The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-08-12

At one time the barrows were weld
ed to the handouts. but now the for
mer is the more usual method. Nc
matter where the convict may urn
he drags with him the unwelconie
burden. He even sleeps with it ON a
bench made specially for the purpose
How long is he condemned to be
chained to the barrow?" | asked.
For two years; and the convict be-
fore him had slept in this bed for three
years"
approached the bed" The head
end of the bench is worn out with
the friction of the chain. The wood
had rubbed up against the iron for
five years. Even the wood years
out" grumbles the convict.
che punishment is very cruel, and
would be intolerable if the ~convicts
did not ease their burdens now and
then. 1t is impossible to chain the
cOnvicts so fast as to absolutely pre-
vent their freeing themselves. With
the help of their mates sometimes
they grease the chains with soap and
take off their burden at night under
incredible agonies. But still for a few
hours each month they manage to rid
themselves of their incubus.
All around us we see angry faces.
They peer hopelessly into the future.
The glances are cold, hard, somber
and bitter. 49,.
NNOn th@ nAns~AI o@xrsn4 ,oA,x
are captured fugitives, ~relapsed muir
deiers, and many still waiting to be
sentenced.
why were you convicted?" Sus-
petted of murder" And your" "Sus-
pected of theft" "And you?" "Sus-
pected Of murder" Nothing but
"sLspects!" and your" KILLED two
men." The reply came frank, sharp
and firm. 80.
The Female Prison.
The prison for women is very small.
1t consists of one ward which holds
ten persons. The women convicts of
Sakhalin are punished for their crimes
in q special manner. They are given
dHAg " SCIJlCIS dS SO-CdllGu lllG
mates" Only those are in prison
whose cases have not been finally
passed upon. Two women arise as we
enter. One is an old Tcherkessian
fro!i the hills of Caucasus, who does
not speak a word of Russian. The
othsr is a young woman. She was
barished for life because she had
induced her godfather to kill her hus-
band.
"Why?"
Il was married to him against my
will, and l loved my godfather. /
thought they would send US away
together. But they sent him to one
place and me to another"
liz Sakhalin she committed a crime
rars in the annals of the island. She
had defended her life mate with a
He got himself into a fight
WITH the settlers. Nine men sur
him, and were beating him.
She rushed to her hut, grabbed a
riffs. and shot into the group.
you must have learned to love
youI life mater"
"Of course; would | have fought
for him? l might have been killed.
He's a good fellow; l hoped I could
i've with him to the end, and now
a fine mess to be in"
She dries her tears and sobs 81
Nothing will happen to her." says
he inspector. "She will be convict
ed and given to some settler in one
If the distant settlements. Women
n Sakhalin are not punished
Perhaps some people may consider
his smpunity. But what greater pen
ilty could there be for a woman who
cveA well enough to risk her life,
md who was sentenced now to be
given away" to another man?
What a dreadful custom, reminding
me of bygone ages! In the days of
it YVES customary to give
away" toying with their life
nj happiness. Of all the prisons in
tys offsk this little prison impressed
d. most sadly. ,
The Executioners. I
Halo, baby!" "Hallo, uncle!" |
Lint you call me nucle, baby, for l J
n your godfather, or really your
fe mates godfather" merrily ex- /
laims T~olstych, the old executioner 7
Sakhalin. '
"And how do you come to be his
o~dfatLer?" I ask. d
"Ha, ha, your honor. 1 knouted c
M" o
"Have you knouted many peo-
le?" TOlstych smiles. well, just |.
5 many as you see hereabouts, your S
Tolstych; is about GO years. I
d. He does rot look a day over
}. He is a gcod-looking man, with q
fine mustache and carefulls shaved S
lin. He is wealthy, according to I
akhalin ideas, and is somewhat of n
dude. Tolstych wears a coat, top b
pots, ard even a leather cap, which o
the acme of Sakhalin fashions. He IL
ways jokes and is full of fun. "Why "
ere you banished?" Because of the b
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