The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-07-17
NE 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 fliHsy 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 thithcr after they have seen
the execution ground, it will he found
10 be "A ramshackle building of no pre-
tense whatsoever
The question Will be asked, "By
what means are the prisoners held III
safety if the structures In which they
are lnearceratcd are SO tlihsy and in
scclfct' The answer, says the East
Of Asia Magazine, Is brief. Without
exception the prisoners are fettcrcd.
Many have chains on the legs only.
These are the less dangerous and haye
been guilty of the less important
crimes Others. In addition have fct-
tiers on the arms, which make it I'M
possible fer them to escape.
Lastly. few prisoners We're not only
mamaccd on the ankles, but Wore II
chain around their neets, at the dan
CLING end of which WIS attached n block
of granite The prisoner would walk
from place to place within the court
yard. Int ere he could move beyond
the length of his chain he must stop
and lift the stone and, carrying 1t in
his shaekled arms. drop il again where
he wished To stop.
In addition to the chains Worn by
day, all the male prisoners are further
slackicd ut 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 leaiing IN the courtyard
ARE IN the evening driven into the
n raised platform. The upper Of the
Two beams Is then raised, and each
man Is compelled to place his ankle In
the hole made 10 receive II. whereupon
the upper hcam is replaced, and the
prisoners are held 10y the feet la these
of escape They are allowed bricks
for pillows. aud In this uncomfortable
position they pass the hours.
In addition 70 this, however, special
erncltics are perPetrated on certain
prisoners whe for some reason or
other, are exempted from capital pun
Ishncht Prisoners there urc whose
appearance becomes MS Wild rs the
beasts of the forest, who, With heavy
canEueS on their shoulders, are inear-
ccratcd In Il filthy dungeon for the
term Of tllelr natural lives have
seen them moving 10 and fire. Hike eaged
hycnas In their drnS mt II menagcrie
Their appearance Is revolving
Night and day, as far MS | remember,
both asleep and awake. this heavy bur
den rested ON their shoulders, though
how II WAS possible 10 sleep therein |
was unable TO understand On tile
other hand. In prison | visited u few
weeks ago | was Informed that the
eanGuc was removed ut nights that the
prisoners might sleep. \ crowd in the
prison quadrangle, with their unshaN-
en- heads. their unWaShcd inCcs. their
clanklng letters, their hopeless looks.
their diseased bodies and their hclrut-
ed souls, can never be forgotten
but. although under the recognized
system of punishment Chinese prison
ers must live n life which to MS of the
west would he nnbcarahlc, II would
not he SO Ia them If they We're fairly
treated and were saved from the exac-
lions and barbnrities to which they
are exposed AT the hands of their ra-
paclous keepers
When prisoner first goes into the
wards the warders claim his clothes
and his money. and he is left with the
harest rags 10 cover his nakedness
lie Is robbed of NIL his cash. as mat
ter of course. Those who ARE con
domncd are compelled, under Il threat
of the whip, To write begging letters to
their relatives requesting them 10 for
ward money.
If the unfortunate man hesitates To
aceede 10 this demand, the wnrders,
assisted by some of the Oldest prison
ers for II appears that inmates of
more than twenty years residence
have accorded them certain privileges
+ take the man In hand during the
night The htnds of the prisoners are
fastened by a rope. and the other end
of the rope Is then passed through
ring which hangs from the roof of the
ward
The warders then hoist the unhappy
wretch, Who Is left hanging In midalr
by the hands should he attempt to
cry cut his mouth and throat are filed
with ashes When the breath has nj
most left his body and lie Is choking he
is lowered. and under the terror of re-
ncNal Of this torture he Is eager to
promise almost anything
Many die under this ordeal Rut Ms
II Is assumed among the mandarius
that mortality must he high and rs no
official probing is ever dreamed of n
general statement us to natural death