The New York herald., 1876-03-15
A NEGRO LASHED.
GENERAL REVIVAL OF THE WHIPPING POST IN
VIRGINIA. CROWDED JAILs-THE LASH PRE-
FERRED By THE NEGROES.

GENERAL REVIVAL OF THE WHIPPING POST IN
vIRoIN1A-cRowDED JAIIs-rHE LASH PRE-
FERRED By TIE NEGROES.
RICHMOND Va March Is, 1876.
That efectual and heretofore the negro terrorin
spring mode OF punishment the lash-which was tenn
porariy suspended at the close OF the war in Virginia.
can now be said to be again generally revived. The
only difference is that the stripes not confined
TO the negro alone, but his erring white brother,
who is convicted of petty piering is equally favored
with their application by tho officers OF the law. 1t
generally supposed by the negrocs-and they re-
joiced the supposition-that there would be no
more whipping when they became tree; and the
whites, TO do them justice, gratined at the alb
OF this cruel mode ofpunishment Unfortunately
however, 1T had to be revived, and 1t was not until
very recently that its general necessity became in ;he
eyes of the officers OF the law, absolutely indispensable
to the OF justice. The Penentary and the jails
Of the State always full during the last ten years have
since work among the negroes became scarce and
''hard times" pressed heavily upon them, been
ovERcRowDED CRIMINALS
OF every DESCRIPTION PRINCIPALLY negroes. Four and
five OF them had TO be crowded into cell eight by ten
feet accommodate the enormous numbers that werc
daily candidates for confinement, and though the Jail
of this city has been twice enlarged its
capacity is not equal to tho demand. Under
such circumstance the Police Justice OF this
city found himself compelled to resort 10
punishment by stripes and, being a humane gentle
man as well as strict and impartial administrator OF
justice. he frequently allows tho criminals to choose
between confinement 10 Jail and labor reduction
in stho time of Imprisonment with stripes added.
Strange say, the negro invariably chooses the
stripes Pctn larceny is the only offence for which
criminals are whipped and II negro IS arralgned Tor
stealing chicken aud the sentence IS in these words
ten lashes whichever you choose the never failing
reply is 'weI, b'heve I'll take de whippn and dc
one day.o
The average white man South thief though he was,
would stay in Jail ten months before he would take
whipping with n cowhidc. This morning the only
case OF petty theft that came before His Honor
that of Daniel Carey (colored, charged with stealing
hat saturday night last from ninety mine cent?
store ON Broad street. Daniel being caught in the
act, admitted his guilt and the Justice promptly
fixed bis punishment at Ten days IN }ai, or nine
| lashes and one hours Imprisonment" without any
| hesitation Daniel at once said:
''GIa wnIPPIS'"
When the Court had closed the prisoners were taken
to jail, accompanied by Sergeant f. ii. Chaklcy, an
officer Of the Court whose unpleasant duty is to ad
minister tho lashes; but being duty he does not
! desire TO shirk it, Arrived the jail yard, Daniel
conducted solid looking octagonal post about
eight feet high aud TOUR feet IN circumference lrmly
embedded III the ground, at the western end OF the
yard. This IS the whipping post and is unpopu,arly
known among the negroes by the name OF "de Wild
der"
Come, Daniel, strip" said Sergeant Chalkley.
Slowly, and evidently very reluctantly Daniel, who
well built began to take oil his coat. One arm had
out OF the coat when Sergeant Chakley called TO
official Pass me my switch" Daniel looked
around and saw spinning into the officers hands a for
midable looking yellow cowhide, four feet long, and
tapering from threeeghts OF an inch in thickness Ut
end to a keen point at the other Out came the
other arm Of Daniels coat and his vest followed,
but the undressing operation slow that the Ser
geant had 10 call out Hurry up, Dane' on CAME the
shirt, leaving nothing but dirty greasy worsted
undershirt, and Daniel asked, 'Mus take dis up i
"Yes; pull il your head I" Tho way that Daniel
went about pulling that shirt his head looked
If he had never tried such thing before.
With the assistance OF the officer the shirt pulled
up high the neck, leaving Daniels black shining
skin exposed to the rays OF MONDAY sun Come,
now Daniel hug the widow close" the order, and
the prisoner embraced the horrible post AT the same
time officer placed his hand the victims lett
shoulder and raised the cowhde, and as he did the
negro turned his head looking in his face "LooK the
other way; don't look at me- said the Sergeant and,
rapidly his could rise and fall nine stripes, each
leaving a white mark on the black skin laid
II | except slight quivering motion of the negros
body at the in1iction OF each blow, he showed no
other evidence pain, but venture to say had the
been nine and thirty instead oil nine
Daniel would have begged for mercy before the whip
ping over. The lashes not what is called
''well laid on" l am informed but they were suf-
hclently 'well LAID on' to make any petty thief for
ever dread n subsequent intichon When the whip
ping was Daniel was asked how he ie and he in
dignantly answered II feels JUS well as ever d" "
and this was all that could be got out of him.