North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-08-26
The Lash for white Mem

Captain j. Heron Foster, prominent Re-
publican politician, formerly editor Of tn
Pit ,sburgh Dispatch, and still it's proprietor
"a few years ago Clerk of the State Senate-
and now, by President Lincoln's appoint
meDt, Provost Marshal Of Allegheny county,
has recently outraged humanity BY AL act Hf
brutality which will render bis maine as in
famous as that OF the Austrian butcher Hay
nau. By the orders of this petty tyrsnt, q
whHe man named Hagen, who is alleged to
have deserted from the 63rd Regiment Of
Pennsylvania Volunteers, afterwards enlist
ed as a substitute, and then deserted again,
was acilhout form or authority of lup, lash.
ed 1cith q colchide until his back lc0s like q
a piece Of rnv flesh, and he sunk dow in ut.
| ter eLGusti0n
The facts of this brutal act are fully prov
ed by the testimony of several witnesses,
one of whom was DR.. King. the Examining
Surgeon on duty in the Provost Marshal's
Office, whose statement we COY;
| DR.. KING's STATEMENT.
| The first knew of this affair Captain
McHsnry entered my Office, and seizing the
man Hagan, who was sitting on chair near
,ne, said, "God d-n you, We want you -
come out here" Hagen was then taken out
to the foot of the stairs, where McHenry Said
to the Sergeant. "Take him up stairs and
give him twenty-five iashes," and, after a
pause, added, eyes. God d---n him, give ff-
ty." He also told the Sergeant to put the
handouts on him and get the cowhide.--
Hagen was then hand -cuffed and taken up
stairs. l followed to tho head of the stairs,
cut could not hear the ides Of seeing a
white man whipped, so l turned and came
down. | saw the man after he was fogged,
aud dressed his wounds yesterday and to-
day. HIS back was all cut up along and
across. should say from the appearance
of his back that hs received from sixty to
seventy lashes. There were several persons
by when the fogging took place, and Nc
Henry told the himself to-day that he held
the man while the stripes were being put
on I|A,s is all know about the matter.
This affair has naturally caused some ex
element in Pittsburgh, and Foster. in de-
fence Of his conduct has published card, in
which he admits that he had the man whipped
and that he acted without authority of law,
but undertakes t, justify his act on the
ground that he knew Of no law under which
to punish desertion, and is willing to sub
init to any penalty under the law for pun
lshng assault and battery.
This outrage, cruel anI totally uni ustifia
ble as it was, need not cause much surprise
under the present circumstances. When the
supreme authorities at Washington set the
example of inficting" cruel and unusual
punshments," csn,rarc to Constitution and
law, and under no more valid variant than
Exec htive Proclamstions and Military Orders.
| it is not to be wondered at, that their syco.
phantic underlings should initiate their bad
example. If Burnside may suppress news
| papers, and smprison free citizens. in vi ola
tior of the civil law, by the power of the
bayonet--if Stanton MAY order the arrest OF
| editors and civilians anywhere, without fol-
| NAL accusation and without trial, and NAV
| keep them incarcerated in forts and dungeons
at his own will and pleasure-if the Presi
dent himself may, by a mere stroke Of hs
pen, deprive of home and birthright citizen
of Ohio whose political opinions are obno xous
to him-why may not the Provost Marshal
OF Pittsburgh act the tyrant over a poor aud
| friendless soldier who who incurs his dis
pleasure The odtrsges, now CT almost
| daily occurrences, are only the fruit of the
pernicious teachings Of the hiehr law " and
prove that, when once the example is set Of
substituting the will (genesly synony NOUS
with the the whim and pre'udlce) of the mag
istrate forthe rule and limitation Of law, there
is no extreme of wrong and arbitrary tyrran-
ny to which the people may not be subjected
In the pre-, ent case, whatever may hsve
/ been the provocation, Fosters act not only a
grose violation Of law itself, but an abuse oil
his office and usurpation of power. T he
crime of desertion is military offence, for
which the laws Of the United States provide
the mode oftrial by Court Martial, and spe.
| cial punishment on conviction. No officer ot
the Government can usurp these power, and
without prose and trial, condemn and
punish at his will and pleasure. The outrage
is greater in this case, because Hogging is nc
| longer considered q fit punishment for the
United States service, and has been entirely
abolished by act of Congress in our Navy
The moment 6 civilian puts on the gold lace
of all officer, he seems naturally to fall into
tyranny OF the profession, as if, by the abuse
of his power, he would best entitIe himself t.
the RESPECT and consideration Of his superiors
fhe Delegate Elections.
Before our next issue the delegate elec