Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-02
THE wH1pP1NG-posr IN CANADA.
Stcke,.tnO- Spectacle In the st. Thon,a.
JGiL-A WOlsLd-Be RnUtsher Punished
With the 6nt O, Nine TaiIS.

Siche,,tnO Spectacle In the st. Thomas
JGil-A Wo,sld-Be Icnvtsher Punished
toit!t the Cat o. Ntne Tails.
[St. Thomas (Ont.) Journal
VIM. Burt who was sentenced ut the last
general sessions to receive twenty lashes of the
cat o. nine tails, besides term of one months
imprisonment, for committing an indecent as
sault on a seven-year-old child, was subjected
to his punishment yesterday.
It was nearly II . o'clock when Burt was taken
Jail corridor with an erect bearing and as firm
step as if he were going on parade. The tri-
angle, where the punishment was to take place
had already been erect, 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 on the triangle for purpose of tying
the hands and feet. The cat came from
Toronto, aud wasa formidable enough looking
instrument. The nine thongs of which it was
com posed were made of twisted cord. and these
were tied to a wooden handle about eighteen
inches long. Not a moments time was lost in
proceeding to business. The man appointed to do
the whipping London man-proceeded at
once to fasten Burt to the triangle after he had
been stripped to the waist. Only about dozen
people We're present, including the sheriff, DR..
Van Buskirk. the Jail surgeon and DR.. Leitch.
When all was ready the sheriff read the SER
tence of the court. Then he desired one Of the
turnkeys to keep count of the strokes. The
dagellator had taken his stand on the left side
of Burt, and in the most favorable position for
bringing the lash to bear with effect. He was
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
bras nlf Few fho trso1 md 1>r1.v \
not betray quiyer.
"One. said the turnkey, and with pre-
iminary flourish to increase the nom entum
the cat" came whizziLg down down across
Burt's back, leaving the trail of nine blood-red
streaks extending from shoulder to shoulder.
The strokes followed in quick succession. and
were administered with skillful, biting sweep
that brought each individual thong into effec-
tive play. At the twelfth stroke the lash de-
scended about 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,
great welts stood out from his shoulders like
blood-vessels ready to burst. Heowas released,
and then he turned to the man with the cat
o nine tails and asked: ''Why didn't you
keep striking above? pretty good Christmas
present this, he continued, land have not
oeseTFeu IL e1t0er. WISH, Snerlu, you would
give Judge Hughes my compliments for this
Christmas present. and I'm perfectly innocent
of the charge" II can say nothing about
that, replied the sheriff; "both the Judge and
the jury believed you were guilty." ZIG am
innocent for all that said Butt, land didn't
get fair opportunity for calling Witnesses
DR.. Van Buskirk then applied a liniment to
his back, which by this time had become
almost black. and he was soon afterward re-
moved.
The spectacle was sickening one. 5urt is
about IS years of age, and served for sixteen
years in tie British army, having fought through
his moral character may be it is certain that
the man hasn't an atom of physical cowardice
in his whole composition.