But who were sent to Ushuaia? Apart from the convicts that had to serve the severest sentences and from those who also had to serve a cumulative penalty of indefinite time confinement, those entire prisoners lodge in the National Penitentiary that shared certain characteristics were sent to that distant site that they used to call “La Tierra” (The Land). So, periodically, there were new lists of the ones chosen. Their criminological background, behavior, learning in workshops, visits, sort of offense and the commotion they had produced on society were previously studied.
Convicts had to undergo a medical examination. When the departure day came, watchmen were in charge of informing prisoners about this after supper. The whole Penitentiary experimented a silence full of fear, anguish and suspense. Finally, transfers depended on the number of “chosen convicts” that could be lodge in the prison of Ushuaia. The next step was to get them to prepare a “bundle” with their cloths and utensils to be then led to the grating yard where they were examined in case they carried forbidden articles such as weapons or tools. Once they went through this revision, shackles were put - joined between them by an iron chain or bar - round their ankles so that they could not pace farther than 15 to 20 centimeters. Three hammer blows on every iron nails must have been three heavy blows on the heart of every convict waiting in formation and on those that were waiting in their cells for a change of destination. It is said that most hard and insensitive convicts looked at the blacksmith with arrogance while he was doing his work, but once they walked a few meters their spirit broke down as they began to feel how iron hurt their skin, how limited their movements were, and realized what their fate was.

They were taken to the ship by trucks that belonged to the police. Then, prisoners boarded navy transports such as “Chaco”, “Ushuaia”, “Pampa”, “Patagonia”, “1º de Mayo” and they were placed in the hold with a large chamber pot. They remained there for about a month - the time that the voyage took. Fine dust from coal came into the holds, so prisoners arrived covered with it and letting the black dust out when coughing. According to some chronicles, on many occasions commanders of ships were merciful and allowed convicts to go out and take air and there were others that even made the shackles were removed. It is worth remembering that these voyages that joined Buenos Aires with the south part of the country not only took prisoners but also goods to Bahía Blanca, Puerto Madryn, Comodoro Rivadavia, Santa Cruz, Río Gallegos; and - of course - everything necessary for life in Ushuaia ranging from provisions and medicines to newspapers.

It is true that, at first, the selection of convicts was somewhat arbitrary. From 1884 - when Lieutenant Augusto Lasserre took the first convicts -, they were chosen for their manual skill to be useful for the building of the lighthouse of Isla de los Estados and of the sub-prefecture. As time went by, men and women prisoners were sent with the aim of settling down the penal colony. In the case of military prisoners, just a few were allowed to go with their wives.
Towards the end of the 19th century, minors were sent, even those who were just street children - as we call them nowadays. This changed during the first decade of 1900. It is believed that Carlos Gardel or Charles Gardés could have been to Ushuaia at that time. The last important change took place in 1936 when the Head Office of Penal Institutes took over the effective superintendence of the prison of Ushuaia. From then on, the treatment the prisoners received and their everyday life changed completely. The Classification Institute was set up and convicts were sent to the south according to their dangerousness and their difficulty for adapting to the penitentiary regimen. An article from the Penal and Penitentiary Magazine headlined “Sending of Convicts to Ushuaia” of 1939 reads: “Convicts age and health - both bodily and mental - were equally taken into consideration to avoid moving those that, although fulfilling legal conditions, could not be transferred because of the situation above mentioned. To decide which prisoners would make up this group a board of physicians was appointed. This board, assembled at the Penitentiary Institute, analyzed thoroughly each case on the lists. Those included in art. 51 of the Penal Code, having a short time of their sentences to serve, were also excluded as there was no point in moving them. Most of the components of the shipment are included within the resolutions of article 52 of the Penal Code.”

Martín Chaves wrote in the newspaper “Crítica” about transfers to “the evil land”. Being appointed guard of the penal, he went on a trip with a group of convicts: ”... Then on a paddy wagon towards the port. Once there, vigilance is closer and two guard are responsible for the convict under their custody. Everybody remembers José Domínguez’s case, who had sworn a thousand times no to go to Ushuaia. He had to serve a 25 years’ sentence accused of murder, and on February 12, 1926, he left his cell and while climbing the gangplank of the “Buenos Aires” transport he plunged into the river. He was drawn to the river basin because of the weight of the shackles and it was not until the next day that his corpse could be found by means of a drag. Domínguez kept his oath: he did not go to the evil land. Another story passed from guard to guard is the escape of 114 convicts that mutinied in the “Buenos Aires” hold in the year of 1925. It was never known exactly who was the convict that succeeded in breaking his shackles and set free the rest of his companions from them. This deed was ascribed to Brasch, the German who is still serving a sentence for an assault and murder in the southern territory. The truth remains that the 114 convicts rioted and punched their way to freedom. At that time it was easier for them to escape as they did not wear the stripped uniform and they could easily walk along the streets without being noticed. Most of them were caught again... From then on, every sort of care is taken - plenty of guards an even powerful searchlights that light up the ghosts’ silhouettes that go down to the hold of the transport which sets sail for Tierra del Fuego before dawn.”

The voyage took twenty-nine days: “one day I got down between decks to see my convict mates. Y will never forget the shock. That was hell. Dampness, heat. The ship had stopped at Bahía Blanca to load coal that was shipped in the hold situated below between decks where prisoners were. Fine dust from coal filtered imperceptible on the shackled men. It got stuck on their faces, they breathed it, they spat it out; it drew masks on their faces making their ears prominent. Ghosts, specters, I don’t know what I saw. Y got off that chamber of torture with an aching soul wondering if the directors of the prison, if judges, if ministers did not have any news about that barbaric torment. The director of the prison, some employees and many warders were waiting for us in port. The last ones took strategic positions for the convicts’ disembark…”

Visiting the prison of Ushuaia was a relief for convicts. There, they took a bath and were given new clothes. Their belongings varied from time to time, but according to regulations the administration should give each convict: “...one wooden platform (a sort of bed), one light mattress together with ten kilograms of washed and combed wool, three woolen blankets, one woolen pillow, one small table, one small stool, one small closet, two plates, one fork, one spoon, one pitcher for drinks, two pillowcases, four sheets, two towels, two pairs of socks, two shirts, two undershirts, two underpants, one pair of booties or boots, one overall, one suit for holidays, two caps, two brushes, school implements, one ruler (?). And for those convicts that work when raining --one blouse, one pair of trousers and one cap all waterproof.” It was stipulated that two or three suits should be given to each convict per year, and in case the prisoner worked in the quarry or in the wood his boots were replaced on more occasions during the year. In fact, this happened if tailor’s and shoemaker’s workshops had enough time to satisfy all these necessities as everything was manufactured in this place. If a prisoner spoiled the clothes he was given annually unjustifiably, he had to pay the new ones with his savings. Convicts were not allowed to have other belongings. Except for those who behaved well and therefore could keep books, study things, tobacco, sugar and mate in their cells, and during breaks or spare time they were allowed to make small crafts that they could then sell.

After the bath, new suits were handed out in the “Roundabout” and convicts had their hair cut and had a shave. It is interesting to take into account that, according to the regulations, those convicts sentenced to correctional punishments were allowed to wear a mustache; this was not the case for prisoners serving a prison sentence. After this procedure, convicts (with all their belongings) were seen to their cells. The selection of each cell was in accordance with the pavilion every prisoner was assigned. And the pavilion was chosen according to the sort of offense. Therefore, those imprisoned for robbery and larceny were lodged in one, and those convicted for swindle and deceit in another, in number 4 were murderers, and in number 3 those suffering from infectious diseases. As part of the entrance procedure, prisoners were given a number to be worn on their jackets, caps and trousers if they were sentenced to prison and a red badge on their caps if they were murderers. Cells had a wooden door and, on top, a meter from the floor there was a small opening with a thick glass that made it possible for the guard to be able to watch. There was another opening of 20 by 20 centimeters with bars for ventilation, which was situated near the roof of the cell. The size of cells was similar downstairs and upstairs, but the first 9 (there were 18 per floor), starting from the hammer, were larger (2.95 m by 1.93 wide). The rest were 1.93 by 1.93. Those in the ground floor were 2.76 high and those upstairs 2.54 high.

There were no punishment cells - at least not officially - in no period. Convicts were punished in their own cells by living on bread and water for even a month. They were in isolation and were allowed to go out for two hours a day. Less hard punishments included being locked up during break hours and eating less of their ration. Deterrents varied according to each period and director. There was a time when prisoners were thrashed or kept in their cells in the dark with their clothes soaked through. For this purpose the window was covered as well as the ventilation opening using, in this case, an iron cover. But this situation lasted for a short time that will be referred to in due course.
Minor punishments included “admonitions” and “sentry on long punishment guard”, which meant to be standing for long hours --on many occasions in the open. There were a number of rewards for those who behaved themselves. For example, they were commissioned to work outside the prison either in town or the wood. They were even allowed to stay for the night in Monte Susana shelter so that they would take advantage of daylight hours. These convicts were also authorized to write to their relatives and could receive letters --even when they were censored by the direction. Visits were also allowed, but they were scarce. Anyway, there were some cases. Especially when there were political prisoners. There were other sorts of punishments for convicts such as going to the workshops with shackles on, or having to give back all the money saved in case of an attempt of escape, fines fixed by the direction according to the fault, and even the refund of the awards earned for good behavior. Punishments depended on each director and the present regulations at every moment.

The cook was in charge of provisions and of providing everything necessary for daily rations. There were three types of rations - one prescribed by the physician for the ill; another for those convicts that worked; and a third conservation ration for the crippled or the ill who did not work in “productive” tasks. Regulations indicated that prisoners should be given two meals and breakfast --which depended on the kind of work. On the other hand, the employees were given the same meals as the convicts. Anyway, according to some commentaries (Mr. Bernales), employees’ meals used to be more abundant.

It is important to point out that there was a large orchard as well as hens another poultry birds. As time went by, there were greenhouses and in the establishment of the prison itself some preserves were prepared. The prison provided all employees with bread and a share of meat according to each family. Besides, every family had their own orchard. The prison depended on the transport for dry victuals and packed food. Ovine meat was bought in the region.

A lot has been said about the prison having its own cemetery. In fact, there was a section in the cemetery of the town --to the west, in the outskirts of Ushuaia-- that belonged to the prison. It was the old cemetery of Ushuaia that nowadays is situated right downtown. The number of convicts sent was also a topic for discussion. This depended on the prison’s density of the population and on the years they had been imprisoned. According to a report of August 2 1904 by the Traveling Inspector Nieto Moreno, during the first eight years of the prison there were only three deceased and, “...most of them suffered from pernicious diseases acquired before entering the Establishment.” In 1934 there were 538 convicts and six deaths. That same year, there were 330 employees.
But we cannot deny that there was a time of terror during the 30s when at least one or two coffins filed through the town every week (according to Alfonso Lavado’s and Mrs. Lavado’s oral testimonies). This macabre drive could not be avoided, so all inhabitants got to know about the deaths. After the convict’s demise, a coffin was made for the dead and he was transported to the cemetery straight-away. In so doing, the coffin passed through the town. But nowadays there are no remains of the convicts’ section. Just some photographs of the graves that belonged to some famous prisoners dead in suspicious circumstances. After the closing of the prison, and because of the lack of space, the mortal remains of unknown convicts who never received a flower, some tears, or the visit of their beloved were kept in a large common grave. A similar situation took place in San Juan de Salvamento’s and Puerto Cook’s cemeteries in Isla de los Estados. Names and other data on the crosses and gravestones which are still found in those cemeteries are illegible because of the passing of time and the action of rain. Nowadays, these graves are the only vestige of the presence of human beings in the area. The Military Prison’s cemetery in Golondrina Bay was usually mistaken by that of the prison. As we have already mentioned, the former was merged with the Second Offenders Prison in 1911. Its installations were dismantled except for a shed that has been used till present. Beside this shed, there were some crosses marking the location of the cemetery that remained there until some time ago. Many journalists and chroniclers of that time thought that this was an exclusive cemetery for the convicts of the prison.

“... The Code imposes the obligation of working for convicts. In general, they wish to work and ask for it. The prefer hard labor rather than staying confined in their cells bored and shivering from cold, if not tortured by their thoughts,” (by journalist Manuel Rodríguez). A woodcutter inquired by the same journalist says: “... my back aches. It may be because of the pleurisy I suffered from. Never minds -- we kill time working. It is the only way of defeating the prison. I’ll go on in the wood. At least, here I can breathe some air and see the sun…” Apart from working in the workshops and in the construction of the building - as we have mentioned -, prisoners worked outside the prison. Thus, many convicts sentenced to confinement or prison had the chance to work outside the prison in public works. During spring and till the coming of the autumn, convicts were sent to fix up and enlarge the pier, to build the road that led to the north of the island, to install public services such as sewerage or running water, to keep the streets in good condition, to install street lighting, and anything needed. This sort of works was better paid than those inside the prison. These convicts were also encouraged with a reduction in their sentences. But only those who behaved themselves were allowed to work in the wood or in these public works. Works were assigned in the Roundabout of the Prison in the morning as well as warders who, carrying a rifle and fixing bayonets, were to follow convicts during the whole day surrounding them in a circle at a distance of about ten to fifteen meters. Works in the wood started early in the morning and there were some prisoners who stayed for the night in the camp at Monte Susana in order to take advantage of the time usually wasted in traveling from the prison to the mount. These were the privileged convicts who could cook their own meal and enjoyed certain freedom in the open air. Especially the long days of summer. The rest of the prisoners were taken on the “small train” - woodcutters traveled on open carts, closely watched by armed warders. They stayed all day long in the wood falling trees (the prison consumed thirty cubic meters of firewood a day). When prisoners finished cutting down trees, they loaded the firewood obtained on the carts and returned walking or on open carts in case there were some room. But these works went on in winter. Convicts as well as warders covered the twelve kilometers between the prison and the wood in the open air. As soon as they arrived at the wood, prisoners started to fell trees and then took them to the open carts which transported the trees to a plot of land near the prison where they were split. Whenever there was a storm the firewood stock there was used as it was not advisable to go to Monte Susana.

The selection of the logs to be used in the sawmill or for buildings, furniture or poles was another task. If a woodcutter refused to work, he was punished by having to stay standing on a trunk with both arms extended for an hour. The firewood to be used in town was transported by the rails of the Decauville train, but not by the famous small train. It was not cut by the prisoners either. The Jeréz family had their own woodcutters who loaded their wood on drays which were pulled by horses to the settlement using the rails of the train. The quarry, the power plant and the manual laundry were other important works in charge of the convicts. In these and the various workshops worked about fifty per cent of the confined. Their famous works such as coffers, walking sticks, pens, small boxes, powder cases, book covers, clothes hanger were bought by tourists who sporadically arrived in Ushuaia and by some inhabitants. In fact, they were never manufactured on a large scale because of the scarce number of purchasers. It is worth listening to Alfonso Lavado - who was born in 1921 in Ushuaia - and to his wife Luz Marina Jeréz who is also from Ushuaia: “Warders started working at 6 in the morning because the small train left the prison at 7. In winter, the routine was the same --first a session (group of convicts) ahead carrying shovels. They were fifty or sixty cleaning after the small train, slowly. So they walked 10 kilometers taking the snow aside with shovels until they arrived at Monte Susana. And when reaching kilometer 5 or 8 --where there are some ravines-- they made some tunnels in the snow. The first train was a small machine which worked for some twenty-five years. Then came a larger one with a wider gauge which could carry heavier load. Prisoners were in charge of getting firewood in winter and summer and some groups went out into town to help the Municipality. These were the convicts who behaved well; those who did no behave themselves stayed inside the prison, interned, and were in charge of cleaning, painting and kept the prison as clean as a mirror: you could eat out of it. There was a greenhouse at the entrance, opposite the director’s house, of which they got apples. In summer they grew lettuce, cucumber, carrots, and even small vegetable marrows. It was completely made of glass. The lawn was cut short. In their spare time they made crafts with knots of “lenga” (high deciduous beech) which were then sold to the inhabitants in the post of wardens. Each prisoner had his own private money, they were paid up to 1 peso for those cutting firewood; 25 cents for good behavior; 30 cents a day. Those convicted for 25 or 30 years left the prison with money (sic.)
“Some settlers exchanged legumes which could be cultivated with prisoners. They dug a hole and buried small bags containing dry beans, green beans and covered it with a stick or sods. So, Luz Marina’s father (Mr. Lavado’s wife) gave them chocolate bars and cigarettes in exchange. No alcoholic drinks because they were forbidden. Thus they communicated; they did not speak but they got in touch this way (sic.)” She says convicts were nice people and her husband adds that after staying for five years in prison all of them were good. Although they lived in good conditions, ate and slept well, but the punishment of being confined and thinking about their family and friends left behind. Every now and then, some convict appeared hanged with a sheet in his cell. They could not stand either their remorse or unfairness.

The prison was opened in 1896 for prisoners to serve their sentences there according to second offenders Law Nº 3.335. At the beginning women were sent and there was a section for minors.
1899: The National Penitentiary starts sending convicts sentenced to prison to Ushuaia.
1903: In some cases, the Executive ordered the penalty of banishment (Law 4189 of August 22) to be served in the Fuegian territory.
1907: Convicts from provinces lacking proper penal establishments for highly dangerous prisoners are accepted.
On July 1 1910 the Executive disposes that prison and penitentiary penalties will be both served in Ushuaia.
On October 14, the Executive disposes the Military Prison of Ushuaia to depend on the Ministry of Justice and Education, thus re-merging with the Prison of Second Offenders of Tierra del Fuego.
A new Penal Code comes into force in 1921. Therefore, the Executive orders second offenders and usual criminals sentenced to confinement or indefinite time imprisonment serve their sentences in Ushuaia from December 29, 1922.
At last, on October 10 1924, the Executive decrees that most dangerous criminals serve both confinement and prison penalties in the prison of Ushuaia.
The Maritime Government is created in 1943 and a geopolitical restatement of the Fuegian region takes place. Invoking penitentiary reasons, the closing of the Prison of Ushuaia is ordered on March 21, 1947. The last group of penitentiary staff sets sail from Ushuaia on December 21 that same year.
At the beginning, apart from women and children, there were second offenders and other prisoners sentenced to prison, corrective, penitentiary, and the famous “indefinite time imprisonment” punishments. According to the penalty of prison or confinement, convicts had to work either inside the prison or in public works.

The banishment penalty is included in the Penal Code and the Executive Power orders that, in some cases, it has to be served in the Fuegian territory. This banishment penalty imposed on second offenders as cumulative punishment for a felony. The convict is sent for an indefinite time to a place assigned by the Executive. At that time, the banished had to learn some craft and if they behaved themselves they could ask - after 15 years - for exoneration. This went on till 1916 when, during the presidency of Hipólito Yrigoyen, convicts were sent to the territory of Chubut. It is interesting to note the reflection of Carlos García Basalo who wrote: “Most banished are lunfardos (crooks), i.e. the usual offenders of minor importance felonies against property.” The Executive establishes that, from 1922 on, penalties of confinement and “indefinite time imprisonment” for usual and second offenders, according to Article 52 of the Penal Code, should be served in the prison of Ushuaia. In order to protect the society from offenders that, once released, broke the law perpetrating the same felony they were confined for the time of their sentences adding the “indefinite time” penalty. Let us consider a case compiled by Dr. Angel E. González Millán: “...a filcher from Puerto Madryn that usually robbed the neighbors’ hens. He committed 5 offenses. He was sentenced to 2 years for larceny, apart from the cumulative punishment according to article 52. He had been in prison for seven years and he had no chance of being released.” This convict lived just in the same way as dangerous criminals, confined in his cell in a top security pavilion.
If a prisoner behaved well and served his first sentence, he could ask for a date to be set for the cumulative penalty of indefinite time. Anyway, this did not mean immediate freedom. Every case was considered and the judge was informed.
There is an interesting article of Crítica newspaper in which the reporter describes cases of this penalty. The article was published because of the closing of the penal. “... At that time there were many petty thieves in the prison; they were victims of article 52 that is imposed on second offenders. We have already mentioned Antonio Merlo, whose last felony was to steal an oil can. José Arcangeli, sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for firearm shot, has been there for seven years. Domingo Ricardo Falbi claimed his wife had attempted to kill him, he defended himself and, in the din of battle, two discharges were accidentally shot and he has been there for seven years although he was sentenced to five. Juan José Franceschini, who stole a car, was sentenced to three years and has already served six. Agustín Pedra is probably the most punished victim of article 52: he had been sentenced to two years for complicity and larceny but he has been imprisoned for twenty...”

To escape from Ushuaia was practically impossible unless there was external help. Anyway, it was difficult as Radowitsky’s escape shows - Chilean authorities sent him back to the prison. Of course, what prevented escapes was the geographical location, the woods and mountains and the deep cold most of the year. Besides, everybody in town knew the prisoners. The temperature of the surrounding sea is never over 11º C and staying long in these waters leads to death. There were many attempts. On one occasion, the small train was back from the camp in Monte Susana (where trees were cut down) and six convicts tried to run away. Immediately, warders shot and three of the prisoners ended up dead and the rest were caught. There were other cases: one convict stayed in the church’s bell tower till he was accidentally found out while walking along the street. Many disappeared without trace. Did they succeed or died attempting to cross the channel or were lost in those woods in the mountain? Did they arrive in any Chilean island, and once there how did they go on? In fact, convicts became fugitives and then missing and nobody ever knew of them again. Apparently, most escapes aimed at enjoying some days of freedom. Convicts knew that no sooner did they make a fire to get warm or eat something, the smoke would denounce them. So they had to manage catching some bird and eating it raw, when they were lucky. Many escaped prisoners were happy to be caught. In general, they were in poor health conditions - worse than before the escape - and most were starving to death. Anyway, they were happy as they had spent some days of liberty away from work, timetables and punishments. Some fugitives never left the prison. They stayed hidden in some workshop or solitary place till they were found out.

Hygiene, Order, Discipline and Work was the prison’s motto. With these four simple words, Catello Muratgia summarized what he considered the bases to re-educate men that had committed a crime. Thus, in workshops, bathrooms, pavilions, dining-rooms of the prison this motto could be read. He also believed it was important the prisoners were ready to make a new life when released. Therefore, there were a school and a library. This primary school moved several times, but for a long time it was situated in a room in the hammer of Pavilion 4 split into several classrooms of regular size (present first floor, cafeteria and Correo Argentino salon). Students went to class after working hours, during the time set for having a bath or tidying up their clothes - this was only for convicts who behaved well and were not punished. It is obvious that very few went. In 1935, only 57 prisoners went to school out of 538. The library - in charge of a convict - was also in pavilion 4. A very famous prisoner worked there for some time: Guillermo Mac Hannaford. His mates regarded him as a nobleman, he was respected and feared because of the kind of offense he had committed – spying - and for which he had ended up in Ushuaia. For the Argentine society, it was like the famous Dreyfus case. In 1934, the library had 1 200 volumes, some of them donated by ex-convicts. Most of them were novels. Prisoners entertained themselves with books and going to school. Those convicts who behaved themselves had the right to ask for a book.

Many convicts evaded from reality by writing. Many devoted to poetry and others wrote essays about the nature of the confined criminal or their opinion on how penal establishments should be. Unfortunately, their notebooks and notes were kept in files and most of them were lost when the prison was closed and files taken to the National Penitentiary in Buenos Aires. Anyway, we can read some poems and part of an essay. Octavio Pico was one of the poets of 1932. He said in an interview that he used to read as much as he could, especially on Sundays and during breaks in the week. The rest of his days, he worked enthusiastically since he was paid 70 cents a day so that he could send some money to his family. Germán García also used to write - he wrote a novel called Tribulaciones de Aniceto (“Aniceto’s Tribulations”) that was never published - just like others.

From 1936 on, and thanks to demands, there was an attempt of improving the prisoners’ lifestyle. The governor of the prison of Ushuaia, Don Roberto Pettinato - who was a highly regarded person in the whole country - made some changes. He tried to rise the prisoners’ life standard by giving more work, so he set up a farm where experiments with the aid of the Genetics Institute of the School of Agronomy and Veterinary (Instituto de Genética de la Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria) of the University of Buenos Aires were carried out. He also promoted the practice of sports proper for a penal such as soccer, bochas and basketball. Soon afterwards, there were championships and there were many matches played between convicts and teams of Ushuaia. Everything had to do with the cultural and spiritual aspects as the “Roundabout” was used to celebrate religious meetings and concerts by bands from the Navy ships and the band of the school of music of the prison, which also played for national celebrations in town. Pettinato promoted the screening of films and the celebration of acts with the presence of the authorities of the town and military men. He also encouraged chess championships. During his period, prisoners published some newspapers - one of them was “El Loro”. It was a manuscript edited completely by prisoners. It was a page of 0.76 cm by 0.69 cm and there were some issues of just one copy that was passed from hand to hand. Of course, it consisted of chronicles and comments on sportive activities. But during the prison’s sportive season a specialized paper appeared - “El inflador”. It was also written by the convicts and had four pages of 0.47 cm by 0.35. There were six pages special issues. This paper was regularly illustrated by color drawings and - apart from sportive chronicles, comments and news - included editorial articles in which moral principles and chivalrous sport were exalted, and a literary page with poetry and prose.

It is logical to suppose that any communication to or from the prison was supervised. Newspapers entered illegally and were really old as they were brought by the Navy ship that anchored in Ushuaia every two months. Mail was opened and censored. Convicts were allowed to write only to the relatives who were on a list. There were no visitors - both because of the nature of penalties and because of the isolation of Tierra del Fuego. Anyway, as usual, there were some ways of eluding this censorship. Some merciful guards took letters with them to send by mail. Others were bribed to do so. Sometimes, settlers were accomplices as they left old papers, messages and even mate or cigarettes hidden among stones or rubble for those convicts working in town that inspired affection (According to old settlers’ oral testimony).

For a long time, the prison of Ushuaia had no hospital. In fact, this situation was not only suffered by prisoners, but also by the inhabitants of the town. The seriously ill had to be taken to the continent by the Argentine Navy ships. When lucky, they arrived every two months. In most cases, the critically ill who embarked died during the voyage. But if this situation was inhuman, what happened to men sent to the prison of Isla de los Estados if we bear in mind that a dispatch boat cast anchor every two or six months. Both prisoners and jailers were in the same situation. The sanitary problem was so serious that the Bridges family bought a sailing ship with two masts and two engines to try to get to Punta Arenas from Harberton. She is called “Lela” and can still be found. As regards the prison, there was no dentist until 1936. Therefore, mere caries destroyed a tooth. It was usual that most convicts had no teeth at all. For a long time, there was only an infirmary that moved from place to place till it finally settled in the floor above pavilion 3 hammer up to the inauguration of the hospital in 1943. One room was destined to instruments, the office and consulting room. The rest was occupied by beds for internment. A doctor helped by some nurses where in charge of the whole penal, including guards and warders. Prisoners suffering from infectious or venereal diseases were also in pavilion 3. But as there was no enough room, some groups of convicts with the same disease were lodged in other pavilions. So in number 1, there was a group of convicts suffering from TB in several cells. To have a picture of the sanitary situation of the prison, we may consider that in 1934 it was officially known that 54% of the prison’s population of Ushuaia was ill. This cipher could be higher given the precarious means. The building of the hospital started in 1933. But works were stopped and started again when funds arrived. The nightmare came to an end when the prison’s direction faced the project with its own resources. Funds were taken from the ordinary budget as there was no extra money. The prison’s workshops and manual labor the hospital was inaugurated in 1943. Afterwards, it became the present Naval Hospital that helped a great deal not only to the prison’s population but also to the whole population of Ushuaia.

Toilets were situated in the semicircle in the squares (hammer) of each pavilion. They had no door so that the convict could be watched over by the guard or watcher while he eased his nature. According to the testimonies of old employees of the prison, these water closets were used by the prisoners that inhabited the square. The rest used a bronze chamber pot called zambullo. Every morning, they emptied the zambullos in the toilets. Large metal bowls of 1 meter diameter where firewood was burn night and day provided heating. According to some versions, there was only one at the center of each pavilion. Others say that there were at least three per pavilion, apart from the guards’ stove to cook the meal. Both versions may be right depending on each particular pavilion or square (hammer). According to oral testimonies nobody remembers cold as a torment in pavilions. As Mr. Manuel Buezas used to say: “Let’s remember that both the guard and the watcher lived next to the prisoner.” Of course, this heating system has no comparison with the present ones. Anyway, temperature in the prison was reasonable. During the night things were quite different as the door of the cells being locked, they were practically isolated from the heated pavilion and air came from the exterior. These stoves were also used to heat water used by the convicts for their personal hygiene. There were a few shower separated by a wall that covered half the body. They were in one of the architectonic hammers (pavilion 2). Clothes were washed in the laundry. This consisted of a large shed where a group of convicts washed the clothes of the rest in large basins. This was a manual work and near the closing of the prison washing machines were brought.

At that time, speaking about the Prison of Ushuaia was sinister for the place itself, the confinement and the sort of criminals sent there. For the society, this was a synonym of a trip with no return. For a long time, it was our “Argentine Siberia”. But some directors between 1931 and 1932 contributed to this fame as they made prisoners live terror times. The prison’s authorities were: Cernadas (director), Faggioli (warden) and Sampedro (under warden) and, apparently, they were responsible for the cruel punishments convicts had to undergo. Were they right or wrong, punishments were very severe and in many cases prisoners died. Interviewed by Aníbal del Rié in 1933, Faggioli says, “Look. Why to beat about the bush. Here it’s not possible to keep discipline with no club (...) so they died quicker. Anyway, they are good for nothing! (...) I am in charge now till director Cernadas comes back.” Reports start in 1932. Angel Luis Castello, a prisoner released, goes to see the judge of Santa Cruz who has jurisdiction over Tierra del Fuego and shows him the scars of punishment. Besides, Doctor Guillermo Kelly is assigned to the penal and discovers the hard punishments prisoners have to undergo. Boxer Sturla is an example: he is beaten so hard that four of this tooth brake, so he hurts himself so that he is taken to hospital. Doctor Kelly welcomes his friend and colleague Frank Soler: “(…) in the middle of the 20th century, in the second penal establishment of this progressive republic, bones have been broken, testicles have been twisted, prisoners have been punished with dreadful wire bludgeons, preferably on their backs, to turn them ill with TB and a thousand brutalities more.” Old settlers remember that at that time, at least once or twice a week, they saw the prison’s small cart taking some convicts that had not been lucky to survive punishment to the cemetery (J. Lavado). Doctor Kelly was removed for a month and, on coming back, he had to choose between the prison’s infirmary and the direction of Public Assistance; he chose the latter.

But the judge of Santa Cruz had already started a thorough investigation which was headed by Chief of Police Castex. At first, prisoners were reluctant to testify and tell the truth. But they agreed to do so once they obtained guarantees. Then, the prison’s authorities began to interfere with the inquiries. Sometimes, prisoners asked to testify could not do it because “they were in the wood” or were ill or had nothing to say. So Castex and the convicts developed a system of signals through which the chief of police knew if a prisoner would tell the truth or not and the place where he was. This avoided other convicts to run any risk - when the small train took them to the wood, it run in front of the police station. Castex looked through the window - if the first prisoner woodcutter wore his cap backwards, the convict would tell the truth. This, added to the right hand on the face meant that the prisoner that had to testify was locked up in his cell. The left hand in this position meant that the convict was in the infirmary. Thus, the chief of police could go straight away to the right place. In this period a violent episode between the police staff and the prison’s employees takes place. Deputy Aparicio, one of the political prisoners of Ushuaia, writes about it in his book. He says that there was a ruthless war between the governor, the retired lieutenant of fleet Juan María Gómez, and the director of the prison, the retired lieutenant Adolfo Cernadas. Director Cernadas threatened with overtaking the government at the order of president Uriburu: “and as the electric power for the streets and public offices was generated by the prison, (Cernadas) reduced the number of lights that could stay on in the government house and at the governor’s. Then, the latter did not invite the director to the meetings welcoming navy sailors who answered by producing a blackout. This situation went on till one of the chiefs of the naval base, captain Luisoni, ordered the “Patagonia” transport, anchored in the pier, to provide his friend Gómez with electricity and thus eluding the chief of the prison.” (Extract from Aparicio’s work)

On one occasion, the governor forbid the prison’s warders to walk in the streets armed. One day, two of the prison’s employees did not respect this rule and the police arrested them. Cernadas immediately gathered a troop of warders - about sixty - and marched to the police station - which was in charge of officer Kammerath. When they got to the building, they took strategic positions and official by the surname of Martínez uttered an ultimatum: “if prisoners were not released within five minutes an assault would be ordered to set them free ‘manu militari’.” Unexpectedly, the police did not resist and warders were immediately set free. This is how this episode that deputy Aparicio calls “revolution in Ushuaia” ended. The investigation and trial of September 13th 1934, as well as the court of the first instance (Santa Cruz) in April 1933, found the ex-warden, under warden and 19 warders of the prison of Ushuaia guilty of inflicting punishing and torments on convicts. Under warden Sampedro was sentenced to three years and a half with cumulative penalties and fees, and debarment for double the time; warden Faggioli to two years and eighteen months; and the nineteen warders were sentenced to one or two years. Director Cernadas was indicted but he stayed in his post till June 1934 when he resigned. The government never compelled him to make his participation clear. Although he was accused of being guilty and many people speaks about “Cernadas’ times” or “Cernadas, the torturer”, the truth remains that his career went on with no difficulties and many old settlers regard him as a good person. It is important to highlight the action of the policemen of Uhsuaia that in some cases had to arrest their brothers, uncles or cousins who worked as guards or warders. It is also worth saying why there were more guards than warders arrested. Guards lived very close to convicts inside the prison. The armed warder, on the contrary, was always about 10 to 20 meters away from the prisoners. During that same year, 1934, important personalities of the Radical Party arrived in Ushuaia as political prisoners - Marcelo T. de Alvear, Adolfo Güemes, Ricardo Rojas, Mario M. Guido, José Luis Cantilo, Juan O’Farrell, and Enrique M. Mosca. They witnessed how a prisoner, Antonio Errecart (convict nº 188), back from Monte Susana threw himself from the small train claiming that he had been punished. That same day Cernadas left the territory. Other convicts also shouted their truth - it was their opportunity to caught influential politician’s attention to claim for better conditions. This was one of the episodes that hastened the reform of 1936.

Convicts were beaten with heavy iron bludgeons or with braid steel cables with a lead ball weighing half a kilo at one end. This, according to reports and the elements sequestered. The bludgeon was used when prisoners spoke in their line or were tired or answered back to some guard or were late to their formation. Four guards took the prisoner by his arms and legs and kept him on the floor while the executioner gave the convict hard blows with a bludgeon on his back and thorax. Once the prisoner lost his consciousness, he was left in his cell without medical assistance. There were variants: bludgeon blows on arms and legs added to two or three days fast to make the prisoner even weaker. So frail convicts got worse and many of them went straight to the cemetery. There were also psychological torments. Prisoners were told that serious faults would be immediately punished by shooting. For this purpose, there was always a visible coffin ready for the first executed. These punishments took place during the night, when the prison was in a gray and sad silence. Then, pain shouts or supplications were heard and the whole prison’s population was terrified. Manuel Ramírez tells in his “Ergástula del Sur”: “The prisoner was taken out of his cell at midnight and forced to march between two tight lines of guards armed with bludgeons and sticks; every one beaten furiously the wretched on his back who shouted and cried... till he lost his consciousness. Once on the floor, he was pulled to the dungeon, usually soaked through. When the prisoner resisted the beating without losing his consciousness, he was undressed and thrown outside in the snow for an hour. Except they preferred giving him a cold water bath. Guards used to organize macabre races to entertain themselves. They run after one or two convicts along the pavilion beating them with whips so prisoners were forced to run at a high speed. They stumbled or their legs failed and fell on the floor. They crashed into the walls or trod on one another amidst guards’ deafening guffaws and wails celebrating such ideas.” Old settlers who were children at that time recall how his situation affected their families. Josefina Estabillo’s father decided to resign as a prison employee because of some disagreements with the direction and went back to his natal Spain with his family. She came back to Ushuaia with her mother and siblings after her father’s death in 1942. These terror years existed, but punishments were not constant. Anyway, this situation had a repercussion at national and international levels so the prison had a tragic halo: those sent to Ushuaia never return.

Prisoners who stayed in Ushuaia for a short or long time after serving their sentences were known as ex-convicts: “They were part of life here and gave the place a special touch. In general, they were esteemed and treated with respect as they were pacific and hardworking people. Of course, there were exceptions. You have to bear in mind that they were lonely and uprooted, no matter how well accepted and understood were. For this reason they met in certain places and sometimes shared their lodging, usually in great disorder and promiscuity.” (Arnaldo Canclini) Once they served their sentences they were released at the exact time set by their personal file. They were given a suit, their savings, and they walked slowly to the town planning their future. They had plenty of time - they had to wait for the ship that would take them to the continent. They were unnoticed by the rest of the inhabitants. Considering these human beings released in a place where there was little to do, there were to attempts of creating a sort of institution for the freed. The first one was promoted by Catello Muratgia, the founder of the penal. The second was encouraged by governor Molina and his wife, but it was open for just a year (from 1923 to 1924) - they asked for free fares for the released, etc. Sometimes ships took months in arriving, so everybody wanted to travel on them. Ex-convicts could not stay in the prison and on many opportunities they were lodged in the police station, but there were restrictions - for example, they could not go out in the evenings. In the prison’s history there were two critical moments - first during Yrigoyen’s presidency and the second fifteen years after, during General Perón’s term. Both declared a general pardon. The first one, in 1930, released 110 prisoners. Therefore, the social situation became tense as the regular population was just ten times that number. The freed men walked about the town trying to get a job or asking for food that the hospitable inhabitants always provided. In these times there were cases of inebriation, fights and disturbances.

Even when most of them preferred to go back to the “north”, as they referred to the rest of the country, some decided to stay and cohabited with no problems. There was an exception - Luis Pisani. On January 15, 1930, he waited for a neighbor and shot him because of an affair related to a woman. The wounded man died ten days later so Pisani went back to the prison till he was released for the second time and stayed to live in Ushuaia for good. The Spanish nurse José Fernández Fernández was an ex-convict the people were very fond of. He had worked in the prison and went on doing his job in town once released. He also worked at Salomón’s. Other ex-convicts stayed in Ushuaia. Francisco Abate, “Franchisquelo” (parents used to threaten their children with him as he was long bearded, wore worn out clothes, and was dirty and bad-tempered). Antonio Insúa was a contradictory character - some say he was unsociable; others, he was sociable. Mrs. Josefina Angel remembers him with love: he was her godfather. Francisco Scarfó, Francisco Caruso, a River Plate (soccer team) fan, had a small cart on which he transported goods from the pier; he also worked as a dustman. Miguel Ballona. Ricardo Gianetti worked for the parish’s printing shop and was operator of the Penna cinema. José Vila. Griseldo worked for the police and was a gendarme. Francisco Fiumara, Sebastián Falcone. Eugenio Springer worked in the prison’s atelier and when released he painted many simple aquarelles that many settlers kept with affection.

Based on the type of offense committed, prisoners divided themselves into categories. Those charged with homicide considered themselves superior and had no contact with ordinary thieves. Thieves were also divided into classes - blackmailers, falsifiers, and refined thieves had no contact with “petty thieves”. But murderers were also divided into classes. One was those who had killed for a robbery or a similar reason, others for love or passion or even to save the honor of a beloved person. This was the case of Eduardo Ramírez Raleix who killed a friend to save his sister’s honor. The reporter Aníbal del Rié collected in his book many inscriptions on the walls of cells. We transcribe some referred to passion crimes: “You are never loved the way you love; so the art of being happy in love is to give everything without asking anything”; another one says: “Man is foolish as regards love by nature rather than by definition. He spends half his existence and destroys everything within an hour”. Men confined for a passion crime are probably the more repented ones as this inscription shows: “A moment of weakness, of blinding, of imprudence in love and the whole work is destroyed by our own hands, all good intention vanished; a whole future of peace and honesty grounded. The only thing that always remains upright is the tragedy of remorse.”

At the beginning (1896), the prison depended on the Government of Tierra del Fuego. The following year it started to depend on the Ministry of Justice and Public Education. In1902, a decree of minister Joaquín V. González orders that “the superintendence and superior government of prisons and other penal or correctional establishments supported by the Nation in the territories, which are in charge of the Ministry of Justice according to the law of October 11 1898 that will come into force with the participation of the governor. He should be present with the Direction of those establishments to keep discipline, security, hygiene, regular rationing, the good internal regimen and the foundation for the released prisoners.” This situation went on till 1921, when the government took control of the superintendence. A new change took place in 1924. The ministry of Justice, Dr. Sagarna, decided the prison of Ushuaia should depend directly and exclusively on the Ministry of Justice and Public Instruction.

During this period conflicts between governors and directors of the prison. There was a time when the director of the prison had more power that the governor. The director was welcomed with honors when returning from a trip. The governor’s receptions were unnoticed. The director had his own armed force composed of trained warders that during Cernadas’ administration even fought against the police. In October 1933 Law Nº 11833 of Prisons Organization and Regimen of Penalty was put into force and the General Direction of Penal Institutes of the Nation was created to run all national prisons. From September 1935 the Prison of Ushuaia depended on this new institution. From 1943 the Territory was ruled by a Maritime Government and the position of prison changes substantially for geopolitical reasons. This, together with the penitentiary reform of Mr. Pettinato, the Director of Penal Institutes, brought the closing of the Prison through a decree of the Executive by the end of 1947. Its site was occupied by the Argentine Navy and became the Naval Base of Ushuaia.

Le 21 mars 1947, le président Juan Domingo Perón signa un décret ordonnant la fermeture de la prison. La société argentine réagit immédiatement. Cette nouvelle barra la une des principaux titres de la presse nationale. Les journalistes estimèrent que cette décision permettrait l’application d’une politique pénitentiaire plus civilisée. Cette réforme coïncida avec l’abolition de l’utilisation des manilles et de l’uniforme rayé des détenus. Mais les journalistes pensèrent également, mais à tort, que cette décision apporterait des progrès à Ushuaia. Le 23 mars, le journal La Razón publia une série d’articles intitulés « Terres de feu gagnées pour le travail » ou « Les travaux de la civilisation commencent avec la fermeture de la prison d’Ushuaia ». Le même jour, le journal Clarín annonçait : « La prison d’Ushuaia disparaît en tant qu’établissement pénal, les condamnés sont envoyés dans d’autres prisons ». Le journal Crítica indique : « Ushuaia, la terre perverse, alimentait un sentiment argentin de honte nationale [...] Crítica a toujours réclamé la fermeture de cette prison, la plus au sud du monde et l’une des plus sombres ». Clarín et Crítica publièrent bien d’autres articles au sujet de la prison d’Ushuaia. Clarín a par exemple publié entre le 27 mars et le 2 avril 1947 une série d’articles intitulée « J’étais à Ushuaia », mettant à l’honneur le témoignage d’un ex-gardien de la prison, Martín Chávez. Crítica publia du 5 au 16 avril 1947 une série d’articles intitulée « Ushuaia, une terre rachetée », rédigée par un correspondant à Ushuaia, Osiris Troiani. Tous ces articles sont très intéressants et essayent de refléter avec le plus de vraisemblance possible la vie dans la prison et à Ushuaia à cette époque.