The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-06-17
CITIZENS INSPECT
ALIEN CAM P
Col. Penrose Takes Chatta-
noogans, Through War
Prison Barracks.
CONDITIONS EXCELLENT
About 1900 Enemy Aliens
Interned-How !. w. WIS
Are Handled.

"a On the invitation of Col. c. w.
& Penrose. party OF Chattanoogans
were taken through the war prison
N Barracks for informed enemy aliens
Nnear Fort Oglethorpe today.
"a The prison camp has been "closed
X book" to all visitors during the period
of the war, and very few indeed, have
seen inside its gates.
Va Those who accompanied Col. Pen
VI rose, the commander of the camp,
n through on the tour of inspection,
N were: Mayor Jesse M. Littleton, DR..
NJ. w. Bachman. Hon. H. Clay Evans
e. James. Maj Phil B. Whitaker
Ed Finlay. Milton B. Ochs. and
George F. Milton.
Col. Penrose anticipates the more
rapid release of these enemy aliens
now. and he expressed the wish that
representative Chattanoogans should
know the exact conditions within the
camp, in view of the fact that some
of the prisoners might make untruth-
h full statements following their re-
lease.
There are now about 1900 prison.
ers within the barbed wire fences
This is the largest of the enemy alien
camps in the United States, there be-
ing twice as many prisoners as in
Camp Douglas. 1t Is larger camp
than that at Fort Mcpherson. where
soldiers and sailors are confined.
Since the armistice about 600 of those
interned have been released. Every
day orders are received from Wash
ington for the release of from six to
ten Of the inmates. Ed Finlay repre-
sents, the government in its relation
to these informed enemy aliens and
visits the camp almost daily for the
purpose Of filling out the necessary
papers. Col. Penrose spoke in the
highest terms of the work Mr.. Finlay
had performed.
Stories of lurid nature regarding
the use of electrified wires for the
keeping of prisoners within the stock
ade have been without any foun-
dalton. Col Penrose has a guard OF
about 400 men and they have been
very successful In preventing escapes.
Indeed there have been comparatively
few attempts to escape.
W Twelve watch towers from which
\ the entire area is visible. provide the
n best protection against escape. At
night searchlights shine from each
Wee these and electric lights illuminate
the space between. One mans term OF
guard six hours He remains in the
tower, however, only about thirty
minutes. He then goes to the next one
and relieves the guard there. who in
turn proceeds to the next tower. The
outer stockade consists of two barbed
wire fences, twenty feet apart and
twelve feet high. The inner COM
pound fence is of the same material
from 60 to 300 feet inside the other.
The prisoners are kept at distance
of thirty feet from the compound
fence. There is a supplementary
electric light station which can be
used instantly if the main current is
ocut off.
/. w. w. Confined.
Outside the main stockade is a
smaller Enclosure in which some of
the most unruly characters are kept,
under close guard. These are men of
the worst character and included in
their number are many l. w. W., boil
sheyiks and anarchists.
They made SO much trouble in the
main stockade that they were re-
moved permanently to the bull PEN
There are other guard houses for
petty offenders, but the discipline OF
the camp has been excellent and out
side Of the fifty or more hopeless