Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1901-12-27

Among the many interesting things
Cape Town. says a Michigan man
recently back from South Africa. Is an
immense prison, where almost every
nation of the globe has representatives
Within the prison there are more than
900 convicts of nearly every size and
,olor. There are American miners and
sons of the English aristocracy;
French, Italians, Russians and Jews;
here are famo-- chiefs OF the African
tribes cs,Ised during the Transvaal
:ebellioL. and a horde oi Kafilrs. i'm
orisoned there for every crime In the
catalogue. Many of the most intelli-
gent prisoners are serving time for
political crimes. England and her coll
)nies never allow any sentiment re-
sarding family name or wealth to make
successful appeal for leniency to-
ward those who have been traitors to
heir country. The labor in which the
,onvicts are employed most contin-
iously is in building forts and FORTH
,ations. On the hillside overlooking
The thriving city of Cape Town is a
defense consisting Of tier upon tier OF
modern guns bristling along the rock
and pointing toward the harbor. There
S no standing army stationed to man
he guns, but each gun is connected by
an electric wire to an instrument in
he fort. This whole hillside OF guns
,an be discharged at moments no.
ice. The more intelligent criminals
are not employed upon these works.
1ut the stupidest of the Kafiirs, and US
lally those who have been sentenced
.or life are chosen that no plan Of the
iefense may be betrayed to an enemy.
Convicts not employed upon public
works are rented out to the farmers.
who much prefer convicts to the ma
lives. for the convicts have no oppor-
unity to loaf or get drunk. The usual
contract stipulates fuel, water and
shelter from the farmer, and from
-hirty-six to sixty cents day for each
convict, while the government fur
nishes guards sufficient to watch the
men, and provides clothing and food.
rhe prisoners are divided into three
classes. signifying the time they have
been incarcerated and their behavior.
Those of the first class. known as the
penal class. are marked by a black
band around their hats All prisoners
upon entrance are placed in this class,
and remain there three months. but II
hey show a docile spirit at the end
of that time they are transferred into
The probation class. which is marked
5y yellow band. They remain in this
class eight months, when, II theif CON
iuct is praiseworthy, they are traFs-
'erred to the good conduct giass
marked by a red hand: here y :
main until the end of iheiF .ence.
There are. 30 paroles ass Is al
lowed to mn Nifh ar .ner class, but
each class ha pportunity. after
working hours, .or social intercourse
among It's own members. They are
housed in wards, and no cells are used
except for discipline. Prisoners who
observe the rules are kindly treated
and we'll fed in quantity and quality,
but they have not many special
courses. Their breakfast consists OF
'mealie porridge." coffee and bread /;
their dinner OF soup, meat and bread
and their supper consists OF bread
alone; but the natives look upon this
diet as a perpetual feast as compared
with what they are accustomed to out
side Of prison walls. The dungeon Ia
never used. but solitary confinement is
sometimes resorted to with vicious
convicts: IL they are sentenced to mees
than three days confinement they are
allowed two hours solitary exercise
outside the cell each day.