The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-09-15
WORK LITTLE LIKED
GUARDING PRISONERS THE MOST
UNPOPULAR OF SOLDIERS
DUTIES.
Some Hard Characters Among Those
Serving Sentences at Military
Posts-The Punishment Of
the "BuIi Ring"

The hardest duty that soldier is
ever called upon to perform in times
Of peace and the duty which he breads
the most is the guarding OF military
prisoners. These are divided into two
classes:
First-Garrison prisoners, who have
received light sentences for minor
breaches of discipline and will be re-
turned to duty ina short time.
Second-Military convicts, who for
attempted desertiOn or other serious
military crimes have been dishOnOr
martial and have received sentences
varying from a few months to several
years confinement at hard labor, &C
cOrding to the gravity of the Offense.
Into their ranks the vicious element
or those who hold their oath of en-.
listment too lightly, eventually find
their way.
Every morning at fatigue call the
prisoners are drawn up in a long line
in front of the guard house and sur
rounded by chain of sentries. The
sOmber prison garb of the generals"
military cOnvicts were formerly
known as general prisOners"-is
marked with gigantic capital Fps"
which render them conspicuous and
therefore make escape more difficult.
Some are evil looking fellows with
long and unsavOry records. Doubtless
many have done time" more than
once in civil prisons before evading
the watchfulness of the recruiting Of
ficer and finding their way into the
army. Others are rosy checked lads
who in all probability have yet to see
their twenty-first birthday, and in
nine cases out of ten the charge
against them is desertiOn. Homesick-
ness or restlessness under military
restraint and discipline have led them
into the rash act, the heavy penalties
of which they may not have fully re-
allied.
In groups of twos and threes and
guarded by sentries with loaded rifles
these men perform most of the dis
about the army post, which is highly
varied in character and may consist
of anything from sprinkling the flower
beds on the officers lawns to digging
bitches for monster sewer pipes. Al
though they generally perform their
enforced tasks cheerfully. occasional
ly a particularly disagreeable piece
of work causes miniature strike and
dozen men may buck, that is, re-
fuse to work.
1t is then that the historic bull
ring" is resorted to. A huge circle
is marked out on the ground and the
malefactOrs are required to walk
around its circumference in Indian
file for eight hours a day, preserving
absolute silence A ten minute respite
is allowed at noon for bread and
water lunch. A day or two of this
treatment usually suffices to break
the most stubborn will. If not there
still remains solitary confinement on
the bread and water diet, and as
last resort the dungeon.
The prison duty is by all odds the
grimmest phase of the soldiers life.
He may find himself standing guard
over his best friend. with orders to
shoot to kill should his man attempt
to escape.
The effect of intercourse with mill
tary prisoners is. if nothing more
very damaging to the morals of the
new recruit, and it is most unfortu.
nate that some provision has not been
made for transferring this class of
evil doors to civil penitentiaries or to
some large military prison far re-
moved from the army post.-Youth's
Companion.