The Brookhaven leader., 1883-11-01
The Whipping-Post.

JfcTdtd SAYS: FOR the hrst time IN the
history of the maritime provinces the
"cat- 'o-nine-tails' has been used on the
back Of civil prisoner. Last evening
Andrew Doyle, a man well known about
Halifax for his brutal disposition, and
who was convicted last October of an
assault on a six-year-old girl, received
the punishment above mentioned IN the
yard of the county jail. He was sem
fenced to nine-months' Imprisonment,
during which time he should receive
twenty lashes on the bare back. The
whipping, which was administered in
the iail-yard, was performed by a sailor
belonging to Her Majesty's war-ship
Griffin, now at this port. There were
only six persons present, including two
newspaper men. An iron triangle, con-
Sisting of three bars, each about nine
feet in length. was erected in the yard
for the purpose.
The prisoner had been dreading the
iuiiiction of the lash, but had not been
informed of the impending whipping
until the medical officer entered the jail
about five O'Clock p. m. When toll
that the time had arrived Doyle trembled
violently. He was directed to strip to
the waist, which he did. With n swing
ing walk he approached the dreaded
triangle The sailor who was to do the
whipping stood there quietly putting
cigar, apparently thinking very little of
the work before him. He held in his
hand two slender "catS." " The whip
beyond the handle was a little over a
foot in length, the nine tails at the end
of each bearing several small, hard
lnAt- Tho nj Of n
thickness than an ordinary fishing line,
the sailor stood, Doyle grasped him by
the hand, shook it heartily, and asked
him to be as easy as possible and not to
strike in one place.
Immediately the work of securing
Doyle to the iron triangle was per-
formed, 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 suspend
ing cord. His coat was thrown over a
wooden bar crossing Just above his
chest. and on this the prisoner leaned.
Doyle called out that his hands were too
tight. when they were lOosened slightly,
and he said that would do. The sea-
man called: Now, then, are YOU
ready? Who's going to count? Read
the warrant" mo, never mind the
warrant" said Doyle; hurry up"
But the Sheriff, producing the docu-
ment 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 q sharp report on
the prisoner naked back, striking right
across, about four inches below the
shoulders. At once the lash was raised
again, and the seaman continued to per-
form 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 regained his forced COM
pOsure. 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 remain
der of the whipping Doyle shouted
with apparently increasing pain. The
twentieth stroke having been laid on
the man was united, and the doctor,
taking sponge soaked in water,
wasEed the lacerated back. Only one
small stream of blood was descending
on the left side of Doyle's back, but aft
er 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 a
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 sa d, ''Good- bye" ''No, not
good-bye,' replied the tar. II hope to
meet YOU again, in another place, old
fellow mo, you won't" reioined
Doyle, mot after such as this" and,
putting on his coat. he walked into the
Jail building and sat down. Doyle aft
erward said that his suffering during the
1asbing 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
received five dol ars for his task.