The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-04-01
The Cat-o'-nine Tails.
IFrom the Auckland On. ~ Herald. ]

obtained an order from the Governor
OF the Jail to be present few weeks ago
while three prisoners who were undergo
ing sentence received their punishment.
| The doctor was there, too, but beyond
few casual remarks that passed nothing
was said | looked around and at
glance saw the machnery-if it may be
called so which formed the sole turnl-
ture of the yard. On the right stood
small wooden kind of shop, which, with
the opposite wall of the jail-yard, formed
Il narrow recess. In this stood the tri-
angles, round about which the ground
was void Of grass and green with damp.
The triangles are horribly suggestive
things to look at, three leaning poles con-
verging at the top, and firmly planted in
the ground Two of them face out into
the yard, their BASES being the same
straight line. Across these and between
them lies a broad board, pierced with
holes, through which strap hung loosely
down Higher up on each pole was
similar strap, and another at the foot of
each again. On the LETT side the power
tul tellow-who, learned was the execu-
toner, stripped to the shirt. which was
rolled up on his arms, and displayed an
extraordinary mass OF sinew and strength.
Beside him, on the ground, was q box ia
| which were the cato nine-tailS." There
were several of different sizes-long, knot
ted, white-tongued things. with short han
dies like a stock whip, only covered with
cloth to keep them from slipping in the
| hand.
Turning to warder the Governor gave
some order, and the next moment some
one was let in through the iron gate,
which closed behind him. lie was a mid
| dle-aged, Manufactured fellow. with 4 sui
| len face, more repulsiye by being clean
shaved This is his first time the Gov
ernor whispered to me. adding the Of
fence for which he was convicted and sem
fenced to be logged. The man looked at
| the eXecutioner a moment, and at his
order commenced to strip Diyesting
| himself of his hat coat, and shirt, he was
led TO the triangles and the straps passed
around his wrists. ankles, waist. 1t was
impossible to move He shuddered for
moment as the cold air swept along the
yard "Twenty-tive, cried the warder,
standing by, and the eyecutioner took up
one Of the heaviest " cats " from among
those in the box Standing about six feet
behind the prisoner, a little to the left, he
passed his fingers through the nine tails
Of the whip, which with rapid move
ment he then brought across his chest,
high up above his head, with horrible
| ''swish" and down with the whole force
Of his arm and weight upon the culprit's
/ back There was a shrek of agony, and
in 'iyid blue lines like cords the flesh stood
OFT upon the poor wretchs shoulders.
cone !" cried the warder, and again the
cat swung high in the air to descend a
second time. The piteous moaning which |
followed the first blow gave place to an
other shrek, intense and long. The deep
blue lines turned red, and blood oozed |
through dozen different cuts, and the
skin began to peel in strips along his |
back. "Two'' and again the terrible in !
strument came down. Shrek after Shrek
rent the air. The sight was sickening-
horrible AS each blow was dealt the
prisoner writhed in agony at the TRAN
giles, and when the lash tell for the last
time and the straps were loosed that held
him, he turned away faint, weak, scarcely
recognizable as a human, disgraced, and
marked for life
His place was soon occupied by another,
whose appealing, terrified looks told only
too plainly what he suffered He would
have resisted were it of any use. He had
been there before, knew what it was, and
would have almost given life to be re-
proved, Stripped and strapped to the
triangles, unlike the. prisoner before him,
he turned his head over his shoulder and
watched the executioner. There were the
old marks Of former t1ogging on his back
- black spots and lines LETT there six
months before. He tried to be brave and
bear it; but it was no good; the ''swish''
sounded once more, the horrible, knotted
cords swept cuttingly across his back, and
with burst of agony he broke out in long
continued shrieks. One of his legs got
twisted with cramp. lie tried to stay the
lash tor a Misunderstanding for time
| anything tor one moment Of peace But
there were none; the pitiless lash descend
ed till the sentence was carried through
Ihen when it was over, he went away,
mutterng 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 mele
| lad, sixteen years of age. | had heard
him convicted the day before N Court,
| for an offence he could scarcely know the
nature Of He was Il good-looking little
fellow, with a clear skin and bright blue
! eyes. He looked upon it all as a thrash
| ing al school, walked forward with
light, .aunty step, and stripped as coolly
as if he were going to plungs into the
river. They strapped him up, and then
there came the order once again, "Twenty-
five" The executioner took up a lighter
cat, with thinner throngs than those he
had used before. 1t whistled for mo-
ment in the air, and then the fair, white
| skin Of the boy was walled, liyid and blue
| There was a sudden Jerk of the body,
quick drawing of the breath that made
the chest expand and the ribs stand out
more prominent. A second blow, and
| still no cry. He was game, and would
| see it out AT the third the pent-up suf-
fering burst out, and with a yell | shall
never forget the lads head was thrown
back. and he wrenched at the wrist straps
till they almost cut the flesh upon his
| arms. Once more - another blow -
again - each followed by heart-rendng
cries. Another For Gods sake, On,
Christ God! Let me go" There was
quick. choking. gasping sound His
head fell back, and all was silent save for
a horrible surging in 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 so that is how they fog"
| said |. Eyes; it isn't pleasant is it ?"
and we left the place.