At a session of Congress there was some criticism
of his action and Guayubin resigned his office in disgust. The death
of this fighter was as stern as his life. He attended a christening
party at a house where there was a forgotten powder-cask; a spark fell
into the powder and in the ensuing explosion Guayubin's eyesight was
destroyed. Grimly refusing to take food or drink, he pined away.
Prior to the American occupation, the Dominican penal establishments
were as a rule in very bad condition. There is no penitentiary and
portions of the forts or government houses are used as jails. The
prisoners were herded together with little thought of cleanliness. The
stench in some of the jail yards was at times almost unbearable. In
justice it should be stated that the Dominican authorities frequently
called the attention of their Congress to this condition of affairs.
The prisons at Santo Domingo City and Santiago were exceptions to the
rule; they were improved even to the extent of being endowed with a
prison school.
The political prisoners were generally given better accommodations, if
there were any at hand, and had the privilege of securing their meals
from the outside instead of being limited to the scant and repugnant
prison food.
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