River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-01-09
THE wHIPPING-PosT IN CANADA
SicBening Spectacle in the 50. Thomas
JaiI-A WouId-Be RdcisIter Punished
tcftIt the Cat o. Mine Tails.
Lst. Thomas (Ont. } Journal.

tcffH the CAT U Mine IditS.
fSt. Thomas (Ont.) Journal.
VIM. Burt who was sentenced at the last
general sessions to receive twenty lashes of the
cat o nine tails, besides term of one month s
imprisonment, for committing an indecent as
sault on a seven-year-old child, was subjected
to his punishment yesterday.
1t was nearly II o clock when Burt was taken
from the prison cells. He marched along the
Jail corridor with an erect bearing and as firm
a step if he were going on parade. The trl-
angle, where the punishment was to take place
had already been erect d in the corridor, and
was constructed of three props of wool about
seven feet high, bound together at the top and
spreading toward the floor on which the base
rested. Leather bands were attached at suit
able places the triangle for purpose of tying
the hands and feet. The cat came from
Toronto, and wasa formidable enough looking
instrument. The nine thongs of which it was
composed were made of twisted cord, ana these
were tied to a wooden handle about eighteen
inches long. Not moments time was lost In
proceeding to business. The man appointed to do
the whipping-a London man-prOceeded ar
once to fasten Burt to the triangle after he had
been stripped to the waist. Only about dozen
people were present, including the sheriff, DIR.
Van Buskirk, the Jail surgeon, and DR.. Leitch
When all was ready the sheriff read the SEN
tence of the court. Then he desired one of the
turnkeys to keep count of the strokes. The
flagelator had taken his stand on the left sid
of Burt and in the most favorable position 70
bringing the lash to bear with effect, He was q
wiry looking customer, and evidently under,
stood his business. Burt's face was concealed
from the spectators, owing to the back view
which he presented, but he had evidently
braced himself for the trial, and his body did
not betray quiYer.
Zone, said the turnkey. and with pre-
liminary flourish to increase the momentum
the "cat" came whizzing down down across
u +hn traI1 afJ %
streaks extending from shoulder to shoulder.
The strokes followed in quick succession, and
were administered with skiIlful, biting sweep
that brought each individual thong into ettec-
tive play. At the twelfth stroke the lash de-
scended about q couple of inches lower than the
preceding ones, "Strike up" demonstrated
Burt. and not another word did he utter until all
was over. Domino said he then. His back by
this time had assumed a raw and livid aspect
but no blood had been drawn, although the
great welts stood out from his shoulders like
blood-vessels ready to burst. Hekwas released
and then he turned to the man with the cat
o nine tails and asked; why didn't you
keep striking above? A pretty good Christmas
present this" he continued, and l have not
deserved it either. ] wish, sheriff, you would
give Judge Hughes my compliments for this
Christmas present, and l N perfectly innocent
of the charge II can say nothing about
that, replied the sheriff; 'both the judge and
the Jury believed you were guilty, II am
innocent for all that" said Butt, 'and didn't
get "a fair opportunity for calling witnesses
Dr. Van Buskirk then applied liniment to
his back, which by this time had become
almost black, and he was soon afterward re-
moved.
The spectacle was a sickening one. Burt is
about as years of age and served for sixteen
years in the British army having fought through
ont the Crlmean war and in India. Whatever
his moral character may be it is certain that
the man hasn't an atom of physical cowardice
in his whole composition.