National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-07-21
SOME MORE BLOODY Shirt

The Little Rock (Ark. Ercning Star On
dependency has full account of the whip
ping of negro boy by the chief of the po-
lice of that city. Here is the testimony of
the prosecutor, James Roland, respecta-
bic colored man, formerly clerk of Pulaski
county, and of the boy who was whipped
"James Roland was the first witness called.
Hetestifed that on Thursday he went up the
City Hall stairs and looked through the key
hole, and that he saw boy getting up and
putting on his clothes; he tried to get in, but
could not. Chief of Police Blocher finally
opened it, and l then said, You have been
whipping this boy-what right have you to do
this" He replied, None of your business
then said, Il will make it my business, and
you would not dare to whip an intelligent
white boy like that He said he would. /
then went to a magistrates office and swore
out a warrant. Blocher, Morrison and the
local reporter of the Herald were present; the
weapon used was rawhide: saw it, but did
not see the handouts; the boy had no shirt on
when I first saw him; saw the boys back;
marks of violence were on the back and breast;
it was bruised all in pieces-cut all in pieces,
and suppose there were hundred lashes in
flicted. / asked the boy who whipped him,
and he replied, in the presence of Morrison,
That man (meaning Morrison) held me, and
Blocher whipped me.
"Cross- examined: Blocher came out when I
knocked: when first saw the boy he was put
ting on his clothes, and saw some men as
looked in the key hole; asked Blocher what he
whipped the boy for, and told him he would
NOT dare whip an intelligent white boy that
way; am certain it was a Wilde; examined
the wounds at the magistrates Office when
the warrant was being made out, and was eX-
cited; knew the boy as boot-b black, but never
saw his mother till last night; have no per-
sonal feeling in the matter; don't know
whether the key was in the door; but could see
through-could see distinctly; the boy had his
clothes off when the door was opened; didn't
hear Blocher put any key in the door when he
came out"
IHartwell Ferguson and Isaac Walker were
the two men who accompanied Roland up
stairs, and their testimony, in all essentia[
points, was the same
"Serea Smith (the victim) was next called.
My name is Serea Smith, and am called Reese;
live corner Fourth and Pulaski; father Is
dead; live with my mother; an fifteen.
Smith then went on to state that he, with
other boys, white and black, were near Hous.
TOMS office, WATCHING a dog fight, Wien
Blocher came up and grabbed him. Took
me into the mayors office; the other. -5oy
was being whipped. Afterwards took me into
the City Hall: Asked HEM why they didn't
arrest the white boys; Blocher saii, 'You
come al9ne::T Morrison said, Eve been alter
you a-iong time;' said to me, pull off your
>llaaGSSet-pull it of-pull 1t off, pat on hand
cuffs, and run stick through; they then be-
gun to whip. Blocher said, docs It hurt 2 at
each cut; cried, and Morrison said, The
more you cry the more We will give 1t to you;'
think they whipped ten minutes; think they
struck about one hundred and fifty blows;
was stripped stark naked-as you would be If
jumped into the river; Morrison held me down
and Blocher did the whipping; they grinned and
laughed; the local editor of the Herald walked
up and down and laughed. When they let me
out, Morrison said, 1t will do you good; hush
up your Ring, and don't say anything about
it,
"Cross examined: The local editor OF the
Herald was there: don't know his name; he
said don't cry any more; Morrison was stand
ing against the WALL Blocher said, Make
haste aud put on your clothes and go on out
of here think it was a cowhide, about yard
long; black boots or do anything else to make
money at; they took me around and showed
me to Alderman Hilb, Col. Oliver and others;
put on medicine last night and this morning;
don't know what it was; got it at the Capitol
drug store; got up this morning about $50
o'clock-regular time $50; got down town
about Q: Morrison held me down; didn't hoIler
loud, cause Morrison said, The louder you
boiler the harder wen whip couldn't help
hollcring some
Remember, this did not occur years ago,
when slavery existed, but on the sixth Of
July in this Centennial year of our exist
ence. II did not occur in the wilds OF
Africa. but in the city of Little Rock, in the
State of Arkansas, which we continually
hear referred to as one of the States "res-
" cued from the rule of the carpet Dagger,
where all men enjoy equal rights and
privileges. What would a white man
in Maine or Indiana think of such treat
ment to his son? The bloody shirt of this
boy is one that the Democratic papers may
wave as much as they please. When we
learn the punishment awarded to Chief OF
Police Blocher and his assistant in the
chivalrous act of whipping that fifteen
year-old boy we will publish it.