IN NOISOME CELLS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 5

IN NOISOME CELLS.

4FATE OF PORTUGUESE POLITICAL PRISONERS.

HORRORS OF MEDIEVALISM

RECALLED.

AN ENGLISH JOURNALIST'S

DISCLOSURES.

By Tolf.graph—Press Association-CopyrlshJ London, December 23. The "Daily Chronicle,'' .summing up n series of articles by Mr, Phillip Gibbs, published in its columns after tho author's visit to tho Portuguese prisons—■ serious allegations had been made with regard to tho treatment of political prisoners—says that the priesthood is iiostilo to_ tho Republic, but tho Government is not justified in violating tho customs of humanity.

Mr. Gibbs found that. Syndicalists suid Republicans, in addition to Royalists',: had been imprisoned, without trial, ■ in some horriblo damp cavern near Lisbon. Figuercdo, a priest, who jiad" been arrested in March, 10'il, was held ■ in solitary confinement in a dark, noisome cell, recalling tho' practices of mediaevalism.

iSenor Coelho and his wifo were in solitary confinement for refusing to divnlgo the names of persons involved in the political conspiracy, of . which they both professed ignorance. Tho "Chronicle" advises tho Portuguese Government to proclaim a political amnesty. Though the scandals are uot so horriblo as thoso disclosed ' isi Mr. Gladstone's famous pamphlet' on. tlio stato of tho Neapolitan prisons, in' 1850_, they aro bad enough to justify' tho indignant protests of Great Britain.,