Dry Guillotine is the English translation of a French phrase La guillotine sèche which is prisoner slang for the Penal colony at French Guiana. It is also the title of several articles by various authors and most notably, a very influential and successful book by former prisoner #46,635, Rene Belbenoit This Manual of Style has the simple purpose of making things easy to read by following a consistent format — it is a style guide. ... A Penal Colony is a colony used to detain prisoners and generally use them for penal labor in an economically underdeveloped part of the states (usually colonial) territories, and on a far larger scale than the prison farm. ... Rene Belbenoit (1900-1959) was a French prisoner on Devils Island who successfully escaped to the USA. He wrote a book, Dry Guillotine, about his exploits. ...

The earliest work in the United States making use of the term "Dry Guillotine" appears as a 14 page article in Harper's Magazine titled Cayenne-the Dry Guillotine Vol.CXXVII No.DCCLVII and dated JUNE, 1913 by Charles Wellington Furlong FRGS. The article carefully details the cruel and often intentionally lethal conditions of life for bagnards (prisoners) in French Guiana and lists by name, several specific examples of young men doomed to live out their lives at one of the many camps or prisons which comprised the prison colony commonly but incorrectly referred to today as Devil's Island. An issue of Harpers Magazine from 1905 Another issue, from November 2004 Harpers Magazine (or simply Harpers) is a monthly general-interest magazine covering literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts from a progressive, moderate left perspective in a fashion often not found in the ordinary news... The Royal Geographical Society is a learned society, founded in 1830 with the name Geographical Society of London for the advancement of geographical science, under the patronage of King William IV. It absorbed the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa (founded by Joseph Banks in... Devils Island Devils Island (French: ÃŽle du Diable) is the smallest and northernmost island of the three ÃŽles du Salut located off the coast of French Guiana at . ...

The most well known work by this name is the autobiographical work, Dry Guillotine, Fifteen Years Among The Living Dead by Rene Belbenoit. Dry Guillotine chronicles Belbenoit's childhood, the commission of two non-violent and relatively minor thefts from employers, his subsequent capture, conviction, and transportation to French Guiana Rene Belbenoit (1900-1959) was a French prisoner on Devils Island who successfully escaped to the USA. He wrote a book, Dry Guillotine, about his exploits. ...

Belbenoit actually wrote the manuscript for Dry Guillotine while in prison and carried the work wrapped in Oilskins to protect it from the elements. Protected in this manner, the manuscript survived countless rainstorms and unexpected dunkings in the ocean and rivers between Cayenne and California where Belbenoit finally managed to reach the United States and freedom in 1937. Oilskin jacket (left) and high trousers (right). ... Cayenne is the capital of the French overseas région of French Guiana. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

While a prisoner at Cayenne Belbenoit was introduced to the American author Blair Niles who bought several works from Belbenoit for use in her book titled Condemned to Devil's Island. Mrs. Niles paid Belbenoit handsomely for his work and it was this money which financed the next two escape attempts Belbenoit made. Cayenne is the capital of the French overseas région of French Guiana. ... Blair Niles Blair Niles (1880 - 1959) was an American novelist and travel writer. ...

Dry Guillotine, Fifteen years among the Living Dead was first published in 1938, copyright E.F. Dutton & Co and was so popularly received, 14 further printings were made in the first year of publication. Additional printings were made by Blue Ribbon Books in 1940 and the book remained incredibly popular for many years.

See also

Hell on Trial Rene Belbenoit (1951) Papillon Henri Charrière (1970) Banco Henri Charrière (1973) "Bagnards", Marion F. Godfroy, éditions du Chêne, Paris, septembre 2002, 216 pages. (a wonderfull coffee table book on the question. See http://www.sissco.it/rassegne/rassegna1080.html "C'était Le Bagne" - interview at L'express by the french historian Marion Godfroy http://www.lexpress.fr/info/france/dossier/domtom/dossier.asp?ida=427523 Papillon is a French word for butterfly. The term may also refer to Papillon (autobiography), a memoir written by Henri Charrière about his imprisonment at a penal colony in French Guiana. ... Henri Charrière (16 November 1906 Ardéche, France - July 29, 1973 Madrid, Spain) was chiefly known as the author of Papillon, a memoir of his incarceration in a penal colony on French Guiana. ... Banco is a book by Henri Charrière, it is a sequel to his previous novel Papillon. ... Henri Charrière (16 November 1906 Ardéche, France - July 29, 1973 Madrid, Spain) was chiefly known as the author of Papillon, a memoir of his incarceration in a penal colony on French Guiana. ...