The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-02-09
TORTURE CHAMBERS
IN LISBON PRISON
Building Arranged Like
Wheel and Thick Walls
Prevent Communication.
Condemned Live in ShroudS
With Collins for
COuCheS.

LISBON, Feb. SIN the dispatches
covering the revolutionary ferment
which eliminated in the assassination
OF the King and crown prince. it waa
stated that the prisons were crowded
with political suspects. The worst Of
the prisons is what may be called the
Portuguese BastiIe.
1t IS situated two or three miles from
Lisbon and bears the name Of 1.-THE
Tower Of Silence" Human ingenuity.
aided by cruel thoughts, fitted this
fortress with every possible contrivance
for the torture Of those incarcerated
within its walls
The building is arranged in the form
OF a wheel, the Office Of the jailers
forming the hub. The cells run out like
go many spokes and a massive circular
wall, secured by towers and battle
mcnts, serves as the wheels rim.
Leave Only in Collins.
There are five tiers Of cells. built after
the style Of narrow, Iow-ceHing tombs.
The prisoners are not allowed a bed.
like continuance, and ne never leaves
The place except in the coffin.
The prison uniform is long shirt Of
linen in summer, OF coarse, gray wool
I'm winter No other article of clothing
is furnished And in this shirt the pris-
oner is buried.
There is no CIaug OF swords or keys
rs in other prisons. The guards carry
OILY stilettos and revOlvers and their
boots nave felt soles. The silence Of
the grave is forced on all. prisoners as
well as on the keepers while on duty.
The regulations permit only the use
Of a few monOsyllables. in the official
intercourse between jailers and pris-
oners. Even in the most awful Russian
prisons the prisoners have a code by
which they communicate with one an
other. The code Of communication is
by finger taps. But in the Tower Of
Silence taps with a hammer even would
go unheaTd. owing 20 the thickness Of
the walls.
Five Hundred in Tower.
The Tower of Silence now contains
about 500 prisoners. While the prison
was built for criminals of the worst
NAANDf IlflE t4a4l iii CL-LUuIll8 OF the
present inmates are political Offenders.
or mere suspects. It is affirmed that
the records Of the place show that no
prisoner ever endured the life of tor
tUre more than ten years. The majority
die after two or three years incarcera-
ton
The prisoners are not allowed TO work,
nor 10 have books or papers or writ
ing material of any kind They are
condemned to spend their days in idle
ness, their nights in the coffin. In
deed the edge Of the coffin IS the only
opportunity FOR sitting down in the
cells The prisoners have no names,
only numbers, and even the numbers
Of their cells are unknown TO them.
10 one knows his neighbours face or
form, even the faces of guards and
1aiIers are a mystery to the misera BILE
prisoners-for all wear black masks
when on duty.
Likewise the prisoners when out for
their midday walk in the court yards.
with cannon and rifles pointing at them
from every quarter-the prisoners ~
their furereal robes-wear black masks
like the soldiers who are ordered to
XIII any one Offering the slightest re-
sistance or whispering a word in the
Tower of Silence.