselves by
assassinating the official head OF the
convict establishment, Inspector.Gen'
eral Price. The public sentiment re-
volted against the hulk system, which
was superseded in 1850. The old hulks
were broken up, with the exception OF
the Success, which after being mali
ciously scuttled in Sidney harbor, was
raised and exhibited rs show vessel
ut various ports in Australia. This old
hulk, recking with the memories OF
many cruelties committed In the name
OF the law, is not allowed to tell her
own tale. but somewhat questionably
it is sought to heighten the effect by
the aid Of wax figures in cells and
tableaux OF scenes with notorious bush
rangers, all Of which appeal rather tC
morbid tastes. Chronicle.