The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-12-03
IN CHILI'S CAPITAL.
THE MODEL PENITENTIARY WHERE
MURDERERS MAY BE BURIED
ALIVE. TYPICALLY GILLIAN.

ALIVE. TYPlCALLY GILLIAN.
special Correspondence of The Journal
SANTIAGO DE CHILL, Oct. 20, 1908
one of the institutions of this far
southern capital to which the citizens
point with pride is the model peniten-
t,ary. 1t is an enormous structure of
red brick, surrounded by massive
wall of the same, on top of which SOL
liprs are continually pacing to and fro.
Brick, by the way, is very rare build
me- material in these parts, the houses
eeing universally of stone or adobe,
covered with grayish plaster. The visit
Of hardly knows whether to be most
IMPRESSED by the immensely of the pen
.ttutiary, which is nearly large enough
.a hold Santiago's entire population,
-,s scrupulous cleanliness, OF the dead
ence that prevails, as unbroken as if
,ot a living creature were within a
ndred miles, though at present about
No thousand human beings are inside
due walls. AS our little party filed in
Tween double row of glittering bay
nets, the great iron gates closed with
rash of bolts ard bars. First we
vpge conducted into a large, well-fur-
sized reception room, lined on all sides
tom ceiling to floor with thousands of
,tographs. Every prisoner must
I'VE his picture taken on entering this
ace. and again when he leaves; and
Sc are put in cases on the walls,
ell. h labeled with its number. During
B., prison life the convict is known by
at number only, and never hears his
l.lne.
,iazing around this Rogues' Gallery
ty attention was attracted by two
resh and handsome young faces, evil
..utlv those of husband and wife, and
a,ked the superintendent who they
arre. Il will soon tell you all about
he said. Taking down one of the
oE books in which the records are
srpt. he ran his finger down the pages
IT'D the number on the photograph was
--ached. They were newly married,
down Valdivia way; a couple who stood
gl socially, and of whom everybody
Ought well. Want of money was
cir undoing For a considerable
mount of it the husband murdered an
led relative, and the wife assisted in
ding the corpse. They had funds
9agh to fight the law in all the
irts. but after repeated trials he was
fenced to be shot, she to be COM
ed to witness her husbands execu-
veil. and then to remain in prison ten
vars longer The sentence, so char
;pIiStically CHILEAN. was carried into
.-rct. and the story may be clearly
I'D in the photographs. Next to this
lrhful couple is picture of the
mual taken on the day of his exc
.Jn. the wild eyes and haggard face
owing that he realized his doom; and
,,ouQ that is the face Of the widow
wears later a prematurely old Wo-
'l. with the expression of one who
nothing to hope for.
mother face was that OF an limo
looking, light-hearted schoolboy,
..uyently not more than seventeen
.. RS old. "Certainly this was never a
nnal?" | said. He was one of the
.5e>t | ever knew replied the super
.-udent. In fit of rage he beat his
.tr's brains out, because the old
.4 refused to let him ride a favorlte
5tSe. and then deliberately murdered
mother and sister because they
0eW of his crime and might reveal 1t.
j. was shot in this prison nine years
NO."
Jruly this gruesome art-gallery up
; ones idea about the face being an
.eX of character, eyes, the windows
the soul. and all that sort of thing,
H the most hardened wretches OF the
1T wear looks of baby innocence.
J ere are great many women in the
lection. and we are told that the So
lied gentler sex of South America
Ymmit large proportion of the MUIR
jealousy being the moving cause.
We went to the work shop, through
lge iron gates with ponderous locks
aad bars, each guarded by soldiers with
gaded muskets, into and immense Gil
MAR patio, or inner courtyard, sur
.odnded by massive arches. Each arch,
osed by another iron gate and guard
ed by soldiers, is the entrance to a
mailer yard, in the rear of which IS a
shop. Between these minor patlos are
i.h brick walls like those outside, and
on the top of them watchful sentlnels
are forever pacing, so that no man can
stir out of his place in any part OF the
rounds without being instantly cover
I'd by gun barrel. There seems TO De
uo possible chance for escape, and the
superintendent said that during the
twenty years he had been here not a
single attempt has been made.
In the shops everybody was working
silently and steadily, his eyes bent
apon his task, not whisper being
omitted or moments pause OF the
busy fingers. But when we entered, at