The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24
Horrors From Which
Uncle Sam Freed the
Prisoners Many Ro-
mantle Stories of I'M
priSoned Americans

and criminals. The fortress wRs
planned on the Vauban type. Tho ch,As
characteristics of this type are tho mas
sive masonry walls. laid out in an elabo-
rate series of angles, 80 placed that
there IL no means of approach not
covered by several guns. and n series
of defences within defences, so that
II the outer works were taken strong
hold stir remained.
At San Juan the chief defences were
on the ocean side. the outer ramparts
being lower and commanded from the
higher walls OF tho fortress within.
Between the two series there Is str.
the old moat, filled with tide water fol-
lowing the angular configuratlon OF
| the inner fortress and spanned by what
once were drawbridges Not a single
gun In now mounted in San Juan, nor
has one been there for many years,
/ but over in n corner OF the island IL
huge pile of ancient cannon. while In
the walls the deep cmbrasures remain.
These were made narrow on the in
ner side. widening rapidly toward tho
outer eide of the wall, so as to give tho
cannon the widest possible field. Many
were placed at peculiar angles. so as
to permit heavy cross fire at points
likely to be attacked by the enemy. All
these elaborate defences were con-
structed OF course before the days when
artillery really meant anything. and
became useless with the perfection OF
! modern guns
Passing through the shops ono enters
O great courtyard. completely sur
rounded by high gray walls Doubt
less in the old days this extensive COURT
yard saw many IA splendid drill. the
Mexicans could have used 1t as n place
wherein the prisoners might take daily
| exercise; the Americans are using IL
as sleeping place for such OF the un-
tortunates OF San Juan as were not
promptly released, for MANY of whom
constant fresh air Is necessity If their
lives ore to be saved.
From or the court one may enter
countless rooms. many OF them mere
holes In the wall. others large. At one
end is the old guardroom with the gun
racks extending down tho middle of the
room, while projecting at regular in
tervals from the sidewalks are human
elbow bones, set In the masonry, the
ends smooth and shiny as II used hy
the soldiers as pegs upon which to hang
their accoutrements. There is no doubt
that there was always a boneyard In
San Juan sufficient TO provide plenty
OF elbow bones for these gruesome
clothes hangers.
At the corners OF tho court are tho
little round sentry boxes, entered by a
narrow doorway In the rear. from which
the sentlnels could command all points
in the prison yard. Narrow Sits in
these round topped structures, through
which the sentry was supposed to thrust
Ais rifle, remain to-day as evidence OF
sheir use. After seeing the dungeons
| IL fortress q 70
L>ct that the sentries were stationed In
t sese little stone projections as much TO
qlell mutiny among the soldiers as to
,sN.Iot escaping prisoners.
IN most of the rooms on the level
WIN the courtyard are ancient stone
saves, or ovens, in which charcoal was
re fuel used. Apparently at one time
II not recently, each of these holes In
the wall was the apartment of a family,
cooking, sleeping and eating all being
dine within the narrow space. on tho
level above, reached by narrow winding
stone starways We're similar rooms. like
wise built of masonry reminding one Of
the homes of the cave jewellers.
In one corner is a passageway leading
, to the dungeons. The chief dungeon,
in which 1t Is said seven hundred men
were confined at one time just prior to
lighted only by n few narrow Sits in
the stone walls on the sea side. which.
, being seven feet thick, made the condi-
!, ton within practically that OF total
darkness In this black pen the Ameri-
cans found three hundred Mexicans
living In condition unspcakable. They
. were never permitted to leave tho place
for either exercise or food their entire
> existence was maintained in a manner
. beneath that OF the beasts.
Adjoining this main prison room are
! other smaller rooms used for the con-
: finement OF special prisoners, or for
. groups when the main room was packed
to the limit. Many Of the black cells
are so small and low ceiled rs to make
a comfortable position impossible for
. the occupant. 1t is no wonder that tho
=, McNlcans turned out OF these black holes
. fairly staggered when they met the sun
shine of the courtyard
The purging of the Augean stables
by Hercules was child's play compared
. with what has been done in San Juan.
: The filth OF ages has been removed.
The efforts of the American authorities
: were divided for the first few days be-
tween cleaning the prisoners them
!. selves and giving them wholesome food
. and making the fortress not merely
decent. but a safe place OF habltation.
More deadly than the bullets of the
snipers ashore was the menace Of the
. filth found within San Juan.
, This work has been under the direc-
y ton OF Passed Assistant Surgeon Paul
4. Dessez, who is attached 10 tho
Vestal. He has cleaned, scraped, fum-
>. gated, washed, disinfected and finally
;. whitewashed the entire place until II IL
.. unrecognizable. 1t might almost be
y said that he applied all these processes
:, to the prisoners themselves. Certainly
y they were cleaned and washed. their
- clothes were burned and their bedding
fumigated, while they themselves were
: required to spend practically every one
!, of the twenty-four hours In the open
. air, being allowed inside only when Il
> rained. They were In such physics,
!, condition that those who We're able 10
= !. work at all were kept at labor only four
y hours a day
= Rats by the hundred. great creeping
;, things by the thousand and no end OF
, smaller vermin infested the place. De-
" prived of any benches or beds the prs,'
| opara uara comnpllel TO live in mo