Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-11-20
pelAwARe,s WHIPPING POST.
Expert Testimony as to What II Has Nee"
and What 1t Is Now.

Expert Testimony as To What IL H"s 1855
and what 1t Is Now.
At the last session of the legislature it
was enacted s'that hereafter no female
convicted of any crime in this state shall
be whipped or be made to stand In the
pillory."
The introduction of this act revealed a
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, Tor
gerry, receiving stolen goods, assault
with intent to kill, conjuration, witch
craft, fortune telling and dealing with
spirits. The law had been a dead letter
for many years, the last white woman
having been whipped for larceny about
the year 1896. 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 Tor
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 dashed 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 man. For instance, if the
sheriff was a farmer he would have but
little mercy for a 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 a 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 rob5er 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
was mass of foul matter, besides being
bruised by being hit in the face. The
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 position to win
vote every time he spared mans back.
There has been but little difference as to
numbers between white and black vic
Tins.
There has been great toning down of
late years of the number of lashes ap-
piled. 1t was frequent thing years ago
To give prisoner cumulative sentence,
and for three successive SATURDAYS he
would receive eighty lashes. The result
was, even though the blows were lightly
laid on, that the victims back would be
In an awful condition. The story is told
of one old black man, who, after hein-
whipped upon three Saturdays. was sold
into slavery.
He declared that he would never "a
south, and when his purchaser go1 a
far as Havre lie Grace the poor fellow
cut his throat.
1t was the rule at one time to sell col
ored men and women to the highest lad
der after they had been whipped. and
they were frequently knocked down for
81 and quickly hurried south. There l. An
old man now in the New Castle cauDrr
aimShouse who was regularly engaged
~ the purchase Of blacks and selling 1t,=,-.
into slavery.
II Is really surprising, hoxsvsr. how
few are the real facts and incidents ttgf
those who are in position 10 KNOW ear.
tell.
There are very few whippinss in Kent
anu Sussex counties, - .!lar an material
Tor history of the past has TO J.
CLEANED in New Castle county. Nesrlv
every whipping has some little incid4B,
attached to it, but the story Of oDa i
The story of all.-Wilmingten News