The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-02-28
BOER PRISONERS CAMP
Good Treatment a Feature OF
Their Captivity In Ceylon.
MANY OF THEM ARE PAROLED


cIares. Are Treated as Equals by
British Guards at Diystsiawa.
Health of CaptIves Very Good.
school Estabiisbed For the Beers.
Sheriff. Babcock, who has returned
TO New York from abroad, told IA re-
porter OF the New York Times the other
dey Of his visit anu examination of the
Boer prisoners camp at Diyatalawa,
island Of Ceylon, during the summer of
the past year. About 5000 prisoners
are in the camp at Diyatalawa. Speak
ing of his visit. Mr.. Babcock said:
"Diyatalawa is 162 miles from the
coast and within about six degrees of
the equator. Its altitude, however. is
and the temperature is very agreeable
In the evening. in fact, blankets are
necessary.
"On my arrival at Diyatalawa l was
given a permit to visit the prison in
closure. The Boer prisoners are housed
at the camp In buildings constructed
of galvanized iron, with board floors
permit a row of cots on either side,
with a space sufficient for a large table
between. They all appeared to have a
sutficiency of blankets. There was
very large building given over to the
use of the Beers for the purpose of
meetings or such other purposes as
they might desire.
"The grounds were surrounded by
two lines of wire fence about eight
feet apart. with the space between the
two fences filed with loose barbed
wire. The English guards patrol
led on the outside Of the wire fence,
and surrounding the camp were a num-
Der Of rapid fire guns. There was a
very large open space in the camp
that the Beers could use for cricket or
football or other athletic games. There
was also provided for them a large
bathtub about 40 feet long by 20 feet
wide, with running water, conven-
ience necessary in Diyatalawa. where
II is very warm in the middle of the
day. The food OF the prisoners at Di-
yatalawa is exactly the same as that
them.
The Beers, however. are permitted
to purchase anything in the shape OF
food that they may desire. The day
was there a son of President Kruger,
who had just received $500 from his
mother, celebrated the occasion by
purchasing a sheep, which he and his
Fri nG at
health Of the prisoners was very good
when | was there. The feeling be.
tween the soldiers and the prisoners
seemed TO be very cordial, as the ser.
geant who went through the camp
with me talked TO n great many of the
prisoners. and | saw other soldiers in
the inclosure talking to the prisoners.
THE granting of paroles is very gen.
eral TO the Boer prisoners, especially to
the officers, as they had money enough
TO support themselves outside the in
closure. There has also been estab-
lished n school for the Boer prisoners
at the camp. The colonial government
has contributed 1000 rupees for that
purpose.
place while ! was at Colombo that oc-
casioned a good deal of comment. 1t
was the dining by Sir West Ridgeway,
the governor OF Ceylon and the repre-
sentative of the British empire, OF Gen
eral Olivier and other Boer officers at
the official residence, Queen Cottage.
There is apparently an effort being
made by the British government TO
treat its Boer prisoners well. For ex-
ample, IL pardoned one who had been
an inmate of the general hospital for
a long time suffering from ailments
due 10 old age. The most striking
thing about the Boer prisoners in Cey-
Ion was the sending of over $50 OF them
from Diyataawa to the seashore at
Mount Layinia, where they were per-
mitted TO wander up and down the
beach at their own free will, with APP
parently no guards at all.
s"rhe prisoners. from all that | can
learn. were a well behaved lot OF men
except the foreign contingent. With
them there was once or twice a little
trouble, so that separate camp was
established for the foreigners. There
have been number OF escapes by the
Boer prisoners from the camps. The
reason apparently is that everybody is
so used to seeing the paroled prisoners
that no one makes any inquiry when.
ever Boer is seen. For example, n
short time ago two OF the Beers got |
out OF the camp. took the train at Diva. |
lalawa and sat alongside some Eng |
Iish officers all the way to Colombo.
even taking dinner with them at the |
restaurant
''The result OF my observation In the
amp was that the majority OF the 5000
prisoners seemed TO be well fed. well
housed, well clothed aud well treated,
md the action OF the government in
'ecelying their officers as equals must