New-York tribune., 1900-07-22
A MANILA PRISON
HUMANE REFORMS UNDER AMERICAN
ADMINISTRATION

city OF Manila. over beyond the district Of sar,
Cruz IS me celebrated prison Of Bufbid combined
with that caileo the Preside. Now they are nrao
ucaly ore. Major William p Rogers Of tho oo+.
Infantry has been in charge and hts g. | I
kindly rule presented : marked contrast n -
careless cruelty exercised by the SpanIards +bo,,,
during the insurrection the adjective careless,
should be changed 20 careful" This v-.s a..
prior 70 the coming OF the Americans
The prison buildings cover a large are, o-7 -
entirely surrounded By a high wall Of masonry ~
top o1 Whlch q. eaeh corner guard is stationed on
q small wooden platform The total -,,,,t. =
prisoners AZ present IS eleven hundred Of co,,-
this number varies slightly from dav n a.. ~
II Is taken into consideration that this is the prison
ana P7lilelLaTy Tor the entire island OF Iuzon
ard that more than 10 per cent OF the nrisona-e az
United States soldiers. the small number Of crtnnf
mas n proportion 10 the population js asronlsbt,
tii0id Is one Of the most interesting places To
f->-- III Mania though the prisoners are at their
T77h eFeTyW here about you 90 not feel as II they
were criminals There are naurderers and th,o,a
and men serving sentences for all sor,e of orr,.o
b1t their faces are not suIIen or hardened and 1i
seem happy and contented- This refers more esra
c-aiy 20 the native than to the American or
eAlho prisoners who are kept in a separate part
n the establishment
When handed over 70 the Americans by the snan
ia-ls tae prison was placed under the authority OF
one ot the volunteer officers The prisoners were
al equipped with the bail and chain which were
fastened 20 their ankles. and when these were cut
o1 tt was found IN many cases that they had vro-,
-ni2 me Hesh' and some Of the victims have been
--s-ued for life But the iron bah and chain &c q
toy compared with another arrangement doubtless
handed Gown from the Middle Ages. Certain prts-
7-e-s who had proved refractory or whose offences
were considered TO need especial form OF punish
Has1- were locked in double irons One set en-
c--ce5 their ankles and another their wrists like
-l--rl-l-S- ana these Two sets were connected by a
rod which could be shortened according 10 the
prisoners guilt, that some OF them were obliged
20 acse along with their backs bent over till their
outlines reseruhied that or the ape
CONFESSIONS wRUNG BY TORTURE.
There we're other and more exquisite forms Of
torture resorted 70 during that reign Of terror when
E h'oodrhirs1y Captain-Geueral was attempting 70
stamp out the insurrection by methods popular
when The Spanish Inqusition was IN its most
E-Irtshing state There is a large round well Of
masonry II the prison grounds near one Of the
warehouses; near by stands a massive post 4
crane was buIlt out from the post stretching over
--e vel. and from this crane a victim was sus-
pended IN the water until he was brought TO that
point q sphyxariOn IN which he willing
70 delcunce his ueighbors or any other innocent
persons whose names were suggested TO him.
AL that sort Of thing happily past The gloomy,
moss grown walls have been scraped and white
washed giving the place a look Of cheerfuIness
which IS not beied by visiting the interiors Of the
various buildings. These are nearly all Of brick.
long narrow and Of one story. Large barred
windows open on both sides. making the buildings
both light and airy. There are the brigades in
which the prisoners sleep. and the workshops in
which they spend their days unless their tasks
happen 10 be outside. The brfgades are furnished
with wooden platforms on either side on which the
men spread their mats at night
THE DAILY ROUTINE
~ $50 o'clock reveiue calls them up while two
American flags are raised. the prison band playing
me National air. At O'Clock they have breakfast.
O'clock there Is the fatigue call and all hands
start n on their work for the day. Recall from
fatigue IS al 11.S0 O'Clock and dinner at noon The
avon IN rHa
-la-y for time allowed after dinner for siesta
before fatigue call again. a. o'clock. Recall is at
40 o'clock. and $50 O'Clock the buge calls
treat. The hand advances 70 place near the gate
way so that Il may be heard by the prisoners in
bC-h sections OF the prison who lined up out
doors for parade and inspection. The musicians
al native prisoners, and play remarkably we'll
When they end the programme with The Star
Spargled Banner and the two flags are hauled
down each man uncovers his head.
Perhaps the most pathetic sight al this juncture
Is The line OF Gtsh0norably discharged American
soldiers who are serving 2 sentence for some mis-
deuear0--young fellows who came out 10 fight
for their country. but who did not love it well
enough 20 behave themselves while they wore its
badge Of service. The line of miserable "Chinos"
beyond also calls forth sympathy These creatures,
who in reality one OF the strongest bulwarks
Of Philippine industries, come in for large amount
The men make everything in the workshops. in
Guiding all sorts Of things out OF bamboo. Iney
The soldiers and are starting in on another batch
Screens cabinets. bookcases and other articles OF
furniture are also Inaae rom tAs lseI1 IITIIaL:
IN another shop out OF 'carabao horns tney
carve canes paper knives and cigarette holders
also done These articles are sold from the once
q The prison where are on exhibition some OF the
some garrote which has death record Of indefinite
length OF all methods OF execution this may De
one Of the most horrible persons neck Is
screwed up until he IS strangIed. and the process
nav be almost instantaneous OF. as has been the
case may DC dragged out tor thTee hours a llk IN
IS turned IT The rear, the principle being thaJ OF
The ordinary Office letter press But this innocgnt
other has been demolished and carved into nnaIlets
which may be purchased AZ the prison for & Mex
apiece
TRACTABLE PRISONERS
Major Rogers says that his native prisoners are
the easiest lot Of men in the world 70 handle 1hey
never give him the slightest trouble They like TO
please him and are fond Of their work.
To assist him IN his work Major Rogers has
civilian sIperinteudenr and Two native officers
called fist and second alcaIdes. At the head OF
each brigade is native 'capataz, or warden.
Though all the prisoners work together IN the DAY
ZINE Irrespective OF the crimes they have COM
r-.-red al night they are assigned 70 brigades
according 70 The Ieagth Of their sentence
There are two prison h0spitals-one for the na-
-svee built OF nipa and bamboo. IS run on native
principles and the chief and most fatal complaint
here l. beri per-; the other Is Ior our men ana III
charge OF an American surgeon . -, CO..
Tre orIv approach 10 a dungeon Is the I5arto-
rr-5-e--- ~o-frerent Bur these are all above
ground have large windows and tiled hoors- Inc
H4ji-eo li-is- ife -fa4 he 4oors were of earth
Many other things he Is doing Tor me IN ~
vf-r -Fe iz1lnrezsou there are few prisons IN
tie United States where the CONDITIONS aIS ii4Oie
wholesome
THE KING NUGGET" MELTED.