The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-22
INTRODUCED TO THE CAT.
Whipping White Man in Maryhnd-Fifteen
Lashes with Vanished RaWhide.

BALTIMORE, June 20-Frank Pyers is thick
set muscular man of about thirty years, who
was formerly brakeman on the Baltimore &
shaw in September, 1884. On Jan. 80 last he
followed his wife to the house of her mother, in
South Baltimore, and there, in the course of a
family unpleasantness, he knocked her down
and kicked her. She was in delicate condition
at the time and her ill-treatment produced a
miscarriage. Pyers was arrested, and on his
trial insisted that he might have been rough,
but he only meant to be playful in pushing his
wife from him. He denied the charge of brutal
assault He was convicted on April 20, under
the law of 1882, which provides fogging and
Imprisonment as penalty for wife beat
ing. and was sentenced to six months
in Jail and to receive fifteen lashes. Henry
A. Myers was convicted of similar offense,
and, on Monday last, was sentenced by
Judge StomaFt to twelve months Imprisonment
and twenty lashes. and but for the fact that his
counsel interposed motion for new trial,
Myers would have had the distinction which
Pyers received yesterday, when he was soundly
thrashed by Sheriff Airey with rawhide, name
ly, that of being the first white man in Maryland
to be publicly fogged. Less than twenty-four
hours intervended between the passing of the
sentence by Judge Fisher yesterday and the ex-
ecution of this part of it this morning. The first
man to suffer this penalty in Maryland after the
passage of the law in 1852, was Charles Foote,
colored who, in January, 1883, received seven
lashes. The present whipping post, at which
Pyers received his punishment to-day, was not
then finished, and Foote was logged while hand
cuffed to an iron railing in the main hall of the
city JAIL
Sheriff Airey left his office in the old court
house at 10:45. followed by dozen reporters
He wore white lawn tie and carried two raw
hides in his hand. On the way to the Jail he
met DIR. Donovan, a prominent candidate for
sheriff at the next election. They shook hands,
and Sheriff Airey offered to the aspirant for his
office an opportunity to assume at once its
duties. Dr. Donovan declined the honor and
did not attend the flogging.
The central hall of the Jail, in which the fog
glng took place, is a large, airy place, with a
castiron floor and large fountain in the center
The corridors and cells extend in both directions
from this hall, and are separated from it by
polished steel gratings In the southeast corner
of this place stood the whipping post, now to be
used Tor the first time 1t was made by two
prisoners. 1t is painted black and the metal
trimmings are of polished steel. A square post
six and a half feet high stands nearly in the
middle of fiat platform, raised about six inches
from the floor. Two arms project little more
than the length of mans reach on either side
OF an upright az an angle Of about thirty degrees
lHeSe arms are maze 10 Sllue TO accommodate
the height of the culprit. They are provided
with shackles for the wrists, to be adjusted
tightly by thumb screws. Two steel bands
are adjusted to the lower part of the upright
intended to bind tightly at the ankles and just
above the knees
At Ills Warden j. T. Morrison pounded a
gong, which must have sounded like knell to
the wretched expectant in cell LOG. Prisoners
who were moving about the corridors were put
out of sight, and presently Deputy Warden
Shea appeared with the ,culprit Pyers is five
and one-half feet tall and thick set. He wore
trousers, tobacco colored flannel shirt, and a
railroad brakeman's black alpaca cap. He had
about two days growth of beard and very
dragged expression of counter ance. He moved
Quietly and with apparent nerve to the black
whipping-po post and stepped upon the low plat
form. At sign from Warden Morrison he pulled
his shirt off over his head and stood barred to the
waist, patiently observing the preparations for
his punishment. The arms of the post were
lowered to the height OF his armpts and his
wrists were manacled his legs, too We're pin
Toned, and his face was turned to one side away
from the sheriff, his cheek, somewhat blanched,
resting against the upright Pyers stood mo-
tlonless, his fists clinched and the SPLENDID mus
cles of his arms and shoulders tightly strained
He could not see the sheriff, who stood at his
left and pace. behind him, rawhide in hand. but
he was plainly ready for the ordeal, and he
sho "ed determination to bear it, if possible
without finching.
mess, and Sheriff Airey placed the slender
three-foot switch of vanished rawhde lightly
on Pyers's shoulders. Then, raising it high in
air, he brought it down with full force and
whistling sound upon the left shoulder blade of
the prisoner. There was just the slightest ire
NOR of the frame as the lash stung him. Deputy
Sheriff Thurlow counted ''one' in an impressive
manner The second blow was then struck, and
Deputy Thurlow counted two The third
stroke of the whip seemed to completely unnerve
nd IC fpoY Cd fo,. fbo
manacles permitted. The muscles of the arms
and shoulders twitched convulsively, and the
abdominal muscles showed, by their short,
quick movement, the rapid breath which be-
too, grew white as the repeated blows fell rap.
idly. and he witnessed the silent agony of the
writhing frame pilloried before him. The
fifteen blows were laid on in sixteen seconds,
while the witnesses all held their breath. Pyers
did not utter sound and when the last blow
had been struck he seemed at once to recover
himself and though he would surely have fallen
during the hogging but for the support of the
post, he appeared rather more at ease than the
sheriff himself when they stood face to face after
the execution of the punishment.
Sheriff Airey moved quickly away when he
had finished his task, the perspiration standing
in beads on his forehead His face was color
less. Pyers stood perfectly still while the
shackles were loosened, and when Warden Nor
rison handed him his flannel shirt he put it on
the lashes were dealt him they made scarlet
lines across his shoulders. The skin did not
appear to be broken, but before he had put on
his shirt the lines had changed color and stood
in purple welts, pulled up and looking very
much like elongated blood blisters. When the
lash oyerreached the back and curled around
under the right arm the tingling end of the raw
hide had brought the blood in two strips across
the breast When Pyers was taken to his cell
he was attended by DR.. Hoffman. who gave him
stimulants for his depressed spirits and a lotion
of arnica and laudanum for his lacerated back.
AS Pyers was led to his cell he tossed his head
slightly. and smile partly parted his lips; but
it was not the jaunty head toss and playful
smile of good natured mrth To DR.. Hoffman
Pyers expressed his hearty dsapproval of the
law. He regarded his treatment as an indignity
which no white man should be called upon to
suffer. and he protested that he had done moth
ing to deserve so hard sentence. 1t is pretty
safe to say, however, that Mrs. Pyers will have
no more brutal treatment to dread from her lord