The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-26

Hillibid prison in Manila Is the
largest prison in the world. IL has
held this position OF supremacy Tor
many years. Twelve gcars ago. when
the red and yellow flag 81 Spain came
down from Its gates. IL was also the
wofst prison on eartn--a serttable
survival Of the horrors OF the Middle
Ages. To-day IL stznds VITA unaues-
toned right at the isead of the list
! OF weil-kept. humane. sanitary ana
correctional penal institutions Of the
i civilized world.
Every afternoon at O'Clock in Bill
/ Ibid prison is enacted drama which
should cause every American near
10 leap with pride. there, waere the
| Americans found "A rou- ana pesti-
/ fentiai pit oE he... stsnss the model
prison. Visitors are admitted few
minutes before the hour To witness
| the daily retreat. They are escorted
/ by guards to his.s ,o~er In the
center or the prison enclosure. FROM
/ this tower radiate. like .-te spokes Ut
! a wheel, TIE several eeil-honsss. Each
lis open to the air--MaEita IL tFopx-
,ai, of course--and between the cell
houses are wide park SPACES. Ever.
prisoner sleeps with the same ventila
ten that is given TO patients In mod
srn tubercular hospitals. But there
il not prisoner in sight save per-
haps an occasional ''trustyN acting as
seryant
The great clock bell strikes the
hour, Then sosnes marching into the
wide open space Al the foot of the
tower the prison band OF hair hun-
dred pieces. Tho daily band concert
/ Begins Then from the workshops
and daytime portions Of the prison
come the prisoners. Those who have
good records and are graaeu "fsrst
- - II.
discipline ct free soldiers. The Sec
end class" are more closely guarded
and must march IN closer formation,
The third class or dangerous men,
arc under siose espionage. 1ae ms
clags' Includes more than hall OF all
the prisoners.
They all take their p.aces IN mill
tary precision In the -.is.ocs between
the rell-heuses, standing nj astensioh.
Then hoosfls the gun, and as with but
a siEgle movemen every on. OF these
! 1000 prisoners iifts his nand ana
makes the salute t. the flag. At the
same moment the band striaes op thu
star Spangied Banner" and old
Glory begins its Slow descent from the
fiagstaa. The smarteg; crack regi
rfaens In all the army could not 90 il
better.
There arc now about $500 eonvic,s
under sentence to the national prison
and some 1900 serving terms In the
provincial tatis. But not ait who are
sentenced to Bilibid go there. Camp
Avery and lwahig Penal Colony get
about 1,i00 OF them. At the begin
ming Of the fiscal year IaaR there were
over 1880 prisoners tncarcerafed In
Biiibid. During the year there were
received over 2.s0o new prisoners and
$50 old ones transferred from other
NfaftnNE Mara Ma
leased by the expiration OF sentence.
and 1.690 wera transferred to other
stations, There were twenty-five exc
BUTTONS during the year and l12 deaths
from natural Cause. The incoming
and outgoing prisoners per day ave.
ragged eighteen.
The BiIibid prison OF ether days was
virtual houss OF pestilence and tor
ment. IL was established 30 many
generations ago Nv the Epaniards that
the Oldest inha bitant at the beginning
Of tho American regime In the ORR
ent could not tell the date. There
were racks, piliories. stocks. whipping
posts and other dtAbolicai means or
punishment There was no serious
effort to make the surroundings OF
the pr.Ee..sis even taEsably decent.
-Mhsn tbs A;neaieAne- t4,ek control -.
the prison they had to wade through
slime ana filth ankle deep. Keepers
had been IN the habit OF relieving the
ennui OF their Jobs by torturing pris-
cners fer the mere fun OF 1t. In one
case an aged prisoner WIS bound
hand and foot and lowered head fore
most 10 q well. so that the guards
could anuse themselves watching his
helpleSR struggles IL keep from
drowning. Over three hundred pris-
onern were In perpetual chainy. Their