Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23
peLAwARE's WHIPPING POST.
Expert Testimony as to What It Has Beer
and What It Is Now.


convicted of any crime in this state shall
be whipped or be made to stand in the
pillory."
The introduction of this act revealed
fact not generally known, that women
could lawfully be whipped for counter
feiting, horse stealing, burglary, arson, |
manning by lying in wait and poisoning.
They are liable to be put in the pillory |
for perjury, subornation of perjury, for
gerry, receiving stolen goods, assault
with intent to kill, conjuration, witch
craft, fortune telling and dealing with
spirits The law had been dead letter
for many years, the last white woman
having been whipped for larceny about
the year 1886. The law was afterward
amended to do away with the lash for
white women. AS late as 1870 colored
women were sent to the post. At the
session of the legislature in 1871 the word
"white" was stricken out Of the law re-
lating to the punishment of women for
larceny, and the black sisters were put
on an equality with their white sisters.
Now it is designed to remove all posi-
bility of women being whipped or put in
the pillory.
A gentleman who has been perfectly
familiar with the operations of the whip
ping post for over forty years says that
he has seen scores of prisoners lashed at
the post, and while it is seldom now that
blood is drawn, if ever, he has seen backs
of prisoners that were almost cut to 'a
jelly" He says that the whippings be-
came less violent when the newspapers
began to report the quarterly perform
ances at New Castle with the cat. The
whippings formerly only took place twice
year.
There was a great tendency upon the
part of sheriffs to regulate the force of
their blow entirely through prejudice for
or against a man. For instance, if the
sheriff was farmer he would have but
little mercy for fellow put under the
lash for horse stealing. The man who
robbed store would get off pretty well
if the sheriff was farmer. Then again,
if the sheriff was city or town man he
would have no mercy on city burglar
or sneak thief. This same gentleman de-
clares that he has seen, but many years
ago, nine or ten men run back from the
post with their backs all bloody. The
story that blood often runs from the
backsof the victims and soaks the ground
is absurd. The writer has seen two or
three hundred men whipped, but has
never seen the blood flow. He has seen
large welts on the backs of the victims,
and fine drops of blood almost ready to
come through, but never any blood run
ming.
Many years ago butcher named STAN
hope was waylaid and robbed ON the
highway, first being shot and badly hurt.
The robber was arrested and convicted
and sentenced to the pillory. A number
of the butchers purchased three barrels
, of old eggs and went to New Castle on
the day of the whipping armed with
eggs. After the man was placed in the
pillory, which was then in the open space
. outside of the Jail yard, the butchers be-
> gan fusillade of eggs The poor victim
7 was mass of foul matter, besides being
! bruised by being hit in the face. The
t sheriff had great trouble to stop the out
] rage At the next session of the legisla-
ture the post was moved inside the Jail
yard. There have been no incidents Of
!. the Stanhope kind since. The Jail gates
are always thrown open to the public on
whipping days, but the best of order pre-
walls.
The history of the post for fifty years
is that the lash as rule has been used
with leniency. The whites have escaped
it has been claimed, for political reasons
the sheriff being in a position to win q
vote every time he spared mans back
There has been but little difference as tc
Tins.
There has been a great toning down Of
late years of the number of lashes ap
piled. 1t was a frequent thing years age
to give prisoner cumulative sentence
and for three successive Saturdays HI
would receive eighty lashes, The result
was, even though the blows were lightly
J. laid on, that the victims back would be
in an awful condition. The story is told
: of one old black man, who, after being
whipped upon three Saturdays, was sole
d into slavery.
/. He declared that he would never g
n south, and when his purchaser got a.
Q far as Havre de Grace the poor fellow
a cut his throat.
1t was the rule at one time to sell col
!. ored men and women to the highest bid
d der after they had been whipped, ant
i they were frequently knocked down fol
81 and quickly hurried south. There is al
old man now in the New Castle county
almshouse who was regularly engaged
N in the purchase of blacks and selling then
!. into slavery.
= 1t is really surprising, however, how
). few are the real facts and incidents tina
a those who are in position to know car
tell. -.... .....
y There are very few whippings in Ken
et and Sussex counties, SO that all materia
a for history of the post has to b.
CLEANED in New Castle county. Nearly
! every whipping has some little inciden
= attached to it, but the story of one il
i the story Of all.-Wilmington News.
n, -
Long Horns I'm Germany,