AN ISLAND DOOM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 57, 8 March 1930, Page 20

AN ISLAND DOOM

Portugese Convicts

': Portugese East Indies,—Portugal's reds,- anarchists, and all those sontericed to long penal servitude, expiate their crimes under the scorching sun of' this penal settlement in the Indian ocean.1 -.-.■;,. % - ,

A few weeks ago, a grim prison ship, which makes the journey ones, a year, arrived here with a fresh cargo of 300 desperadoes. The "doom ship" had stopped ' at"; Loanda ' and ;Lorenco Marques, two Portugese penal colonies on the African coast, to pick up those who, through mutiny, and bad, conduct, made themselves liable to a more severe punishment. All 'tlio convicts... were confined in great steel cages' -and guarded by armed warders. -.-■■.'. • . 7 Devil's Island has little oh< its Portugese ; sister' institution.' It was 'even reported/^ but "not confirmed, that the majority of convicts who were deported to this'; inferno never■returned to Portugal-alive; The conditions in the prisons' were appalling, and' escape practically impossible/"' : The new ; Governor/ 'of the island, General Theophile Diiarte, has made changes. The 'prisoners are-treated humanely' and-food and; living quaters have been improved. /r ■ ' ' ■ :- General-Duarte found that the colony's .bad roads : could: be • mended by convicts. He selected 200' of the penitentiary's 600 ■; inmates.; arid granted them their freedom, with the, proviso, however, that once a'week -they should report to th.'c prison, authorities. The only identification' mark they carry is the regulation wide-brimmed straw.hat across. which': is Splashed the word "convict." '"•-'; ■ ■■■-'■—'!::■ '/'■'■■■■"■

Under ■■' the Portugesa penal code the maximum sentence for common crimes is thirty-two1 years. If a convict behaves himself, his ternv may be reduced.l -''' ■■ ■'■ ■ ■■'* '!:- ■■■ : ' ■■•■: ■