Cleveland County herald., 1920-12-30
DEVILS ISLAND
 WORST PRISON
Nothing to Match, for Horror, French Convict Settlement
 in South America.
FEW SURVIVE IMPRISONMENT
Punishments Are Frequent and of Fearful Severity, and if Man Lays Hand on Warder the
 Penalty Is Death.

London.-We have heard ugly tales
 of Siberia. The Spanish penal settle xnent at Fernando Pc is no health re- sort, while Italy was obliged to close mp her prison colony at Massowah be- cause wardens as we'll as convicts were
 dying by the score.
 But of all prisons existing today. shere is nothing to match, for horror, fie French convict settlement of Dev- fi's island, writer In London Tit-Bits asserts.
 Devils island lies off the coast of colony which France owns in South America. This settlement is reserved &0r the worst cases, and few survive a term of Imprisonment there.
 A prisoner sentenced to Cayenne is usually given six months solitary con- fnement in French prison before be- Eng sent away. The term varies ac c0rding to the length of time required f0 collect cargo of unfortunates.
 Arrive at Devils Island.
 For week or two before leaving fine prisoners are given some meat and wine to prepare them for the or deal of the voyage in q convict ship. The tween decks of the ship are made into one long passage with cells on either side closely barred in front. 1Mear the boilers are two punishment cells in which q man can neither lie Ror stand and where the heat is al- | most uncomfortable.
 Arrived at Devils island the pris- oners are stripped and searched. They each of which holds 50 prisoners. These large rooms are perfectly bare, and paved with stone, and the unfortunate prisoners are obliged to l lie on the floors all through the sweat Ing nights, tormented by mosquitoes and other insects.
 Tine food consists of provisions con- demned by the military and naval au- shorIties. The only exception is the flour, which is of fair quality. Roll call sounds at five in the morn ing. after breakfast the gangs go out to work In the sweltering sun. They clear the land and cultivate it. Yet if one is caught picking up coco nut or any other fruit he is at once ordered 50 days in the cells ! "Cells" means confinement in an air Hess place. sleeping on a plank bed, and only one meal day, that being bread and water. Punishments are greeuent and of fearful severity, and R q man lays hands on a warden the penalty is death.
 Sea Swarms With Man-Eaters. Devils island was first used as a prison about TO years ago. At that time there were no guards. Since the tepid sea teens with man-eating sharks, the authorities thought it need Hess to take other precautions. Then came the escape of Henri Cha hanne one of the most wonderful in- stances of prison breaking on record. Under his directions his companions built large raft. They made oars, N mast and sail; they even construct cd casks to hold fresh water.
 Seven in all started away. They left at eight in the evening. and next morning were out of sight of land and in rough sea. They were up fo their waists in water, with hordes tH sharks around.
 After four days and four nights of yndeseribable horror, they landed on the coast of Dutch Guiana. but there was no fresh water. Chahanne and another plunged into the forest, and after five days reached plantation where the owner received them kindly. S.hahannp asked for assistance fo % Sack and fetch his friends. This was granted, but of ,..e five only three were aiivn.
 This was the first of long series of escapes. or attempted escapes. One man, Adrian Demerian. possesses the amazing record of having made three separate escapes from Devils island TEDDY BEAR SAVES CHILD