Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-06-02

the pillory, came next, and squiEmed
terribly beneath twenty lashes well
laid on; but he laughed as he went
away.
The next man, a muscular negro OF
tremendous strength, submitted to
twenty blows with calm indifference.
He chewed tobacco during the ordeal,
and when it was over he said:
'YOu done your work well, Sheriff.
] can take my share. That's what's
the matter.n
A white man, Mr.. Helmes, then
took his turn. He had INDUCED an
unfortunate fondness for a dollars
worth of pork upon one occasion, and
now he had to paw two dollars and
forty cents restitution money, submit
to twelve lashes, bear nine months
imprisonment, and wear a eonvlet,s
dress for six months in public. A
most unrighteous and dispropOrtion-
ate punishment.
The Sheriff touched him lightly,
and the crowd was dissatisfied. The
Delawarean thirst for justice was un-
slaked, and many were the audible
protests against the Sheriff's leniency
Mr.. Helmes was not hurt badly, and
he put his coat on with ealmness.
Helmes, we hope, will steer clear Of
st. Pillory hereafter.
Timothy Doran came next. He was
a white man about thirty years of age.
Timothy had taken a ham from its
owner. He had the customary SEN
tence, with ten lashes. The Sheriff
gave him that number of delicate
blows, and the crowd boiled with in
dignatiOn.
"John, you don't half hit him."
"Sheriff, why don't you whack it
into him."
"Pshaw! that's no punishment at
ALL"
One spectator fearing that Mr.. Dorar
would fail to appreciate the sheriff7s
humanity, said to the victim:
1.-THE Sheriffs id kind to you, l
tell you"
John Willis, a white man, next re-
7 ceived twelve lashes with a serene
countenance. He cut a caper as he
went off, and some of the crowd
laughed. The Sheriff whipped him
gently.
\ VERY SAD CASE.
The succeeding case was more
pathetic. A young man of twenty
( five years was brought out. He looked
like a gentleman, and was said to have
respectable connections. As he strobe
across the yard, with the jailer, in the
presence of the rude crowd, which
contained, possibly, many of his old
acquaintance, his bearing expressed
infinite misery and detection. His
cap was pulled far down over his eyes,
and his head was bowed as if he could
not bear that the scOffing multitude
should look upon his face. He walked
straight to the post, threw aside his
coat from his faxed shoulders, placed
his hands in the iron gives, and drew
a deep breath. Fifteen lashes were
his portion.
The Sheriff swung his "eatn with
mighty arm, and as the keen edges of
the thongs fell they furrowed. the
white skin into ugly crimson edges
Before the work was done the mans
back was covered with thick purple
welts half an inch in thickness. The
victim endured the torture without a
moan or a cry, although his frame
quivered with the terrific pain.
Some of the bystanders were touched
with pity for this youth, but there was
more mOckery than expressed compass
sion. ~
"You're a nice specimen of humani-
ty, amt you?" shouted one Della
warean at the prisoner, in the bitterest
moment of his suffering. And there
were other worshippeTs of st. PillOry
whose cruel gibes cut deeper than the
Sheriff's lashes.
THE FIRST BLOOD.
The last case was the saddest of all.
While the Sheriff drew the wiry
thongs through his fingers, the jailer
hurried across the yard, dragging with
him the horse jockey, who had been
pillOried. He was half stripped. His
trembling hands were lifted to the
cuffs and fastened, and his gray head
was bowed upon his breast. He was
very sick. The jailer said he could
not live through his twelve months
imprisonment. Hisskin was wrinkled
and yellow with age. As he was gull
ty of two crimes, having stolen a
horse and a halter, the Sheriff felt that
Justice must be completely vindieated, |
and so he laid the thirty lashes on |
with savage strength. At the first |
swish of the thongs the shriveled skin |
was streaked with nine red stripes
These were crossed with others, again |
and again, until the mans back was a
crimson network of ridges which |
swelled with succeeding blows, until,
at last, the keen edges of the cat laeer-
ated the bursting skin, and the hot
blood spurted a stream from the CASH
es, sprinkling the ground and trick
ling down the back of the miserable
victim. The old man grOaned twice !
or thrice, but gave no other sign of
suffering. He was led away from this
misery, and from the sunshine and
the day to his cell.
FINS.
This was all. The Sheriff folded
the limp lashes of his cat about the
handle, and walked away. The crowd
poured through the gateway to the
street, discussing the proceedings, and
the jailer went back to dress the
wounds of the laws victims. went
out into the purer air that swept in
from the broad expanse of the river,
and walked down the shady streets Of