Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-11-26
AT THE PILLORy AND POST,
James Carr Was Punished But His
Guilty. Partner Got Off.

Sou'''e ihtericrencc Ihat caused Grcat
indignation - How Sheriff Simmons
JndiciousIy Applied tho Lash.
The usual crowd of idlers and curiosity
seekers attended the first instalment OF the
tali term of court whippings at New Castle
on Saturday. There was more than ordi-
nary interest felt on account of the fact
gchat Joseph Townsend and James Carr.
the two young but desperate criminals
VINO were convicted at the present term of
cfurt last week, were to receive penalty
~ one hour in the pillory and 40 lashes Il
sentence visited only upon criminals of the
higher grades of crime. And this interest
was intensified by the report that Governor
Reynolds had interposed his executive pre-
Iogauye to the extent of sparing Town
send, the greater rascal of the two, from
"e punishment OF the pillory and the post.
Way WAS TOWNSEND SPARED?
, The rumor proved to be correct. Sheriff
simmons, about o'clock Friday night, re-
I celved a dispatch from Governor Reynolds
~ pover, directing him not to pillory and
iasI townsend, MS that portion of his sem
tence had been remitted. The sheriff
tobeyed the telegram to the extent of not
placing Townsend in the pillory in COM
Pany with Carr as he otherwise would
have done. He awaited for the official
document RENTING the corporal part of
Townsend's punishment. 1t did not arrive
On the early mail train, and the sherit1's
GENIAL countenance assumed u grim aspect
rs he discussed the situation. There is a
mail from below ON the 02 train" he
said, but if the papers do not arrive ON
that train Townsend will have to take his
sentence. | cannot disobey or disregard
the sentence of the court simply upon the
responsibility of an unauthenticated telc-
gram"
1t cannot be denied that the sheriff was
snything but pleased at the outcome If
poth prisoners had been spared, he would
have acquiesced with perfect satisfaction,
put 10 was aggravating to know that Town
pend, the ringieader i'll the crime for which
both had been convicted, and n criminal
who has OH two previous occasions man
aged to evade the full punishment for his
crimes, did not coincide with the sheriff's
ideas Of fairness and justice. And in this
view the sheriff was endorsed by every one
who visited New Castle last Saturday.
Ihere,was feeling that Townsend should
have been visited with the full penalty on
account of his vicious record and the well
understood fact that in the offence for
which both were convicted, Carr was, in
great measure, a tool of Townsend. who
engineered the affair and took the initia-
tive. 1t was Carr's offence, and Townsend
got the lions share of the money that was
stolen from the victim they assaulted on
the highway.
SAVED IN GOOD TIME.
What Influences were brought to bear
upon Governor Reynolds to induce him to
extend clemency in this undeseryed case
are not known. 1t is understood, however,
that some Democratic politicians of the
Ninth ward interested themselves, out of
regard for members of Townsend's family.
The official document which saved the
young scapegrace from the post and pillory
was brought up from Dover ON Saturday
on the train due at New Castle at li.62
O'Clock by his sister, She went at once to
the Jail and placed the paper in Warden
fuckers hands. 1t was at once turned
over to Sheriff Simmons, and so the cul-
prits back was saved.
During the period of suspense Townsend
Teclined on the bed in his cell, on the
second tier, calmly reading a paper. lie
had received an inkling of the good for
tune in store for him, and did not appear
TO be much concerned. He was not
directly informed, however, and only the
lapse of time and the,suspension OF opera
tions at the post informed him that he
would not have to undergo the trying
ordeal.
BEGINNING OPERATIONS.
It was just 1920 o'clock when James
Carr, the only candidate for the pillory,
was brought out and placed in the stocks
IL was evidently q long hour for Carr
although he bore his Painful punishment
with great fortitude. There was Il crowd
OF about 200 spectators present, and they
divided their attention between the culprit |
in the stocks and newspaper artist who |
was sketching the scene for his journal |
Carr's face was turned down ON account of |
his enforced position in the Stocks and this |
together with his hat being pushed |
down closely, kept his features well |
concealed from view A slight view of |
his features revealed an expression Of |
deep and serious reflection. Occasionally |
he shifted his feet but otherwise he main |
tanned his trying position with great stoi- |
cism. AT the end Of the hour, when he
was released, he stretched himself and ran |
down the ladder to the ground quite MIN |
bly,. AS he disappeared around the corner |
i'll the direction of the door leading to tile |
cells he rubbed his stiffened neck with his |
left hand and smiled visibly.
PLYING THE car
At 1l.30 o'clock to the minute Sheriff |
simmons, with the wicked-loolSng 'cat''
in hand, came into the Jail ward and took |
his stand at one side Of the post. In an |
instant the crowd gathered around in Il
compact circle and deepsilcnc prevailed, |
Everybody wore an air of expectancy and |
waited for the circus to begin
James Carr was the first victim, and his |
face wore sullen, determined expression /
as Warden Tucker fastened his wrists in |
the manacles on either side of the post. |
Sheriff Simmons administered the pun |
ishment mercifully, but it is not possible |
to administer 40 blows with a cato nine
tails, no matter how lightly, without leav-
ing visible marks. Carr's back bore a
broad, red welt, when the castigation was
finished. He squirmed slightly at each
blow, but made no cutlery. When all was
over he threw ON his coat, gazed carelcssly
at the crowd, and walked back to the Jail.
1T didn't hurt very much,' he said /
afterwards, when asked how the punish.
ment felt. II stood it all right, didn't /?
1t didn't kill me"
THE SMALLER FRY.
William Faulkner, notorious chicken
thief, was the next victim. He is no
stranger the post. His recent depreda-
tons upon the hen roosts of New Castle
county have been so aggravating that the
sufferers were much incensed against him,
and the sheriff determined to give him
something to think off. His ten lashes
were laid ON with fair share Of
the sheriff's muscular force and he got
tanning that will live in his memory for
many a day. The blows left dark ridges
upon his dusky hide but no blood was
drawn. Heneyer budged, and as he walked
away looked defiantly at the crowd. The
crown simply laughed
William Dorsey, colored, sentenced to
five lashes for larceny, had been in mortal
dread of his punishment for the previous
"a hours, to such an extent that he Wor-
ried himself almost sick. 1t was his first
offence and the punishment was lightly
administered, although he finched it
every blow. When he retired he looked as
though he felt greatly relieved.
Charles Medium, white man who
stole watch, was next brought out IL, re-
ceive five lashes. In his case the sheriff
did not feel required to be especially gentle,
and the five lashes fell sharply, bringing
ont the red welts in plain view. II looks
would kill the sheriff would have been