Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1907-01-25
PENAL SETTLEMENTS.
Where Prisoners Who Are DeDOrted
Co For Life.

Turkey are today the only European
countries which transport their crlml-
nails, and there are signs that this form
Of punishment will not be continued
much longer by civilized nations. Rus
STA has already diminished the number
Of offenses for which Siberia is the
penalty.
France has two penal settlements,
one the island of New Caledonia, which
lies northeast Of Australia, the other in
French Guiana Caledonia, or lie Nour
has often been described as a sort OF
inferno. As a matter Of fact it is the
best managed convict island in the
world. The climate is not bad, and the
convicts can gain by good conduct
pleasures and privileges unheard of in
British prisons.
Convicts form the working classes Of
the island They stroll about unshac-
killed. and unguarded. They can smoke
cigarettes and buy little wine. The
better class act as BARRIERS, walters, en-
gineers and stOkers and can earn about
fvepence day.
The birch and the cat-O'-nine-tails are
unknown in the island, the punishment
being the "cachot," or black cell. A
few hours or days in this living tomb
is usually enough for any Of them,
however refractory. They come out
like lambs. Bad as is the lash, 1t is
nothing compared with sentence OF
five years in the "cachot," with only
one hour Of light in each thirty days!
Cayenne is very different. The eli
mate is about as bad as bad can be.
The work is principally masonry and
clearing land. In case Of mutiny hoses
are ready charged with scalding water.
The least infringement of the rigid dis
ciplne is visited with cruel punish
mcnt. One of the commOnest is to re-
duce a man to one meal a day, and
that nothing but bread and water.
Death follows any attack on a warder,
whether injury is inflicted or not. The
food. all except the bread, is wretched.
The most horrible of the penal col
onies in existence at present are I'M
dOubtedly those of Spain at Ceuta and
Fernando Pc. The latter place Is an
island in the blight of Biafla. The aver
age temperature all the year round Is
nearly so degrees, and the heat is
damp kind, most trying to Europeans.
The horrors which Cuban patriots I'M
derwent in Fernando Po are not to be
matched in Siberia itself. Three out
Of five died before they had been there
two years.
oddly enough, Portugal manages
these matters mlch better than does
Spain. She senls most Of her CON
victs to Goa, on the coast of India, or
to her East African possessions. Her
system resembles that of New Gale.
1Onia, but is less strict. In fact, POr-
tuguese convicts do very little hard la
Dor. They are allowed almost com.
Dlete liberty so long as they do not
cave the limits of the settlement to
which they are assigned. At MOzam-
)ique you may see government officials
playing billiards with convicts Of good
birth.
When a Turkish political prisoner Is
entenced to be deported to Tripoli or
o the Euphrates, his friends bid him
arewell. They know that they will
lever see him again alive and in all
never hear of him again
nless enormous sums are forthcom-
ng to bride scores of different officials.
Il fact, the only difference between a
cath sentence in Turkey and one of
is that the former is
lore rapid and merciful. The govern
lent prefers the latter, because it is
ass public. Now and then, however.
ews leaks Throughout poor Midhab
asha. for instance, it Is known that
ear Bagdad his brutal guards beat
ut his brains with the butt ends Of
leir rifes.-London Answers.
Bishop McCabe.
Bishop Charles c. McCabe has long
cen a famous man in the Methodist
lurch. He is a fighter and has cross
swords on many occasions with
Ich men as DR.. Buckley on matters
church policy. AS a young man he
as chaplain Of the One Hundred and
Ohio infantry during
e civil war. He was taken prisoner
the battle of Winchester and spent
ur months in Libby prison. In - )
became agent for the Church Lee, -
IN society ana made tremendous
cord by travelling all over the coun-
= organizing churches. AS secretary
the Methodist Episcopal Missionary
ciety he called for "a million for mis-
ms" and then set out to get it. He
iited church after church and by
ging appeals drew money from the
'rshipers. In 1896 he was elected
hop. Though now seventy years old.
faculties are unimpaired.-AI. A. p.
America