Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-09-16
THE PRISONS IN CHINA
Fearful State of the Criminals
Confined In Them.
ALL PRISONERS FETTERED.

Some From Cruelty Become In Appear
anee as Wild as Beasts Of the Forest.
Punishment, For Purposes Of Extor-
ton, That Kills Many.
The first thing which impresses the
European visitor to the Chinese prison
IS the absolutely flimsy character Of
the structure itself. IL one gets per-
mission TO visit the prison In Canton,
and shoals Of globe trotters do wend
their way thither after they have seen
the execution ground, It will be found
10 be a ramshackle building Of no pre-
tense whatsoever.
The question will be asked, by
what means are the prisoners held in
safety II the structures in which they
are incarcerated are so iimsy and in
securet' The answer, says the East
OF Asia Magazine, Is brief. Without
exception the prisoners are fettered.
Many have chains on the legs only.
These are the less dangerous and have
been guilty Of the less Important
crimes. Others, in addition, have fet-
ters on the arms, which make it i'm
possible for them to escape.
Lastly, few prisoners were not only
manacled on the ankles, but wore a
chain around their necks, at the dan
Cling end of which was attached block
OF granite. The prisoner would walk
from place to place within the court
yard, but ere he could move beyond
the length of his chain he must stop
and lift the stone and, carrying it in
his shackled arms, drop it again where
he wished to stop.
In addition to the chains worn by
day, all the male prisoners are further
shackIed at night. BY means Of two
heavy beams, in which holes have been
made for the ankles of the prisoners, a
rude but effective method is discovered
for OBTAINING the prisoners in absolute
security.
The prisoners, who during the day
have been loafng in the courtyard,
are IN the evening driven into the
wards and made to lie side by side on
a raised platform. The upper Of the
two beams is then raised, and each
man Is compelled to place his ankle in
the hole made to receive it, whereupon
the upper beam is replaced, and the
prisoners are held by the feet in these
rude stocks There is no possibility
of escape They are allowed bricks
for pillows, and in this uncomfortable
position they pass the hours.
IN addition to this, however, special
cruelties are perpetrated on certain
prisoners who, for some reason o.
other. are exempted from capital pun
ishment. Prisoners there are whose
appearance becomes as wild as the
beasts Of the forest; who, with heavy
cangues on their shoulders, are incar
cerated in a filthy dungeon for the
term of their natural lives. l have
seen them moving to and fro like cageC
hyenas in their dens at a menagerie
Their appearance is revolving.
Night and day, as far as / remember
both asleep and awake, this heavy bur
den rested on their shoulders, though
how it was possible to sleep therein
was unable to understand. On tn
other hand, in prison / visited a few
weeks ago ! was informed that tn
NUI-ut MUH ittllONtA ITS ludi III
prisoners might sleep. 4 crowd in tn
prison quadrangle, with their unshay
en- heads. their unwashed faces, thei
clanking letters, their hopeless look.
their diseased bodies and their bebru
ed souls, can never be forgotten.
But, although under the recognize
system of punishment Chinese prison
ers must live life which to us of til
west would be unbearable, it woul
not be so to them if they were fairl
treated and were saved from the exa,
tons and barbarities to which the
are exposed at the hands of their r,
paciOus keepers.
When a prisoner first goes into til
wards the warders claim his clothe
and his money, and he is left with tn
barest rags to cover his nakednes
He is robbed of all his cash. as ma
ter of course Those who are col
demned are compelled. under a tire;
Of the whip, to write begging letters
their relatives requesting them TO 70
ward money. - - ~
II the unfortunate man hesitates
accede to this demand. the wardei
assisted by some of the oldest prise
ers-for it appears that inmates
more than twenty years residen
have accorded them certain privileg
take the man in hand during t
night. The hands of the prisoners a
fastened by a rope, and the other e.
IF the rope is then passed through
ring which hangs from the roof of t
ward. r 49, 80
The warders then hoist the unhap
wretch, who is left hanging in, mid;
by the hands. Should he attempt
cry out his mouth and throat are ill
with ashes. When the breath has
most left his body and he is choking
IS lowered, and under the terror of
newal Of this torture he is eager
promise almost anything.
Many die under this ordeal But