The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-23
NANILA'S FAMOUS PRISON
Humane Reforms Established Under
American Rule.
Eleven Hundred Men ut Present Com
fined in the Prcsidio-TOrtures En-
pIoycd by the spnnihTdS No"
Apandoncd-DniIy Routine Of The
Institution In the Workshops.

] MANILA. June '.-on lhe uu'SNi'9 VI
the city of Manila, o.er beyond the district
of Santa Cruz. is the celebrated prison OF
Bilibid, combined with that called the
( Preside. Now they are practically one.
I Major william p. Rogers, Of the Twentieth
Infantry. has been in charge, and his hrm
but kindly rule presented a marked con-
trast to the careless cruelty exercised by
the spaniards. though during the insur-
rection the adjective careless" should be
changed to careful" This was just prior
to the coming Of the Americans.
To- prison buildings cover large area
and are entirely surrounded by high wall
of masonry. on top Of which at each corner
a guard is stationed on small WOODEN
platform. The total number OF prisoners
at present is 100 OF course, this NUMBER
varies slightly from day to day. Nheh
it is taken into consideration that THIS Is
the prison and penitentiary for the entire
( island of Luzon, and that more than 10
per cent of the prisoners are United States
soldiers. the small number Of criminals In
proportion to the population is astonish-
ing.
Bilibid is one of the most interesting
places in Manila Though the prisoners are
at their work everywhere about, one does
not 1eGl hS IL iDtE VERY u Ailiu"io' 'A'N'0
are murderers and thieves and men serv-
ing sentences for all sorts Of offences. but
their faces are not sullen or hardened, and
all seem happy and contented. This refers
more especially to the native than to the
American or Chino" prisoners, who are
kept in a separate part OF the estabIlsh-
ment.
When handed over to the. Americans by
the Spaniards the prison was placed under
tha aitthnrirv If Of the volunteer Of
ficers. The prisoners were all equipped
with the ball and chain, which were
fastened to their ankles, and when these
were cut off it was found in many cases
that they had been worn into the flesh,
1 ard some of the victims have been MANNED
: for life. But the iron ball and chain is
a toy compared with another arrange
nent doubtless handed down from the
Middle Ages Certain prisoners who had
/ proved refractory, or whose offences were
considered to need an especial form OF
punishment, were locked in double irons.
One set encircled thei: ankles and another
their wrists, like handouts, and these
two sets were Connected by rod which
could be shortened according TO the pris-
oner's guilt, so that some OF them were
obliged to amble along with their backs
bent over till their outlines Tesembled
that of the ape.
Confessions WruniS by Torture.
There were other and more exquisite
forms of torture resorted to during that
reign of terror when bloodthirsty cap
tain general was attempting to stamp out
the insurrection by methods popular when
the Spanish Inquisition was in its most
iourishing state. There is a large, round
well Of masonry in the prison grounds
, near one of the warehouses;; near by
/ stands massive post. crane was built
7 49, har ,nat CT r
| and from this crane victim was sus-
pended in the water until he was brought
, to that point OF semi-asphyxiation IN
! which he was willing to denOunce his
, neighbors or any other innocent persons
whose names were suggested TO him.
All that sort OF thing is happily past,
The gloomy moss grown walls have been
scraped and whitewashed, giving the place
a look of cheerfulness which is not belied
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, max
ing the buildings both light and airy.
There are the brigades in which the pris-
orers sleep, and the workshops in which
they spend their days unless their tasks
happen 10 be outside. The brigades are
furnished with wooden platforms on either
side. on which the men spread their mats
at night,
At $50 o'clock reveille calls them up,
while two American flags are raised, the
prison band playing the national air. At
r c o'clock they have breakfast. At o'clock
there is the fatigue call. and all hands
start in on their work for the day Recall
from fatigue is at 1890 o'clock, and dinner
at noon. The native customs are respected
even il the penitentiary. for time IS
: allowed after dinner for the siesta before
/ fatigue call again, at O'Clock. Recall
Is at 4 30 o'clock, and at $50 o'clock the
bugle calls retreat. The band advances
{ / TO a place near the gateway so that II
4 NAV be heard by the prisoners IN botn
| sections OF the prison, who are lined VI
t outdoors for parade and inspection. The
i musicians are all native prisoners, and
r p!ay remarkably well. When they enc
the programme with The Star SA1ngie-
G Banner and the two flags are hauled
. down each man uncOvers his head
s Perhaps the most pathetic sight at this
iuncture is the line of dishonorabiy dis
b charged American soldiers who are sery'
r ing a sentence for some misdemeanor-
6 Young fellows who came out to hght toI
t their country, but who did not love 1t vel
b ! enough TO behave themselves while they
wore its badge of service. The line OF mis-
CRADLE ''Chinos" beyond also calls forth
!. sympathy. These creatures, who in reality
| are one Of the strongest bulwarks of Phil
r ippine Industries. come in for a large
amount Of abuse here.
n The men make everything IN the work
shops, including all sorts OF things out o.
bamboo. They have Just completed thou
Il sand bamboo cots for the soldiers and ar'
= starting in on another batch. Screens
= cabinets. bookcases, and other articles o
8 furniture are also made from this usefu
material In another shop out Of ''carabao'
horns they carve canes, paper knives anC
; cigarette holders with fantastic figures. Al
= sorts of basket work are also done. Thes
articles are sold from the Office of tn,
. prison. where are on exhibition some o
% The chains knocked off the prisoners. ant
a Erewsome garrote which has a dealt
. record Of indefinite length. OF all methods
- of execution this may said to be one OF thu
=. most horrible Aperson's neck is screwed NJ
- until he Is strangled, and the process ma!
be almost instantaneous or, as has beer
- the case, may be dragged out for three
a hours crank is turned in the rear, thu
principle being that Of the ordinary Office
letter press But this innocent looking in
, strument Will have no more victims. Tn,
other has been demolished and carved int
maIlets which may be purchased at th'
prison for 50 Mex" apiece.
TrnctabIe Prisoners.
a Major Rogers says that his native pris-
y oners are the easiest lot OF men in The
10 world to handle. They never give him the
!, slightest trouble They like to please hin