The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-05
INFLICTING THE LASH.
PUNISHMENT ny WHIPPING I'm THE
STATE OF VIRGINIA.
Three Minutes Of Agony-An Enthusiastic
Police Of1icer.

/ Washington Post.l
The State laws Of Virginia provide that al
persons convicted Of petty larceny shall re
ceive certain number Of stripes proportion
ate to the offense. To observe and describe
the method of inficting this punishment Q
section Of the Post was detailed yesterday
morning to visit Alexandria, where two ne.
| groes had been sentenced by the mayor to be
whipped. The offense for which they were
convicted was small, merely the larceny OF a
cap, and consequently the number Of stripes
was comparatively light. Shortly after
o'clock the men were released from their cells
and brought into the corridor OF the station
house.
| "Now, Henry Carter, step up and put your
hands through the gratings OF this cell door,
said Lieut. John L. Smith. as he drew a
| newly-purchased cowhide whip from its
A well-formed negro black as the ace OF
| spades, about twenty-One years OF age, and
| naked to the waist, walked up and placed his
| the lieutenant passed the whip to Officer
Franks, who generally infllcts this punish
ment.
How many, boss p asked Carter, as his
hands were secured on the other side.
"Twenty-one," replied the officer.
Lay them on light" pleaded Carter, as he
began to sing "Hallelujah" and "Glory to
God" to keep up courage
Swish! Down came the cruel whip on the
mans bare back. A long white mark looked
| livid In contrast to the ebony skin. "Twop
called the officer, as a deep cut showed where
the second blow had struck. The third, fourth
and fifth followed In steady succession, each
about one inch below the other. By this time
blow fell diagonally across the preceding
| ones, and the whole body OF the wretched ne
gro quivered with agony. Down came the
whip again, and Carter writhed like q snake
such force that, at the latter blow, the handle
Of the whip broke about eight inches from
the butt end. Without stopping for q new
whip, Officer Franks grasped the instrument
further up and kept at his work. Another
blow. The whipping was only half done, and
Carriers back was already marked like q
checker-board. Each successive blow drew
from the negro the most piteous yells. His
body sguirmed against the cell-door. and
He turned half way round, and the relentless
whip wound itself around his side and drew
the blood from his breast. He jumped in his
agony, and the cowhide fell across his neck
and face. Each blow now seemed to sink like
iron into the mans body. The blood began
to rush from the lacerated flesh, and to one
unused to this punishment the scene was al
most horrible.
" III *.
Captain" screamed Carter, as the blows fell,
sharp and stinging, upon his back the pain
growing with each more and more intense.
70 add to the scene II indeed 1t needed any
addition, the. other culprit, Albert Dorsey,
who appeared enduring mentally what his
companion was suffering physically, COM
menced to howl as loud as possible. At last.
however, the justice OF the law was satisfied.
The whole operation only. took about three
minutes, and yet It seemed as II all the pain
which could be inflicted In that space OF time
was laid upon Carter. Although the blows
had ceased, it was evident that the pain was
still felt, and the negro thief will carry the
marks OF yesterdays whipping for some time
Nov, Dorsey, it is your turn" said the
Lieutenant, and the second negro was placed
In the same position as the first. "Give him
fifteen" added Mr.. Smith, and the officer
whip, as. if to try it, proceeded at once to
carry into effect his superiOr's orders. On
Dorsey 8 skin, which was light brown, the
marks showed more plainly, and the blood
peated, and though he seemed to suffer as
much pain as Carter, he appeared to get over
1t quicker when the whipping was finished.
What do you think OF this businessY
asked the Post Of Lieut. Smith. after the
whipping was over, while the negroes were
putting on their clothes.
II am In favor of it. My experience shows
that 1t reduces the number OF larcenies to
great extent. Not only that, but 1t saves the
expense OF courts, 1t discOurages pettifogging
lawyers, and It is far more effectual than jails
or warehouses;, which only harden criminals
II suppose you have seen many cases OF
whipping Z" inquired this particular fibre OF
the Post.
what is the extent of the law p
'Seventy-eight stripes. But to inflict them
all at once would kill any man, and SO only
thirty-nine are given daily, until the sentence
only inflicted when the offense Is an aggra-
ten or fifteen"
Meandering over toward Mr.. Franks, who
on his coat, the Post asked him how re liked
ooh, am used to it," he answered: land
don't mind 1t much. Don't you think this
was neat job 2"
Perhaps It was. The reporter did not like
to express an opinion, but thought he might
as well agree with Mr.. Franks, and rather re-
luctantly assentcd.
There are not many men who know how
sisstcally. "Some OF them catch hold Of it
as though 1t was stick, and bring 1t down
heavy. Now, don't. / just make simple
twist OF the wrist (illustratfngl and bring the
whip down like spring. That cuts like q
What kind Of whip do you like best2" In
quired the reporter.
swell, don't like that kind" said the gen.
tleman, pointing to the instrument he had
thrown down. ut is too stiff, and liable to
break. But it don't make much difference If
1t is handled right. They all hurt"
"Do the men always squeal?'
Sometimes they start out with the deter
mination to not open their mouths, but the
whip generally takes that out Of them. I re-
member the man, though, named Butcher
Smith, who Tailed off each stripe until he
reached thirty-nine, when he said, Stop her r
Then he put on his clothes, Lit his pipe, and
went out of the door. Another man, named
Butter, refused to be tied, and stood with his
arms folded while he was whipped. But these
are exceptional cases. The white men stand
1t better than negroes"
How about the womenp
i never whipped q woman, although such
thing has been done here often. You see
the law allows US discretion In the case Of
women, and they are generally sent to jail.
But we have no such discretion regarding
men,"
What do you think Of the punishment"
"What do / think Of it? Well, I would
sooner 90 tO iail for sly monthe than faLc