Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-31
fhE W HlpPIN G POST.


An the other correspondents at New
Castle On last Saturday, found the whip
ping Of the two boys so light that they
modestll assumed that their own presence
had scared the Sheriff from the perform
snce of his duty, bat the World mans
eyes were anolnted and he dreamed
dreams aud saw vlslons and thus reports
them.
The Delaware people say that the
Vhipplng-post isa good thing. IL pro-
notes healthy circulation Of the blood ;
IL frightens New Workers, Pennsylya
|nians, aud Jerseyltes away from the
State, and then-and this seems most
reasonahle-n Is the only circus they
have. New York, New Jersey, and other
naQan commonwealth are visited BY
Buffalo Bill, the "Biack Crook" and
other shows, but Delaware can't raise
money enough TO entice them within her
/ borders And Barnum-he's too big a gun
| for them, and Delaware would be lost
under his mammoth tent. SO they have
the lash and plllory, and every Saturday
In May and November the citizens don
| their "best beshines," and taking their
| opera. glasses, children, and servants with
them, proceed TO the jails. (There are
three jails-one in New Castle, one in
Georgetown, and one in Dover.) Then
| the gates are thrown open and the crowd
PUSHES 10 and fills the courtyard, and
| the Sheriff and warden, with SUNDAY
suits on and cigars In their mouths, stand
beside the great posi- splitting tobacco
| juice on the children and serenely eyeing
the crowd, and by and bya delicate, fail
haired youngster of fourteen or fifteen,
with great tears streaming from bis blSe
eyes, and his white shoulders and back
barred to the delighted gaze Of the audi
ence, steps out from the Inner court OF
the PRISON and the warden pinions his
slender wrists to the post with iron bands.
while the Sheriff swings bis "eat-o' -Dine
all" over his head, and murmur Of
pleasure comes from the appreciatiyC
crowd. The Sheriff bites his cigar q
little harder, tips meaning wink to a
by-stsnder, and then he raises the scat,
steps little back, and whizz down Il
comes on the boys back, and the thongs
wind under his arm and bite great holel
In his side aud chest, while his back It
striped red and white. "Two," saws tnl
warden, "Oh-h-h.h," from the boy, ant
down comes the lash again and again ant
again, and the boys back is all raw au,
bleeding. with great ridges across Il.
ilNAlt AtAAO" III nAo hEoh1 dHhu bhN'
or twice "for Gods sake" TO be NOR
mildly whipped, but his sobs choke him
and when the ten lashes have been dealt
be staggers, faint and exhausted, into hi
cell. "Ah there's justice for you. On
! Sheriff's a man mo d-chieken abou
, him." says a representative citiz 81, an
/ the crowd murmurs, "No, indeed.
, There Is no hrst-class drama today
! nothing but this laughable boy-whippln
farce. They did expect woman TO
' whipped indeed, that's what drew sue
\ a crowd, but the Governor postponed tbs
+ part of the show, and 20 the audienc
8 quietly dlsperses, after another boy hs
n been "cared for"
n No one is to be pilloried, and the rotte
eggs and st9nes that the children trougl
e to throw at the performer, perehed Q
n tip-toe on a high platform over the Will
h ping post, with his head and arms
a limbo, and the fierce Southern sun blair
!, away on him, causing his face to assuu
v an expression Of exeruciating pals Il
rotten eggs and other missiles are useles
= and the dear little innocent children
n posit them in the gutter or throw them
r. some aged negro limping through u