El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-26

Ia largest prison in the world. It has
held this position of supremacy
for many years Twelve years ago,
when the red and yellow flag of Spain
came down from its gates, it was also
the worst prison on earth-a veritable
survival of the horrors of the middle
ages Today it stands with unquestion-
ed right at the head of the list of we'll
kept, humane. sanitary and correctional
penal institutions of the civilized world
Every afternoon at o'clock in Bill
bid prison is enacted a drama which
should cause every American heart to
leap with pride Here, where the
Americans found a foul and pestilen-
tial pit of hell, stands the model prison.
Visitors are admitted a few minutes
before the hour to witness the daily
retreat They are escorted by guards
to high tower in the center of the
prison enclosure. From this tower ra-
date, like the spokes of a wheel, the
several cellhouses. Each is open to the
air-Manila is tropical, of course-and
between the cellhouses are wide park
spaces Every prisoner sleeps with the
same ventilation that is given to pa
tients in modern tubercular hospitals
But there is not a prisoner in sight
save perhaps an occasional "trusty'
acting a servant
Daily Band Concerts.
The great clock bell strikes the hour.
Then comes marching into the wide
open space at the foot of the tower the
prison band of so pieces The daily
band concert begins. Then from the
workshops and day time portions of
the prison come the prisoners. Those
who have good records and are graded
first class" march with the liberty and
nf Try-z
second class" are more closely guard
ed and must march in closer formation.
The third class" or dangerous men, are
under close espionage. The first class"
includes more than half of all the pris-
oners.
They all take their places in military
precision in the spaces between the cell
houses, standing at attention. Then
booms the gun, and as with but a single
movement every one of these 1000 pris-
oners lifts his hand and makes the
salute to the flag. At the same moment
the band strikes up the Star Spangled
Banner" and Old Glory begins it's slow
descent from the flag The smart
est crack regiment in all the army
could net do It better
Convicts Number 400.
There are now about $500 convicts
under sentence TO the national prison,
and some 400 serving terms In the
provincial jails: But not all vino are SEN
fenced to Bilibid go there Camp Avery
and Iwahig Penal colony get about 100
of them.
At the beginning of the fiscal year
1908 there were over $500 prisoners in
carcerated in Bilibid. During the year
there were received over $500 new pris-
oners, and $50 old ones transferred
from other stations More than 1900
were released by the expiration of SEN
tence. and 1900 were transferred to
other stations. There were 90 executions
during the year and 113 deaths from
natural causes. The incoming and out
going prisoners per day averaged Is.
The Bilibid prison Of other days was
a virtual house of pestilence and tor
ment. 1t was established so many gem
erations ago by the Spaniards that the
oldest inhabitant at the beginning of
the American regime in the orient could
not tell the date. There were racks,
pillories, stocks, whipping posts. and
other diabolical means of punishment.
There was no serious effort to make the
surroundings of the prisoners even
passably decent. When the Americans
took control of the prison they had to
wade through slime and filth ankle
deep.
h AOoI8nc0.
Keepers had been in the habit Of re-
lieving the ennui Of their jobs by tor
turing prisoners for the mere fun of It,
In one case an aged prisoner was
bound hand and foot and lowered head
foremost into we'll, so that the guards
could amuse themselves watching his
helpless struggles to keep from drown
ing.
Over 900 prisoners were in perpetual
chains. Their wrists and ankles were
chained together and some were kept
in that stopping position so long that
the muscles of their back atrophied and
they were unable to straighten up when
from their chains Beri-berf
was a common disease, and a welcome
death carried away an average OF five
a day.
When the Americans took charge
things were quickly changed Eleven
hundred political prisoners were liber-
ated outright, the chains were loosenei
from 800, the buildings were cleaned
up. the grounds graded, humane guards
installed, and general overhauIing
given the whole prison system The
first warden was Mai. Bean, of the
army He was succeeded by George N
Wolfe. of Oregon, who still HOLDS the
position. and las been responsible for
the excellent condition OF affairs that
obtains there.
Manufacture Clothing.
All of the prisoners clothing is manu-
featured in the prison shops-shoes and
hats included. The first effort at indus
he shot T-ook at tho f0ar, oo,,,ip1 ont