Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-04-05
MEMPHIS, TENN: MONDAY
THE CAT-O'.NINE TAILS.
Terrible Punishment Meted OUt n
COnvicts


From the Auckland IN. ~ Herald.l
l obtained an order from the governor
of the Jail to be present few week aCo
while three prisoners who were unaergo.
ing sentence received punishment The
doctor was there, too, but beyond few
casual remarks that passed nothing was
said, looked Nround, and at a glance
saw the machinerysif il may be called
so--which formed the sole furniture of
the yard. On the right stood q small
wooden kind of shop, which, With the op-
poslte wall OF the Jail ward, formed
narrow recess, Ia this stood the trian-
giles, round which the ground was void
Of grass, and green with damp. The
trianges are horribly suggestive things
to look at, three leaning poles converg-
ing at the top, and firmly planted in the
ground. Two Of them face out into the
yard, their bases being in 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 a
similar strap, and another at the foot OF
each again. On the left stood the pow
erfnl fellow-who, | learned, was the
public executioner-stripped to bis shirt,
which was rolled up on his arms, aud
displayed an extraordinary mass of sinew
and strength. Beside him, on the ground,
was box in which were ranged the in
struments Of punishment-the cato
nine tails There were several differ
ent sizes-long, knotted, whtetbonged
things, with short handles like stock
whip, only covered with cloth to keep
them from slipping in the hand.
THE FIRST VICTIM.
Turning to a warder the governor
gave some order, and the next moment
a man was let in through the iron gate,
which closed behind him. He was
middle.aged, hard-featured fellow, with a
sullen face made more repulsive by being
clean shaved This is his first time," :"
the governor whispered to me, adding
the offense for which he was convicted
and sentenced to be fogged. The man
looked at the executioner for moment
and at his order commenced to strip
! Divesting himself of his hat, coat and
shirt he was led to the triangles aud the
straps passed round his wrists, ankles
and waist, 1t was impossible to move.
He shuddered for q moment as the cold
air swept along the yard. Twenty.
fve,' cried the warder standing by, and
the executioner took up one Of the
heaviest cat" from among those in
the box Standing about six feet behind
the prisoner little to the left be passed
his fingers through the nine tails Of the
whip, which, with a rapid movement, he
then brought across his chest high
up above his head, with a horrible
swish" and down with the whole force
Of his arm and weight upon the culprits
back. There was shrek of agony, and
in livid blue lines like cords the flesh
stood out upon the poor wretch's shoul-
ders. "0nep cried the warder, and
again the cat swung high up in the air
to descend second time. The piteous
moaning which followed the first blow
gave place to another shrek, intense
and long. The deep blue lines turned
red, blood oozed through dozen differ
ent cuts, and the skin began TO peel in
strips along his back. "Twol" and
again the terrible instrument came down.
Shrek after shrek rent the air. The
sight was siekening-horrible. AS each
blow was dealt, the prisoner writhed in
agony at the triangles, and when the
lash fell for the last time and the straps
were loosed that held him, he turned
away faint, weak, scarcely recognizable
as human, dsgraced and marked for
life.