The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-12
LIFE IN PRISON.
An English officer Writes of It From
Pretoria.

An English Officer Writes of It From
Pretoria.
New York, jan PA dispatch to the
Herald from Paris says:
The Figaro publishes a long letter
which an English officer, a prisoner of
war in Pretoria, has written to a mem
Der of his family
The writer says:
I'VE are completely cut off from all
news of the outside world and are not
allowed to see the newspapers. We
know, however, Of Ladysmith being
bombarded.
Here we are prisoners of war and
assure you it is a pitiful condition
Some times 1 feel as if 1 were going
mad and wish l had been shot. We
had hoped we should be exchanged or
released bn parole, but the Boer au-
thorities do not appear to understand
what parole mean and seem to think we
should not keep our word.
LAS far as health goes, we are all
well and very well treated. We some
times receive visits from those in COM
mand at PretOria-the secretary of
war, field comets, chief magistrate and
others. They are all very kind but are
under the impression that their prison
ers are not well treated by US, and they
are convinced that our people use dunn
dunn bullets.
AT first we were nine officers prison
ers and about $50 men, but the other
day our number was increased by 45
officers and all officers of the Gloucester
regiment and Royal Irish fusiliers, with
Col. Carleton, so that now we are about
"a officers and ], 400 men.
I'm front of the building there is a
veranda on which we sit and watch the
people go by. The government gives
us canned beef, bread and water to
drink and from time to time lime juice.
Once a week we get potatoes. Happily
we are now allowed to buy whatever we
please, so we have been able to or
ganize a mess, and our menu is rein
forced pY bacon, porridge, preserved
vegetables. potted meats, pickles and
tobacco.
Each day we send out our orders
and the things come later. OF course,
when taken prisoners we had only what
was on our persons, so we had to pur-
chase many necessities, such as sponges,
soap, tooth-brushes, hair brushes and
combs. The TranSvaal government,
however, has given to each of US an
iron bedstead with mattress and pillow,
a pajama suit, slippers, flannel shirt,
pocket handkerchief, towels, socks, etc.
We also received ready made suits, as
our Kahki uniforms were too much
worn.
I'VE officers live in large building
that was formerly used as a school
house. The men are still kept on the
race course. We are certainly far more
comfortable than we were on the race
course for this is a stone building, while
on the race course are nothing but zinc
SneOS. 1t Is, however, not SO WSFI1 DIS
the race course prison. We are not SO
much annoyed by flies, but at night
there are a good many mosquitoes. We
are guarded night and day by a strong
police force, although none of us has
any intention of trying to escape. We
are surrounded night and day by a
strong police force, although none of US
has any intention of trying to escape.
We are surrounded by iron palisades.
Behind the house there is a small grass
plot, on which a little zinc hut has been
erected to serve as a kitchen.
Here tents have been put up for
servants. We were allowed to bring
ten men from the race course to act for
US. There are also tents for the guard
and zinc hut which does duty as a
bath room We rise at half-past six
o'clock and indulge in cold bath.
When 1 am dressed L walk around the
| building eight times which makes a
mile.
"At half-past eight we breakfast on
| porridge, bacon, sardlnes, butter jams
and tea or coffee. They give US the tea
AID coffee and bread and the rest we
buy. After breakfast we generally read
and smoke until lunch time. at one