The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-15

from our own scant supply, through which
We gained their friendiness in some in
stances, but a. a general thing they were
Kind. and sympathized with Us in our mis-
fortunes. and would have permitted us TO
have escaped If IN doing hey would not
have heen compro missed ln the matter.
They complained bitterly Of the distribu-
ton of the company fund. stating that the
benefit therefrom was not received by hem,
but used by the company officers themselves.
This was Che gerr'ral complaint among them
all during he first two years OF our incarcer
alton. make no assertion myself or accu-
sation in this matter, az am entirely isno-
rant upon tie subject. and live bur the
statements of others in his special instance.
RECRUITS MALTREATED,
Never We're a lot of recruit worse ma J.
treated. They wore beaten, bruised ami
manned by the harsh treatment and pun
ishnent awarded lnhumanity seemed to
Inc the ruling element, AM barbarity and
INJUSTICE the only thoughts Of those in
power, our rulers. Sunday morning would
always find twenty or thirty packing balls
at the guarihouse in the boiling sun. until
some of them. exhausted and overcome by
heat. wouli fall in an almost lifcless condi-
ton and H. there no notice being taken Of
them until after the fact had been reported
Ca he officer { tho dav, when they would
be picked up and conveyed TO the hospital
for medical treat men'.
4 French Cana iian died about month
after his arrival. superinduced from the
crlielties practised upon him by the first
sergeant of hi company. receiving knocks
on tho head, body and limbs from the butt, =
end Of the muslet, used until nature gave
way. and be- was consigned To a premature
grave on the adjacent Island of East Key.
The man who pelPrirated this piece Of
cruelty was afterward, through examine
ton. madea Lieutenant IN the United States
Army. This was not the only instance of his
cruelty, as every soldier who was IN the
company can u.fify. He misuscd. with
hu, few exceptions, every man in the
company.
A private soldier OF his company by the
name of Street came into the hospital one
morning Will" ! was there with tho blood
streaming down his neck from a wound i'm.
III ed AZ the hands of this sergeant during
drill. | saw mo man myself and received
NY information directly from him can
rot rcmeinbor ~. Eyil'' of ~" many so i'll
treated bIt hey N.r' hume rous In ouo
.Hs' lance he struck one Of tho soldiers of has
company over the fingers with his sabre,
nearly rering hem from the hand OFTEN
was shown, also. by my Il cmmates, deep
and black bruises on their bodies
A SHOCKING GASP.
Ano her instance Oh heart less inhumani,v
vas rcrpetrIted upon a soldier in Company
y. Fifth Artillery, by name Of Christ ian
Conrad, a German. Conrad had been
afflicted with fits and suffering 80 much
thcrpfrom that he was unable 10 perform
his duties in his company. He was placed
an The hospital While there his CON
81, on grew rapidly worse. the lower port ion
Of HE body becoming nearly useless 10
him, H. being with The utmost difficulty
hat he could drag one foot after he
other.
The doctor in charge stated that this
was mere pretence, and that he would
bring him around TO duly. He was dis
charged from The hospital placed in the
gu0rdhouSe and ordered to carry twenty
four pound log, which was done under he
most eHcruciating pain. az the man trnmbletl
like an aspen all over from the excrtion
required to execute the imposed task
his limbs being dragged along almost devoid
Of life or action. During the performance
Of this task, cruelty unsurpassed, his
frame was violently contorted with re-
peated fits the command given being
tina, no soldier should Interfere or ofrei
any assistance in the pretended spells. and
he was left wrirhing in his agony without
any helping hand beirg permitted to reach
forth to relieve his suflerings.
For a week he remained in the qua rd
house, attacked repeatedly with these fits
Buckets OF water We're ordered II be thrown
over him when under their influence, ar d
his condition grew worse and wors. He
was again removed TO the hospital, where
he remained until sone time In November,
1895, when he was discharged from the
service of the United States. He wa borne
upon stretcher TO n steamer living at the
wharf. helpless man, unable to stand up
or move his lower limbs, He frequently en-
pressed the opinion the the doctor was
trying u kill him, and whenever the physi-
clan made his appearance in his ward his
entire frame shook with fright and horror
HARD DRINKERS.
lIarshness began to increas, in manner
both to the soldiers and prisoners Drunk.
enness ran riot on the island There was
not day passed but that Officers could be
seen Keeling under its il fuence as they stag
gered down the walk leading from their
barracks 10 the saliy-port of the fort Gaze
where you would, the eye would come in
contact with some oil them, inebriated. a
disgrace and dishonor to the service Of the
country which they represented
Liquor was obtained from every boat that
entered the harbOr, and il the supply hc-
came exhausted before the arrival 81 q boat
again inroads were made upon the hos
pital supplies, 50 that when needed in case Of
sickness tho supply wac exhausted. state
this not upon mere hearsay; | have Wit
Messed all these things myself: have seen
orders sent to the hospital for the liquor;
have seen the orderly "a he returned boar
ing the bottles; have ,nwrapped the COW
ering and read the label "Siiritus Fru-
menti, and have seen the peculiar bottle
containing the fluid upon the officers table