The New York herald., 1870-05-15
NEWCASTLE, Del, May "a, 1870.

NEWCASTLE, Del, May IA, 1870.
AFTER slosIng and mailing my letter dated yester.
day Wade another visit TO the prison and had
scee ID. Interview with Sheriff Richardson. My OBJ
tect tns time was to pump his sherirshp as regards
the manner in which criminals are generally
Wrapped found, however, that pumping was un
niece sary. The Sheriff was willing talker 1t
needed no extrao dinary skill to draw him out. He
spoke with tile mo st freedom on the very subject
on which sought in 'ol nation, and seemed glad OF
the opportunity OF explaining everything connected
with his duties
sAre you obliged by law, Mr.. Richardson, to In
Met the whipping with your own hands ~ asked.
ayes, SIR" he answered. "Ihe law compels me
70 Go It, and always do"
'Do you ever find the victims faint under the in-
niction either of the whip the pilloryfr was my
next question.
He smiled and remarked:-'No, sir; during my
term as sheriff / have never known OF such
case. You must know that I use con-
siderable discretion in innlctlng this punish
ment rarey very much hurt any OF the
criminals sentenced to be lashel. Indeed, never
hurt them at all unless they very hardened and
DEPRIVED cases Altogether. i remember but very
few i,sances in which used the whip with real
earnestness. One OF those cases was for rape OF
htt child under ten years Old
remarked that was under the impression that
such lines were punishable with death In the
State OF Delaware To this ne sad:--
'No, sir; not unless the child Is over ten years
Old 1t is curious discrimination and
dent seem proper; for the younger the
chill the greater the offence ought to be considered
But the law is the law, and l can't alter it, But
about the case l was speaking Of The criminal
was stout, big buck nigger, who had dreadfully
illused the little girl. My blood boiled with rage
anotv1 x,tlln
him In two with the lash If could. His name was
Ned Smith. The community here was dfeadfully
incensed against HIM. When the day for his whip
ping arrived and Ned was brought out to the
post never will forget what heard and
saw Ut was only last November. mind you,
There was great crowd Of'spectators In the prison
yard, every man silent. pale, but looking deter
mined. could see that they came resolved that
There should be no child's play in Furnishing Ned
Smith, i felt kind OF confused and bothered by the
awui silence that prevailed; and was not much
relieved by hearing the noise or cooking pIstos"
'Wnat do you mean by that ~ interrupted him to
ask.
II mean'' responded tho Sheriff, '.that the people
there came Determined to take the life OF Ned smith
In case should not wlip him with the utmost
severity. They would have shot HIM dead
as aoor nall, can tell you and perhaps me, too,
L
summoned all my nerve and strength to support me
under the trying ord al. raised the lash over my
shoulder ami bought it down on Ned's back with
all my power. The first lash delivered satisfied
every one present that Richardson was in dead
earnest and gave all the rest with equal force
Strange to say, never brought the blood from the
fellows Doly, though l tried all knew how. The
fellow Is n prison sill, and behaves himself wel.n
l l,en,ured the opinlon that lashing was too mIld
punishment fJr wretch gully Of such a he nous
often, e. He agreed with lne, aud declared that the
f,low ought to have been hanged. Then ne pro-
ceeded to talk about the lying ac ounIs that mad
been published representing The Sheriff as inhcting
the Lash wl,h biroarous crue ty. and almost killing
the victims. He sad he dealt m most mildly with the
great Dlk OF criminals, sometimes making the act
o. whipp ng mere painless form, dealing out his
blows with gentleness that would scalceiy hurt
"Don't you think, said l. "that making light of
the punishment IN thai way would encourage the
ION no, sl.. These fellows know that should they
retu n would treat tnen with no merry the second
time, and they take right good care not TO get into
my clutches second time. know how to deal W. tn
most oil these fell Jws, ald seldom make miscalcu-
lat on. can point out Wed Smltn to you, If you
would like to see him."
/ answered III the affirmative, and he promptly
brought me TO tue workshop and pOlnted out large
niger engaged IN weaving rag carpet "That the
took good look and failed to see anything re-
ma kablv vicious in the appearance OF the back
member Of the unfortunate Smith family He Was
large anu vigorous, but by means feroci0us look
ins and so Unmarked to the Sheriff.
''Yes, yes' replied the Sheriff; he has become
much changed since his stay here. lie Is quiet ana
orderly"
workshj p, busy at carpet making and holding bag
scissO In their hands, asked the Sheriff Il he did
not tnink thai r.ther an unsafe way to keep criini
nails.
mot at all, sir' he quietly answered. 81 have
them completely under my contrOl. They are never
m DO sterous ere us or qSarreisome treat them well and
.'Does Tue pillory squeeze or hurt the neck and
wri Is In any way" inquired.
"Oh, no, SIT. The pilOry don't hurt at all. The
shame or disgrace IS the great thing III that punish
ment: The neck can he moved about from side to
side but it oft.n gets sore from holding it IN posi-.
tiun SO fong. The whole body too becomes tired.r
'How log are criminals generally kept III the pill
ioryy" ,,o.o man on ,onr , 10 uo.,,o, ...,
the is all tie time one on the look in case
anything should so wong We place ladder against
ascend and have his neck and wrists adjusted to the
frame"
LAsnED FOR GETTING DRUNK AND TAKING AN OVER
COAT.
Among the cases pointed out to me to-day Is that
OF q genteel looking white man, imprisoned now
Just one al, and who IS TO be liberated Tomorrow
lie was boz In New YORK. His misfortune was That
one day he got drunk, and during his 'tight'
walked or wltil another mans oyercoat. y, wont
he Is 70 walk forth into the world once more free
man, ami as he has behaved himself in an ire
proachabie manner during has twelve nor rs OF IN
ca ccrat ana rs dOat wish to blast what lttle
hope may remain for him Of getting up Ill the world
a2aln, tnlik III proper 10 LfOW over Ills past so
I + as may he. maite OF forge fulness. Well the
poor lellow was tried, sentenced 10 receive twenty
flashes and to b. imprisoned for year. His was a
hard se He had 10 intention to steal, Tor be was
q unk ami IRE esponsible. But this terr BILE Delaware
law made no allowance. The Sheriff, however dd
take extenuating circumstances Into account, and
administered the whipping without injury TO the
Victim.
talked with this white prisoner to-day, and he
SAID to me-
'I am going out of here tomorrow, and feel
fnat W Ii 20 out a better man han when came IN
Drink was my curse. l never could take one glass
even without gong 10 Excess But shall never
Touch liquor agan. Will lead a different lie in the
luture.o
believe the prisoner sincere in these decara-
tons. Now ju5t think VI any person, no matter how
re .pectable otherwise, gong on drunk
ilne day III tins blessed State, and IN
moment OF mandltn forgetfulness putting
himsef into another mans coat or vest or
pants, and on waking up next morning finding him
SELF in Newcastle prison. Is 1t not a delightful
fancy9 And yet, as we all know, judges and gov
ernors and even Senators sometimes do those things
as.we the poorest devils, black or white, In the
State OF Delaware.
THE SHERIFF KIND HEARTED.
And this brings me TO point where find may
say something, by way description, OF the Sheriff.
Ne is hot Lie fierce looking man would expect