, 1870-05-18
THE LASH.
Whipping Criminals In Newcastle,
Dell
sgfS MI r< *


| Though the Delaware papers for days have
| contained the announcement that to-tIay the
| whipping Of criminals by the Sheriff would
| occur, the town up to this moment (and tho
Dig show is nov over) has been as quiet e. Il
reached here this morning little before 10
o'clock I found not tho slightest excitement
prevailing There waH no crowd about the prison
clamoring for admission, such as I have wit
messed III the vicinity Of your Tombs on hang
Nobody except tho Sheriff and myself seemed
to mind the fact that Some poor devils were
shortly to he lashed- And, to say the truth.
the Sheriff, though he talked about the sub
ject, appeared perfectly uncoDcerned. The
men OF Newcastle talked about their peaches
spoke with warmth concerning a Democratic
meeting to occur hero tonight, but
never an allusion did they make to the
whipping. confess that this unconcern took
standit. Finding myself very much excited,
nervous and appIehensiTe regarding the COM
ing spectacle, + thought everybody else about
here ought to be equally afflicted had pic
tu1od to my mind hundreds Of people, men,
women and children, rushing to tho prison
waiting there impatiently until the iai1er
should throw vide the jdnda to let the crowd
in to gloat over the agunica OF tho victims
What had read Of the horrors of the whipping
post as described BY chroniclsrs earlier ia the
tield than myself led me to conjuteup this
exciting picture. But how much was mis-
taken, or rather how wildly did those entcz-
prlang chropiclers exaggerats!
1ustona Of encounterinE Fast thrpng pant
ing for horrible Higllts-instead Of finding my
door in consequence OF the hussling, busting,
noisy, and selfish crowd OF sight seckprB-
what did I tehold7 Only about .three email
Ut: Ds,ys and III large girls. such AZ Dickens do.
about tho prison On Market stfeof, and ap.
parently not gathered there ps1ticuln1iy
with view to attend tho whipping. Just
back OF tho jail there il a school house,
aud really believe that the youngsters were
amusing Themselves preparatory 70 attacking
their lessons, in place Of waiting for tho spec
tacle.: am inclined to think that the educa-
honA rod is more Interesting to them than the
have seen here o-day, That the Nnw Cassiers'
familiarity with the whippiDg-post has worked
upon them go that they do not cate 3 snap Tor
II i mean. Of course, for seeing it in opera
ton. Had such thing occurred in Now York
would have been inadequate, and a regiment Of
policemen would have been required to pro-
serve order in tile streets hard bT.
might watchman Tlning exhibited to me q
List Of tho persons to be whipped, and while I
wa m ss looking them zen over I ' H.; VIE M he prison
them, Henry McKennon by name, was not to
undergo tho sentence. The Judge, be said,
had concluded to change the sentence. It ap-
peats that McKennon, who is white
%a2 sy {oang ssy sena and. and vs
several dsys, and it was thought wise not to
submit him to the Lash, lest be should suffer ]
more tllan desired By his jndgos-lest, in |
short, the nervous shock that might happen |
should put an end to his existence. SO poor |
NVuE =. 49, L.
informed that lie was not to be whipped, and |
tho joyful announcement almost made him !
awoon. /
Tho other victims, Dunning informed. me,
wcrp to be conducted to the post in the follow
I filst@itah1on sst sviegtet iblacho,- twenty
Second Thomas Venries Cblack), twenty !
lashc8.
Third Frederick Harris =. tblack), twenty
Foa1th--John willis Cvlito), twenty lashss..
Fifth-wnHatn Thomas Cblack) twenty
ashes. 80:
si1th-James sudler (hlack), forty laahaa.
Thus making in all only six to be whipped,
instead Of SOME twenty, "a T WAS informed
aaked whether the criminals would bo led
Eorth one by one, or al together. Mr.. Wild
answered that they would be brought forth ono
It a time.
.'Where are they nos ?" inquired.
Dressing for the show," said enc Of tho
! started to sec them preparing their curious
oIet, and Was conducted By Mr.. Wild to Nah
on sMggett's cell:
Ssiggett wns IN a cell with two other dar-
des, and Was endoavoring to calm his nerves
& Amt Soa to catch It to-day :" said Wild to
TEse latter stopped suddenly, bowed smiling
}. and answered, W1'gglinG his shoulders,
aWFen, thon, peel of right away" said ur.
Tl1+t '"Take OF your elothes' and make
eady." -
Swiggett, w1iggling harder and attempting
o force smile, answered. II
"Whst, smassa, must take OF all my
Mr.. Wild. No, you. needn't take them all
If, but you must take on your shirt and
brow a blanket over your shoulders. We
ball want you In minute. Be lively; now.
Swiggett. Yes, massa.
And sviggett, all the while wriggling as
bGagh. the l1sh were at him already. and max
nE desperate etforts at tha same time to look
delighted, proceeded to divest himself OF one
# tho two garments covering his nakedness.
lis entire wardrobe consisted. Of. shirt I
md pants, and when tho former was
emored: It disclosed "a fgii chest;
development. He danced on the floor once CT
vice 6y way Of showing he possessed nerve,
md then threw over him his sleeping blanket.
IND thus covered, SHiggett stood in his Little
ell in fun whipping costume His toilet Was
complete, all but the stripes. be Was to receive
,utside. .,. r4... -.
Having Witnessed swiggetts preparations
,ext sauntered cut into The prison yard. Mr.
Tining was just opening the large heaTy gate,
nth Warden Wise by his side. Az he COM
oenred to draw back the bolts, and when +
eard hin shout out to some ono pushing on
he other side,
: q Now, then, hold up-just wait minute"
I said to nyseI, = al, hare We have the
rovd at last" supposed, Of COURSE, the
ushing could only come from d crowd Il
bat perhaps it was not crowd alter al, but
smpted to pail down the whipping-post and
rive the cold d-hlooded suggeator fifteen feet
eneath the Delaware sods- Bnt luckily nobody
sid word 10 me Just then. ravelled all
lone in the glorious expectation Of the coming
rowd breaking their ;necka In the hurry to
+ But df- ras blasted again by disappointment.
Fhen The gates Tern swung open only dozen
tile boys and girls made their appearance,
nd none Of them got hurt even, which an
cared like adding insult to. injury. I could !
ave forgiven the twelve youngsters then II I
pty one of them sustained Sons fracture.
oEeyer slight. When these little ones got
nncly arranged u1dar the shadow of the high
ali along Market street, about hftoen Of. six-
sen men; struggled in, and then, at
D, o'clock. precisely, SheriK ;. Richardson