, 1898-10-03
PRISONERS
HERBERT BREES WRITES OF A
VISIT TO ADMIRAL GER
VERA'S MEN.
Englishmen, Germans, Italians n
Men OF Other Na~tionalities Found
Among the Prisoners-How They
Worked" the "Suckers"-A Very
Healthy Lot OF Men.

Healthy Lot OF Men.
Fort Constitution. Newcastle, N. H.,
September 20, 1898.
Editor Laramie Republican.
Dear Sir: The notice in the papers
a few days ago OF the arrival of Ad-
miral Cervera and his sailors at San
lander, Spain, again reminded ME OF
the letter / intended writing to you al
ter | had visited them while prisoners
here on Seavey's Island. This may be
rather ancient history now. but still
l will attempt to give some idea of their
condition here and hope that it may
prove Of some interest. They certainly
we're objects Of very great curiosity.
They were imprisoned on an island
here in the river, known as Seave!s
Island and located about half way be-
tween the mouth of the Pixataqua river
and Portsmouth.
On three sides of the Enclosure was a
high stockade, with a secondary stock
AIDE or "trocha'' of about twenty-five
| strands Of barbed wire on h outside
of it, with sentinels. OF course, on all
| three sides. The river formed the
fourth side, and was thronged continu-
ally with all kinds Of boats and sailing
| craft. Visitors were not allowed in
| side the stockade unless they had a
pull; consequently, boat owners made
small fortunes running excursions and
taking people to the Island. where they
could see all that was to be seen from
the river.
1t certainly was an interesting sight
to pass the place and see the sixteen
hundred and odd prisoners dressed
either in blue or white running around.
It looked like a regular human bee
hive. Right at the waters edge some
twenty or twenty-five wooden tables
had been built for them to wash and
scrub their clothes IN, and there was
| always a crowd around watching the
operation with great interest.
A few days before the prisoners left,
l had the privilege Of going inside the
stockade. through the kindness of Lieu
tenant w. N. McKelvey, United States
marine corps-one of the officers, by
the way, who participated in the fight
/ ~ n,,a ~ yS-nNI rutth n uyrtf
ten document signed by Colonel Meade
commanding the marine guard, we
passed through the gate Of the
'ftrocha," and then the stockade gate
and found ourselves in the wonderful
interior.
One thing that struck me most no.
ticeably was the large number Of FOR.
| eigners in the outfit. You could dis.
tinguish and pick out English. German
Irish and almost Every other nationali.
ty but an American, Of course
At the east end of the enclosure OF
on the left as you went in was a bis
covered shed with long tables and
benches. This was the dining ROOM
On the north side and to your right or
entering were the barracks or quarters
long. wooden buildings with tiers Of
hunks and ten or twelve in number
In front Of them were the kitchens. All
CT the rest Of the enclosure to the rivel
on the south and the stockade on the
west was clear, excepting a couple OF
small guard houses, and was simply
Iswarming with men during the hour;
that they were permitted to rur
around. They were all dressed in blue
or white sailor suits and made quite {
picturesque scene. particularly from
the river.
About the first thing they would do
however, il you tried to start a CONVEX
sation with them, would be that SOM
Nne would produce a "Cristobal Colon
or "Vizcaya" or some other hat ribbon
and endeavor to sell it to you for 81 o,
SIS. II that failed, they would spring
Ndih VI tCh VI q uOLch ldHu new Jul
IONS. evidently freshly imported TO
such occasions. and calmly inform you
when you ask the price. Eight dol
lars" It's needless to tell how man.
bought. I am told though that the.
caught lots of suckers" The wa,
some people carried on and enthuse,
over these prisoners was simply dis
gushing. Some went absolutely Graz.
over the officers who we're on parole
inviting them to dinners, parties, after
noon teas. ETC., given in their honor
making regular social lions OF them
In fact they almost got down on thei
knees and %worshiped them. I wonde
how many Of our officers would hav'
been treated in a similar n hat
conditions been reversed?
While we were standing observing
the prisoners. I noticed several OF tn,
marines ON guard scattered Throughout
the enclosure commence to clap thei
hands. the prisoners Immediately flock
ing to their respective barracks. Upor
inquiry I found that this was the sigma
for dinner. that is, when the guard,