which no one was standing. He was terribly weak and ill. Beside him
stood four hulking, burly and heavily-booted Prussians.

At the word of command these four men rushed forward and commenced to
kick the hapless prisoner for all they were worth. The man shrieked,
groaned and howled. We all shivered at the sight and at his terrible
cries. It sickened me. But the brutes never relented. The more he
writhed and the louder he howled the harder they kicked, face, body and
head receiving the blows indiscriminately. In a minute or so the man lay
still upon the floor, literally kicked into insensibility. Whatever any
of the prisoners around may have felt none could extend assistance or
interfere. Some strove to shut out the terrible sight by covering their
faces with their hands, but the bayonet point speedily induced them to
look as commanded. If any one of us had moved a step to proceed to the
poor wretch's aid we should certainly have been run through without the
slightest compunction.

The unconscious prisoner was picked up and thrown into his cell, while
we were likewise rushed in upon the conclusion of the disgusting
exhibition. Subsequently I enquired the reason for such a ferocious
outburst. Then I found that the prisoner, who was so ill that he really
ought to have been in hospital, had rung his bell, to summon the gaoler
for permission to respond to one of the calls of nature, but that he had
been unable to contain himself until the dilatory official arrived. I
might mention that I had heard the bell ringing for fully ten minutes
but without avail. Although scrupulous cleanliness is demanded from each
cell I know from experience that the gaolers are ever reluctant to reply
to a call of the emergency bell, and think nothing of causing the
hapless wretch terrible misery. It serves to bring home to the prisoner
that he is under confinement and not in a hotel to be waited on hand