Telegram-herald., 1890-04-16
PRISON BRUTALITY.
The Whipping Post In the Missouri ssass
Penitentfary.


A correspondent of tho 81 Louis Be-
public. who has been there. telis Of
prison punishment IN Missouri. He
says:
Tho use of tho lash IN the prison Is
oommon-too common 10 be Of any pos
sible benefit in keeping order. A man
goes 70 the whipping-post, not with the
feeling that he is being punished for
some infraotion Of the rules, but 70 graf
ify the ill-feeling Of some guard whose
enmity he has incurred. Deputy War
den Bradbury is the one whose duty Il Is
to WELD the raw-hide. In the middle OF
the room stand the whipping-post and
stocks. The mon stand facing the in
strument OF torture, and tho guards re-
port the conduct OF their men TO the war
den. One complains that ono of his
men neglected his work or was talking
to fcllow-prisoner; perhaps q prisoner
was caught carrying bread TO his cell
from the kitchen. Deputy Warden
Bradbury steps up 10 the whipping
pulls of his coat, rolls up his sleeves,
and in a caressing way picks up a raw
hide, which he intently examines TO SEQ
IL il Is all right
THE culprit is brought UP 10 the
post. His hands are tied 10 the post
near the ground, leaving him in q stoop-
ing position. His neck is placed under
the stocks, which are then fastened so
that be can not jerk his head away. The
deputy warden steps up, and seizing the
mans shirt, pulls it up around bis neck,
leaving the bare back exposed. The
prisoner receives from one TO twenty
five lashes, according 70 the oTense and
the number of times he has been at the
post. The warden tucks his shirt
sleeves carefully above his elbow. takes
the raw-hide in his hand, plants his
foot firmly, and with full swing OF bis
powerful arm down comes tho
whip with a swish and crack upon tho
bare back Of the prisoner. Swish, comes
the whip again, and the prisoner bita
his lip to keep from crying out with
pain, as such a thing only increases tho
punishment Crack the whip again
and again strikes the quivering flesh,
leaving & thick welt along tho skin,
and as tho foroo Of the blows increases
as the Deputy Warden warns up % his
work. the welts assume frat rod, then
a blue hue, and finally the blood
tricklcs down over his back IN little
streams Again and again The lash.
soft and pliable with the warm blood.
curls around the naked form Of the
crouohing and shrinking prisoner until
either the allotted punishment has been
inflicted or else the prisoner faints from
the pain and torture.
He is then given over - tho care n
tho doctors. From long practice the
whipping master can make the whip
ping more severe in given number OF
strokes on the person of one prisoner
than another. In case he wishes TO
make the pain moro intense, after one
half the strokes have been giyen be
goes 70 the other side of the prisoner
and makes series - cross-cuts, making
8 number Of bloody Ks on the back I
have seen q prisoner faint from the
severity u The punishment and from
loss Of blood. After the whipping 10
over the prisoner Is cared for. THE blood
or The rswbide is carefully wiped Of.
eno II y res4F ivf hbe he1t c@iPftA
When tho whipping vss done ~ an
Official who vas intoxicsted or under
the inhuenoe % hquor, tbe punishrDens
was always more severs. have seen
one u The officials ssscrer "a be walked
Up - the whipping post. and J know be
was greatly Ender the influence ~
hoEorr