Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-16

co,ld he seen tied up by their thumbs.
between the sky and earth, untlt the
Joints Of their thumbs were nearly puiied
from their sockets; some carried 70 tiie
Gulf stream. bound in cords ana heaiis
drowned and others tied up in the guard
house and dashed upon their naked backs:
Many, of these crueties were inflicted
because the victims had followed the es-
ample set by some of the o1hcers IN
charge Of them and had dared 10 become
intoxicated There was another MODE or
punishment applied IN many instances.
Men were what they termed nailed 70
the cross or spread eagle fashion, anu
Others we're tied with their hands behind
them to swinging limbs. the tip OF their
toes barely touching the earth II these
same cruclties We're practced IN otner
portions Of the army to the same eAteht
as was done at Dry Tortugas the cause
of so many desertions from the service
could easily be discerned. Had the SOL
djers at that post facilities OF deserving
there would have been but few OF the
command left to do garrison duty.
MANY left in small boats. to make their
wav from the scenes of torture. across
200 miles of sea, preferring to risk their
lives upon the deep than to remain, dallS
dunned to death by such brutal measures
enforced there. These particular cases
will hereafter refer to. relate each thns
A short time afte~ Colonel Grenfelfs
removal to other quarters case or
smallpox broke out upon the island. The
patient instead of being placed IN a re-
mote corner of the fort, there belHs
MANY unoccupied easements aFallapie dt
the time, where the disease would not
endanecr others. was brought and placed
midway between our quarters and those
of Colonel Grenfell. We came in contact
with 1t daily as we passed to and from
our labor. Colonel Grenfeli receiving the
full benefit therefroul upon each pun OF
wind that passed. We failed to become
inoculated with the 1oathsome disease,
however.
Finding the patient still remaining IN
close proXimity to each OF our quarters
Colonel Grcnfell obtained a large black
board and upon it in large letters inscrib-
ed Smallpox Hospital directing all
persons on the island to shun 1t. This
drew the attention Of the officers, TO-
gether with the murmurineS heard all
over the island and the patient was re-
moved to another PARTON OF the tort.
The action of the authorities in TINS
affair was so pointed that not only our
serves. but each man upon the island.
firmly believed that ii was done for the
express purpose of inoculatins US with
this fearful and loathsome malay.
JOKE NOT APPRECIATED.
Colonel urenfeli was severely repr1-
manded for his action and sternly COM
manded to take in the board and to be
very careful in his actions in the future.
He was not in the least intlmldated, put
strictly garnered the actions of the 9th
GERS at the fort. recording them IN {.
diary. which he kept during has lmprl-
sonment, and which, ] learned. is now
in the possession OF Captain MacElrath:
Company l.. Fifth United States Artls-
lery At this period SuStenance was nor
rihle and Of the most disgusting nature.
We sustained ourselves from our own re.
sources 1t was a Sodsend that we pos
sessed il, otherwise starvation Wouio
have stared US in the face.
Colonel Grenfelrs quarters were paper
ed over its woodwork front inwardly will;
with his daily rations of bread ana meat
a nail having been placed through to las
ten it TO the wall. Soldiers were loudly
complaining about their rat!ons and the
quality issued. Often when guarding us
they requested something to eat. stating
that they were robbed of their rations
etc.
Many ones hunger was relieved by
us from our own scant supply. through
which we gained their friendliness In
some instances. but as general tnlnE'
they were kind. and sympathlzed Win
us In our mSfOrtureS. and would nave
would not have been compromised in the
matter They complained bitterly of the
distribution Of the company fund, stat
ing that the benefit therefrom was not
received by them. but used by the COM
pany officers themselves. This was the
general complaint among them all during
the first two years of our incarceration
/ make no assertion myself Or accusation
in this matter. as / am entirely lgno-
rant upon the subject. and ! give but the
statements of others in this special in
stance.
RECRUITS WERE MALTREATED..
Never were a lot of recruits worse NAL
treated. They were beaten, bruised, and
manned by the harsh treatment and pun
ishrent awarded. Inhumanity seemed tc
be the ruling element, and barbarlty and
Injustice the only thoughts OF those in
power, our rulers Sunday morning
would always find twenty or thirty pack
ing balls at the guard-house in the boil
ing sun until some Of them, exhausted
and overcome by the heat. would fall In
an almost lifeless condition and lie there,
no notice being taken of them until after
the fact had been reported to the officer
of the day when they would be picked
up and conveyed to the hospital for rnedl-
cal treatment
A French Canadian died about month
after his arrival. superinduced from the
cruelties practiced upon him oy the first
sergeant Of his company, receiving
knocks on the head, BODY, and LIMBS
from the butt-erd Of the nlusket. used
until nature gave way and he was con-
signed to a premature grave on the ada
cent Island of East Key. The man who
perpetrated this piece of cruelty was
afterwards. through examination. made
lieutenant in the United States army.
This was not the only INSTANCE OF his
cruelty, as every soldier who was in the
company can testify. He misused. with
but few exceptions, every man in the
company.
A private soldier Of his company by
the name of Street came into the hospital
one morning while was there. with the
blood streaming down his neck from a
wound inflicted at the hands Of this SER
geant during drill. saw the man my
self and received my informat ton direct
ly from him. cannot remember the
names of the many so I'll treated. but
they were numerous. In one instance he
struck one of the soldiers Of his company
over the fingers with his sabre. nearly
severing them from the hand. Often was
shown. also. by my roommate deep
and black bruises on @heir bodice.
ALLEGED sINH1INIANITY.
Another instance of heartless inhumani.
ty was pArp~t-ated ppon soldier in
conrpany d, Fifth Artillery, by name OF
Christian Conrad. a German Conrad had
been afYiieteh with itr and suffering so
1auch therefron1 that he was unable to
perform his duties In his company. He