The Washington herald., 1914-06-07
CROWDS INSPECT
OLD PRISON ship
Hundreds Flock to View
the Relics on the
Success.
IS M00RED At WHARF
Capt. Smith Kept Busy Greeting
Thronss All Day and !.
Last Night.
IS M00RED AT WHARF

til q late hour last night visitors crowd
ed to see the old British convict ship
Success. laying at the Seventh street
wharf. at the foot Of n street. and Capt.
Smith. who sailed the famous, or In
famous. old floating penetentiary across
the ocean. was kept busy.
All sorts and conditions of people
visited the "prison hell" as history calls
the 123-year-old vessel Gray-bearded
men who knew something Of the prison
ships In use In the United States dur
ing the civil war, a. well as school chill
dren In charge Of their fathers ana
mothers, were among the throngs. There
was no crowding. despite the enormous
number Of people who visited the ship,
and arrangements were made to send
large parties through the vessel in
charge Of lecturers. who explained the
various cells occupied by famous MUIR
derers. thieves and other criminals. A
lecturer. took one party through at a
time.
Crowded Again Mt Might.
Last night the crowds continued to
visit the vessel. as a thorough system OF
electric lighting. supplied from the cur
rent In use In Washington. made the
black hole" and the solitary dungeons
as light as could be desired.
Among yesterdays visitors were many
bShoOi tcdCIcIb VI !" hSuiuBtOu, anu Inc
historic Importance of this last relic of
Engiand's penal servitude system was
not overlooked. Talking about the ship
last night. Capt. Smith said:
: The hoggtng frame and triangle now
on board the Success are the originals
that were used. and the evidence OF
those who witnessed the revolving sight
Of struggling. shrieking criminal in
the throes Of the lash usually allowed
nat frOx fHaf ntxN ~
formation Of the convict became a very
distant probability.
"Flogging was more regular than food
on the Success and the art of fiaying his
brother man alive was brought to a fine
pitch of excellence by the professional
fagellators. generally recruited from the
convicts themselves. of the felon ships.
Severity of Inaiction.
The severity Of the infiiction depended
upon the separation Of the tails by the
fingers OF the fagellator before the
scourge was hurled over his head, and
brought down with terrible precision upon
the back OF the prisoner. Being equally
dexterous with either hand, twelve lashes
were administered with the right and
then twelve with the left, so as to cross
the cuts most cruelty. II the convict
ragellator. from a merciful feeling, tried
70 ldNOE MS NlCluI py dlONlns lne
strands to fall together with a dull thud
upon his back. the pompous official. in
all the glory of gold-braided authority.
standing watch in hand, would shout.
Comb your cats, my good man. comb
your cats, md IL the fagellator failed to
do so, anather would be found only too
willing to MI the odious Office, and the
one who had given offense would be
triced to the triangle. as hundreds had
been before him, and hossed for insub-
ordination
'Onicial returns from Hobart Town.
Tasmania. show that the total number
OF lashes inflicted during period of two
years was BIB. Men were fiogged for
idIeness and neglect of duty: while eight
women were flogged at the gangway. the
soldiers and sailors Of the guard taking
it in turns to ply the awful lash
Corner Cells .BIack Holes,
'"The corner cells on either side OF the
lower deck are the dreaded Black Holes
in which prisoners. who had been guilty
of some breach OF discipline or fractions
conduct. were punished by solitary con-
finement lasting from one to one hundred
days. according TO the gravity OF the
offense, and, perhaps. according to the
state Of the gastric Juices of the in
spector general. These small and taper
Ing torture chambers measure only two 4
feet eight inches across. The doors At
as tight as valves and close with a
Swish" excluding all air except what
can filter through the perforated iron
plate that was placed over the bars above |
the door, in order TO make the hole as
dark and oppressive as possible.
"A stout iron ring is fastened about !
knee high in the shelving back OF the |
cell and through this ring the right wrist |
Of the prisoner was passed, and then |
to the left hand: the conse- |
quence being that he was thus prevented |
from standing upright or lying down. |
but was obliged to stoop or lean against |
the shelving side of the vessel, as It |
rolled to and fro at its moorings.
'One hours exercise a day was all |
that the prisoner of the black hole was |
granted. and the offenders underwent |
their sentences in an attitude that was I
Of itself a refinement of torture. Starved, |
beaten and abused as they were, the |
wonder is that so many of even those |
Ar-Ah--s --'"s sins were able to endure |