The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-03-19
THE CAT.O'NINE-TAILS.
A Terrible Punishment of Convicts-Flog-
ging in New Zealand-BloodyD Details.

A Terrible Punishment of Convicts-Flog-
ging In New Zealand-Bloody Details.
From the Auckland (New zealand) Herald
Turning to warder the Governor
gave some order, and the next moment a
man was let i'll through the iron gate,
which closed behind him. lie was n
middle-aged, Manufactured fellow, with
sullen face made more repulsive 10y be-
ing clean shaved. "This is his first
time" the Governor whispered to me,
adding the offense for which he was con-
victed and logged. The man looked at
the executioner for n moment, and mt his
order commenced to strip. Divesting
himself of his hat, coat and shirt, he was
led to the triangles and the straps passed
round his wrists, ankles and waist. 1t
was impossible to move. He shuddered
for moment AZ the cold air swept along
the yard. Twenty five" cried the
warder standing by, and the executioner
took up one of the heaviest cats from
among those in the box. Standing about
six feet behind the prisoner, n little to
the left, he passed his fingers through
the nine tails of the whip, which,
with a rapid movement, he then brought
across his chest, high up over his head,
with a horrible " swish, " and down with
the whole force of his arm and weight
upon the culprit's back. There was
shrek of agony, and III livid blue lines
like cords, the flesh stood out upon the
poor wretchs shoulders. One :! crled
the warder, and again the cat swung
high up in the air to descend second
time. The piteous moaning which FOL
lowed the first blow gave place to anoth-
er shrek, intense and long. The deep
blue lines turned red, and blood oozed
through dozen different cuts, and the
skin begaA to peel i'll strips along his
back. "Two!" and again the terrible
instrument came down. Shrek after
shrek rent the air. The sight was sick
ening-horrible. AS each blow was dealt
the prisoner writhed in agony mt the trl-
angles, and when the lash fell for the last
time and the straps were loosed that held
him, he turned away faint, weak, scarce
ly recognizable rs human, disgraced and
marked for life.
His place was soon reoccupied by an
other, whose appealing, terrified looks
told only too plainly what he had suf-
fered He would have resisted were it
OF any use. He had been there before,
knew what it was, and would have al
most given life TO be reprieved. Stripped
and strapped to the triangles, unlike the
prisoner before him, he turned his head
over his shoulder and watched the ex-
ecutioner. There were marks of former
hogging on his back-black spots and
lines-left there six months before. He
tried to be brave, and bear it but 1t was
40 good the "swish " sounded once
more, the horrible, knotted cords swept
cuttingly across his back, and with
burst of agony, he broke out Ill long
continued shrieks. One of his legs got
twisted with cramp. He tried to stay
the lash for q minute-anything for
time-anythi for one moment OF peace.
But there was none ; the pitiless lash
descended till the sentence was carried
through. Then, when it was over, he
went away, muttering thanks to God, as
with bent form and lettering steps they
led him to the cells. 1t was the last time
he would enter that yard-and that was
his sole relief.
There was one more victim-a mere
lad, sixteen years of age. | had heard
him convicted the day before in court for
an offense he could scarcely know the
nature of. He was good-looking little
fellow, with clear skin and bright blue
eyes. He looked upon it all as n thrash
ing at school, walked forward with a
light, jaunty step, and stripped as coolly
as if he were going to plunge into the
river. They strapped him up, and then
there came the order once again,
Twenty-Five" The executioner took
up o lighter cat, with thinner thongs
than those he had used before. 1t whis-
tled for moment i'll the air, and then
the fair, white skin of the boy was walled,
and livid, and blue. There was n sud
den jerk of the body, quick drawing
of the breath that made the chest eX-
pand and the ribs stand out more prom
inent. 4 second blow, and still no cry.
He was game and would see it ont. At
the third the pent up suffering burst out,
ard with yell L shall never forget, the
lads head was thrown back, and he
wrenched ut the wrist-straps till they al
most cut the flesh upon his arms. Once
more-another blow-again-each fol-
lowed by heartrending cries. Another
"For Gods sake Oh, Christ God
Let me go :" There was a quick, chok-
ing, gasping sound. His head fell back,
and all was silent save for a horrible
sugging i'll the throat as each blow fell
upon his streaming back. They loosed
the straps and led him from the yard
scarcely conscious. Thank God, it was
over $50 that is how they fog" said
/. eyes it isn't pleasant, is tt" and
we lef. the place.