The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-09

grown as thin as a consumptive. his
ribs and joints are horribly prominent.
and his back Is Scared with pretty
constant application of the lash.
These prisoners in the huge enclos-
ure of the lower court are the stone
gang. AS they rise from their small
beds, they groan with the anguish of
their stiff joints and the pain of their
wounds. They dress in their sOiled
habilments in moody and hopeless ST.
lence. There Is no water In which to
wash their hands. which are caked
with the toll of yesterday.
On one side of the great gloomy room
is small Orifice, probably foot
square, closed with an iron door. Sud-
denly this door Is opened and a dark
Spanish face appears.
"Venga! Venga!" Is shouted through
the hole. At the same time tin plate
is thrust forward, together with a
spoon and a cup of water. Cruel, pOta-
toes. bread and tepid water are the
sum of the SumptuouS repast.
The man nearest the hole seizes the
platter and falls to. ravenOusly. Other
prisoners who have dressed approach
the hole. Still others hurry up, and a
line is formed. The clatter of tin plates
is incessant. The convicts snarl at
each other like fasting hounds. There
are few murderous Spanish prison.
ers among them. but it is as much as
their lives are worth to thrust them
selves forward at such time.
Just as the last of the three hun
dred gaunt men receives his plate there
arises the sound of bell from the roof
MARCHING TO THE STONE HEAPS.
An iron door on one side of the en-
closure Is thrown open, and again
comes the order, "Venga! Venga!" and
a squal of Spanish soldiers file into the
court. The man who received the last
plate through the hole has barely time
for two huge gulps, when the prism
ers fall into a close focked line with
their hands on each others shoulders.
They march out through the prison
doods into the outer patio, down the
hill and along the awakening streets,
where the small, dark children stare at
them curiOuSly. outside the walls are
the great stone heaps where the prison.
erS work.
Then the clank of hammers begins,
and it is kept up throughout the day
with the exception of G brief period
during which the prisoners eat more
cruel, fore bread, potatoes and water
The toll is frightfully monotonous. If
only the prisoners could converse the
monOtony would not be 50 great. A
word, however, means q Kissing whip
lash over the shoulders or across the
face.
The rattle of heavy hammers is deaf
ening and the dust Is intoierable, but
there is no cessation. The sun climbs
rapidly overhead and the heat becomes
sitting. over on the edge OF the kneel-
ing squal small pale Cuban prisoner
reels with every swing of the hammer.
He arrival "a on the IN ich OF,
midnight with two others, and this is
his first day.
This young patriot has not yet grown
hardened to the work. His compan-
ions. however, are giants in stature.
All three were officers under Calixto
Garcia in Eastern Cuba.
"Madre de Dios!" the small man ex-
claims. My strength is leaving me-
shall die" k.t,lr't, r..se >|t\ b.. -r
A huge convict kneeling at the next
heap curls his lips into sneer His
broad back is barred like that of a
tiger with white scars. "Ah. my young
cub" he Is thinking. you have not
yet cut your milk teeth. I used to
think l should die, as strong as l am,
but that was years and years ago /
live still. If ! am not mistaken we shall
see some fun presently"
The slim, pale Cuban reeled and al
moSt 1ell 1OrWdru on MS lace. 1t Is
probable that the grizzled old convict
felt some qualms of pity as he did. a
very unusual thing. Leaning forward
toward the new arrival he whispered
fiercely, Look out, young man. Do
you want to get triced up and fogged
half to death?"
At that very moment the young Gu
ban pitched forward on his face, half
senseless. Up came the guard. whip
in hand. ready for the fray. He had
seen the old convict say something, and
had seen the other fall. Down came
the whip across the shoulders of the
senseless Cuban, who only moaned with
the pain.
Again and again the whip descended
with hiss like that of an angry snake
Up sprang one of the young mans
companions with jagged stone in his
hand.
my God!' ne cried; ''if you hit that
man again I'll brain you"
TAKEN TO TORTURE.
BY this time other keepers had ar
rived and the angry man was disarmed.