Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1895 — CHINESE PRISONERS. [ARTICLE]

CHINESE PRISONERS.

Loaded With Chains to Which Are Hung Heavy Stones. January Century. I had hardly finished my investigation of this weird and morbidly fascinating picture when I heard y tremendous clanking of chains ovez the stone paving. Three men wern coming along, and another walked about twenty —yards behind. All wore hobble-chains,.and in addition, each carried a large block of granite in his hands that must have weighed at least fifty pounds. As they drew closer, I saw that these stone blocks had holes in the centre and that through them ran a long chain. Each chain was rove through another fastened around the man’s waist, and. running free, was carried up and welded around his neck. The four men had hardly sal down when another, similarly fetteredrxrppeared, coming down the long courtyard. He joined them, ane they sat in a row. 1 had not seen these fellows when walking through the prison. They presented the usual semi-ragged, unshaven, unwashed, hungry, anc wholly rapacious appearance. Some looked defiant, others broken-spirit-ed; one looked a coward and a sneak and I said in my own mind that he was the worst scoundrel of all. Still no magistrate appeared, anc I had leisure to examine the sur roundings. The materials for a turbulent scene were present: first, the prisoners; and, second, certain instruments of a coercive nature. There were four or five wooden col I ars s tack cd 1i k e si at es again st a wall. A narrow ring at the edge ol the neck-hole was worn bright anc shiny. It ended abruptly in 3 ridee of black dirt, which edged of! outwardly, and faded into the dull, dusty roughness of the main surface. A few knotted scourges hung from a nail close by, and also a piece ol heavy leather like a boot-sole. The guide told me that this was foi beating the prisoners across the mouth when they cried out too mud during examination.