Gilpin observer., 1915-08-12

Juan O0 Olua, WulCn General
Carranza kept for a time as
his official residence and which
he has decreed shall no longer
be used as military prison, stands
we'll out In the harbor of Vera Cruz
and is Joined to the main land only
by a narrow breakwater. The fortress
was built by the Spanish conquerors of
Mexico and for many years has been
used by the Mexican authorities to
lmprison military and political offend.
ers.
When the American forces occupied
Vera Cruz a correspondent explored
the prison from the topmost ramparts
to the deepest, darkest dungeon be-
meath the sea, and this is the story he
wrote:
Grim, gaunt and forbidding, rising
sheer from the blue inner harbor of
Vera Cruz, there lies the castle of San
Juan de Ulua. name which is whis-
pered in terror throughout Mexico.
There are tales of its dungeons and
labyrinth OF secret passages; there
are tales of quiet and secluded open
ing along the sea wall, where, in the
shadow of Dight, straining forms have
slipped shapeless bulks in sacks over
the sill to the tongues of the tapping
waves-sacks which struggled and
screamed in terror-and the black
waters have been cut by the lightning
rush of triangular fms as the sharks
claimed their human prey; and more
tales, Of firing squads at break of day
facing bullet-pocked wall; and still
other tales of men immured within the
walls in their youth-and their names
forgotten when the burial squad car
ried the remains from out the reeking
dungeons.
A launch carried the visitors across
the harbor to the castle. The way
winds about to the northward. En-
trance was gained into the shallow
moat. where landing was effected on
the counterscarp steps which lead to
the outer defenses Of the bridgehead.
Fortress 10 Ancient.
The fortress is an ancient one, of
the Vauban type. yet every twist and
turn, every ramifcation and addition
Of art OF defense, portcullis and draw
bridge, caponniers. machicolation. bas-
ton and keep, all are there.
An arching bridge leads across the
moat to the main part of the castle
The waters of the moat are of a Pc
culiar green clearness, yet with the
impression OF sliminess.
In places the walls of the fortress
are crumbling with age, white and
CHASTITY. the color OF long-imprisoned
faces, and twoinch Sits in the ma
sonry's ponderousness tell of the only
glimmer of light which finds its way
into dungeons. A suggestion of mod
ernness is added by the larger ports
which are barred with imbedded iron
rails. yet even they are taking away
with the rust caused by the salt air
and the salt sea.
Within the irregular.shaped walls
lies the parade ground. OF sunken and
fallen granite and flag, worn deep in
places by the tread Of host of for
gotten feet. and in crevices. as though
in an effort to lend gleam of cheer to
oppressiveness, nature has made grass
to struggle for an existence.
In the Musty Cells.
The officers in charge directed that
the main cell gate be opened. and the
prison proper was entered. Under an
archway the light of day became a
gloom, and within the first gate there
lay another entrance. within the bars
of which an evil-looking prisoner re-
NAMED aa truaty
At the rear Of this reception cham
Der there rose the barred and cross
barred grille of the great cellroom, at
whose rounds there clung a hundred
whitened hands, while half as many
pallid faces pressed against the iron
and peered wonderingly at the
strangers In khaki
A musty. damp odor emerged from
the entrance and struck the visitors
full in the face. Then, as the interior
was gained, the mustiness became an
odor, the odor q stencil, and the stencil
Overwhelmingly repulsive-nauseat
ing. The only light came from far
above. through grilled openings in the
lofty. vsulted ceiling: and the light