The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-09-26
Portugese Prison Horrors.

Trustworthy information concern
ing the condition of prisoners held in
durance for political offenses by the
Portugese republican government in
the fort at Caxias, suburb of Lis
bon, is now to hand, and the only
conclusion to be drawn from it is that
the authorities hope that pestilence
will relieve them Of the necessity OF
bringing their prisoners to trial. TO
start with, the cells are much too
small for the number of men confln-
ed in them. Health authorities con-
slider that at least 40 cubic metres
of space are necessary for each man,
but the portion allowed to each cap
tive in the fort is barely three
metres. The easements in which
these unfortunate persons have been
kept in strict confinement for over
six weeks have but one small loop
hole for light and air. In the middle
of the day it is too dark for either
reading or writing, and to breathe
freely the prisoner must crowd about
the single aperture to their cells.
The only furniture is bed, with a
mattress or rotten straw, and in bad
weather the water runs down the
walls. sometimes leaving as much as
nearly two inches of water under the
beds.
So much for the consideration
shown to those who have the good
fortune to have quarters in the north
and south redoubts at Caxias. Be-
tween these is another prison, and in
this den there are no bedsteads, the
straw mattress actually lying in the
water on the floor. Many sleep un-
der open umbrellas on account OF the
rain which ,pours through the root.
In all parts of this place of horror
the lack of sanity arrangements is
unspeakable. Everywhere there is
overcrowding, political offenders and
common criminals being mixed to-
gether in the most needless manner.
Religion Forbidden. -:
Religious beliefs of prisoners are
never respected, neither priests nor
prisoners being allowed to hear mass.
One of the captives, in writing to his
brother, used the expression: Il am
well in health, thank God," and the
inspecting officer Informed him that,
though it would be allowed to pass
for once, the name of God must never
again be used even in private CORE
spondence. The spirit of these un-
fortunates has not, however, been al
together crushed, for when this order
was made known, the hymn "Quae-
remus Deum," was sung by the as
sembled prisoners. The republican
soldiery have treated the royalists
with the utmost brutality. In the
first batch sent from Aveiro, only
two passed through the double line
of troops without receiving wounds.
The remaining 81 were dripping with
| blood from wounds in the face and
legs, and among them was an old
man of 70. The poorer prisoners re-
ceive their wretched rations in tin
| washing basins which are often COW
cred with the hairs of the mules
stabbed at the fort.
Conditions in the fort at Trafaria,
| the fishing station near Lisbon, are
slightly better, but the cells are bit
terly cold, and the cement floors are
often under water. The beds are
fairly good, but most of them were
brought by the prisoners. Although
there are good kitchens at the fort
they are not used, and the food,
which is sent from Lisbon, constantly
arrives in a filthy state-full of hairs
and insects. In rough weather the
provision boat can not cross the
water, and there is nothing to eat.
There is no sanitary accommodation
whatever, and the cells are cleaned
out only twice day and swept once.
The hospital is not used, and there
is no doctor at Trafaria, but rheuma-
tism, bronchitis and skin diseases
are among the results produced by
confinement in the fort, which now
holds some 70 Portuguese royalists.
Ten Prisoners i'm Each Cell.
| At the fort of the Alto do Duque
there are 139 prisoners, distributed
among IA cells, all of which are be-
low the level of the ground, and are
very damp. There is barely one
worn-out blanket to each straw mat
tress, and the food is described as
simply detestable. There are insult