The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-08-07
THE PRISONS IN CHINA.
Fearful State of the Criminals
Confined In Them.
ALL PRISONERS FETTERED.
Some From Cruelty Become In Appear
ance 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. If 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
to be 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 flimsy and in
secure?' The answer, says the East
of Asia Magazine, is brief. Without
exception the prisoners are fettered.
Many have chains on the legs only.
Theses are the less dangerous and have
been guilty of the less important
crimes Others, in addition, have fet-
ters on the arms, which make 1t i'm
possible for them to escape
Lastly, few prisoners were not only
manacled on the ankles, but wore a
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 lie must stop
and lift the stone and. carrying it in
his shacklcd arms, drop it again where
he wished to stop.
In addition to the chains worn by
day, all the male prisoners are further
shackled 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 loafing In the courtyard,
are in the evening driven into the
wards and made to lie side by side on
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 1t, wbereupon
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
crueltles are perpetrated on certain
prisoners who, for some reason or
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 filthy dungeon for the
term of their natural lives. | have
seen them moving to and fro like Gagged
hyenas In their dens at menagerie.
Their appearance Is revolving.
Night and day, as far as l 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 the
other hand. I'm prison visited few
weeks ago ! was informed that the
cangue was removed at nights that the
prisoners might sleep. A crowd In the
prison quadrangle, with their unshav-
en- heads. their unwashed faces, their
clanking fetters, their hopeless looks,
their diseased bodies and their BEIRUT
ed souls. can never be forgotten.
But, although under the recognized
system of punishment Chinese prison
ers must live life which to us of the
west would be unbearable, 1t would
treated and We're saved from the exac-
tions and barbarities to which they.