The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-05
THE CAT-O'-NINE-TAlLS.
Whipping a Brute for an Assault on a
Six-Year-Old Girl.

Halifax IN. s Special
For the first time in the history of the
maritime provinces the cato -nine-tails"
has been used on the back of civil prison
er. Last evening Andrew Doyle, a man
well known about Halifax for his brutal dis
position, and who was convicted last October
of an assault on six-year-old girl, received
the punishment above mentioned in the
yard of the county Jail. The whipping was
performed by sailor belonging to her Maj
esty's warship Griffin, now at this port, An
iron triangle, consisting of three bars, each
about nine feet in length, was erected in
the yard for the purpose. When told that
the time had arrived Doyle trembled VIC
lently. He was directed to strip to the waist,
which he did. With a swinging walk he APP
preached the dreaded triangle. The sailor
who was to do the whipping stood there
quietly putting a cigar. apparently thinking
very little of the work before him, He held
in his hand two slender eats" The whip
beyond the handle was little over foot in
length, the nine tails at the end of each
bearing several small, hard knots. The ma
terial was of no greater thickness than an
ordinary fishing line. but very tough Walk
ing over to where the sailor stood Doyle
grasped him by the hand, shook ii heartily
not to strike in one place.
Immediately the work of securing Doyle
to the iron triangle was performed, his knees
and feet being strapped apart, each to one of
the iron bars, and his hands bound together,
being held above his head by a suspending
chord His coat was thrown over a wooden
bar crossing just at his chest and on this the
prisoner leaned. Doyle called out that his
hands were tied too tightly when they were
loosened slightly, and he said that would do.
The seaman called, Now, then. are you
leady? Who's going to count? Read the
warrant" mo, never mind the warrant"
said DOYLE, hurry up" But the sheriff,
producing the document mentioned from his
pocket, hastily read it.
Drawing back a couple of feet from the
triangle, the sailor rolled up the right sleeve
of his jacket, and, taking one of the two
"cats" in his right hand it was raised above
his head. Count" he cried to one of those
present and the whip descended with sharp
report on the prisoners naked back, striking
right across, about four inches below the
shoulders At once the lash was raised
again, and the seaman continued TO perform
his work as calmly as possible until twenty
lashes had been inflicted, the time occupied
being little more than half a minute. A
spectator called each stroke aloud as it fell.
On the lash being lifted the second time
narrow streak was visible on Doyle's back
and slight shudder passed through his
frame, but he at once regalneQ MS forced
composure. But on the lash having fallen
the fifth time Doyle began to writhe and
squirm.
Though he as yet had uttered no sound his
back was beginning to look rather red, but
no blood had appeared. On the thirteenth,
however, an agonized cry was heard. and
during the remainder of the whipping Doyle
shouted with apparently increasing pain.
The twentieth stroke having been laid on
the man was united, and the doctor, taking
a sponge soaked in water, washed the LAGER
ated back. Only one small stream OF blood
was descending on the left side of Doyle's
back but after the sponge had been applied
the surface looked very badly and the marks
of the "cat' were plainly seen. The whipper
had struck in almost the same spot at every
stroke, and the effect of the lashing was only
visible over limited surface.
Before the whipping began small piece of
hard rubber had been placed in Doyle's
mouth for him to bite, and now, removing
this, he took the sailors hand and said,
"Good-by" mo, not good-by," replied the
tar 81 hope to meet you again, in another
place. old fellow" "No, you won't" re-
Joined Doyle, mot after such as this" and
putting ON his coat he walked into the Jail
building and sat down. Doyle afterward said
that his suffering during the flashing had not
been so great as the spectators supposed, as
he had feigned feeling intense pain for fear
the sailor would lay the whip on heavier
The seaman who performed the whipping re-
ceiYed So for his task.