Abode of Misery

The "...nastiest, dirtiest, filthiest, lousiest place I ever was in," is how one prisoner in 1864 described the foreboding Charleston District Jail. Over 200 years old, the building still stands but its fascinating history largely has been unknown -- until now. Former newspaper reporter David C. Scott spent nearly three years discovering the real story of one of the South Carolina city's most notorious landmarks. Scott's research separates fact from fiction in a comprehensive account that frequently proves as chilling as the spirits that some say still linger in its darkened passages. Illustrated with photos and drawings, both old and new.