The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-27

How the Ex-Captain Is Treated on the
Isle of the Devil.

Isle of the Devil.
Alfred Dreyfus has been prisoner on the
lie du Diable since March TO- 1895. Much
interest has naturally attached itself to this
small piece of land off the coast of French
Guiana, South America, and much has been
written about II often with no better base
than general rumor augmented by the imag-
nation
When the story transpired, in the summer
of 1895, that Dreyfus had escaped from his
prison, to show how impossible this
would have been it said that huge
iron cage had been built on the island for
his occupancy; within this cage there was
a hut with open sides, so that the prisoner
was never out of sight of his guards. A
Partisan paper lie Petit Parisen even went
so far as to give a picture of "Dreyfus in
his prison." drawn on Inc spot" Unfor-
tunately, however, even for the credulous
the guards were depicted in the uniforms Of
the second empire. and not in white fan
nels and helmets when they actually wear.
Yet in spite of the incentive for some one
in Cayenne, which is only fifteen miles away
from the lie du Diable, to send to the world
a good description of the island, which
would be eagerly read by all, people have
remained for over three years without any
trustworthy data concerning th.s island
which shelters the most remarkable political
prisoner of modern times.
OF course a good deal has been recorded
most of it in French, concerning the French
possessions in South America, but as until
the spring of 1895 the lie du Diable was of
little more Importance than a similar island
off our own coast, it had almost escaped
notice. Possibly the least meager descrip-
ton of the island is to be found in volume
written by Michael NJ Shoemaker, and en-
titled Southern Sea Islands," but even this
is insufficient when compared to the great
interest that the Dreyfus case has excited
throughout the civilized world The follow
ing facts have been secured from a number
of sources:
The lie du Diable, or DEVILS island is
the smallest of three pieces of land known
as the Safety islands They lie stretched
along the coast about three miles off the
point where the Kouron river empties into
the Atlantic. Cayenne, the capital of French
Guiana, is about fifteen miles away on the
mainland in a southeasterly direction.
French historians make first mention of
the group owing to the fact that on these
islands in 1764 the unfortunate expedition
undertaken by De Choiseul to revenge the
loss of Canada found refuge, but which uti-
mately cost France 5000 subjects and 3d.
OO009o livres On Sept. Is. 1893, the English
frigates Unity and Amphitrite seized the
islands took away the garrison as prison.
ers. and destroyed or carried away the ar
tilery.
LONG A PLACE OF EXILE.
Guiana itself had long been used as
place of exile. During the French revolu-
ton some six hundred royalists and other
political prisoners were sent to Cayenne
where two-thirds of them persisted by fever
and starvation in ten months. This city, it's
immediate territory and the islands surren-
dered to the British after naval demon
stration. made off the coast in 1862 but were
restored to France in the same year by
the treaty of Paris. The present penal set
Element was then established. Cayenne has
now 400 confined or ticket-of-leave con-
victs. Although the climate is generally
called salubrious by geographers, it is
heated and moist along the coast: yellow
and bilious fevers abound and in a malig-
nant form that is particularly fatal to white
prisoners. For this reason, since 1864. French
white convicts have been sent TO New Gale
donia.
From 1909 until 1865 the chronicles are
silent concerning Devils island but in the
latter year Admiral Bonnard, under orders
from Napoleon ILL., landed on the island
made themselves particularly offensive to
the Emperor in Paris. and an attempt was
made to establish a permanent settlement
there. The prisoners cleared the island of
trees and built hutS, and tried to cultivate
the soil; their food was brought 10 them
twice a week from Cayenne. This settle
ment was abandoned as a prison island in
1854. when leper colony was set up there
AS has been said, the Safety group is COM
posed of three islandS-the lie Royale
which is about mile in length: lie St
Joseph and the lie du Diable A narrow
channel separates them from another
On st. Joseph, the governor of Cayenne has
strong stone prison there. built in the style
OF the early part of the century. Here
there is also a signal station, which COM
nunicateS with Cayenne three times a day
The lie du Diable includes about five acres
of land. Here the climate. owing to the
ocean breezes, is less pernicious than on
the mainland, the atmosphere is dryer and
time between day and night throughout the
year, the longest day being twelve hours
eighteen minutes and the shortest eleven
hours. forty-twO minutes.
When Dreyfus was sent to the island the
lepers were removed to the lie Royale and
convenient hut was built containing rooms
for himself and his guards. OF the latter
there are six, which relieve one another
az stated intervals, two being watch at
the same time. Escape from the Safety
Islands 10 Dutch Guiana or Brazil is diff
cult. although not impossible, as was shown
about year ago by the experience Of six
convicts who seized a whaleboat at the lie
Royale and succeeded in reaching the coast
where they disappeared. Particular pains
are taken 10 guard Dreyfus. however, and
at the first lntim8tlOn of an attempt at
.escue the guards have orders to shoot him.