The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-12-15
WHIPPING-POSTS AGAIN.
Efforts Of Prominent New Workers
In This Direction.
What II II Hoped to Accomplish ThroT -
Such . Law-To he Employed Only
for wifs-Beaters and Brutal
Thugs.

Few York proposes to Hetempt 10 re-
vive the system of corporal punish
ment for certain classes Of offenders
At least certain people in New York,
led by Elbridge T. Gerry, will try TO
have the following made law at the
next session of the legislature:
Whenever a male person shall be
convicted of a felony consisting OF or
accompanied by the infliction of phys
ical pain or suffering upon the person
of another, the court may, in its dis
cretion, in addition to that penalty
now prescribed by law, impose an ad-
ditional sentence of corporal punish
ment to be inflicted upon the offender
in the prison to which he shall be SEN
fenced. Such corporal punishment
shall be inflicted in private in said
prison, in the presence OF the warden
and sur geop thereof, who shall certify
the fact to the court wherein it was
imposed"
Commodore Gerry is very much in
earnest in the matter, and in an inter
view with reporter for the New York
Recorder stoutly defended the plan on
the ground that it provided for the
only punishment that is really feared
by the brutes that it is intended to
reach.
| Crime" said he, "of the more brutal
! and fiendish character is frightfully on
! the increase, especially in the case
| where children of both sexes are the
| victims Instances in which lifelong
! injuries have been inflicted on girls
| and boys of tender age are becoming
so numerous that it is time something
was done to strike at the very root Ct
evil, and / am sure the only weapon
that can be effectively used against the
brutes who, in their passions, exhibit
no thought or feeling for their victims
is the lash.
"Once let the brutal element of the
community know that the pain ano
suffering inflicted by them on other'
| will be meted out on their own bodie:
and the shocking state of affairs now
existing will be to a great exten
wiped out. | am thankful to say tina
the creatures responsible for the OF
fenses are foreigners. The grade o
crime against which the resolution i
aimed is peculiar to men from othe
countries. And the only way to shov
these wretches that they cannot in
dulge in such things in this contincn
is the crack and the sting of the lash.
1T has been enormously stated tina
wife beaters are included among tn
creatures against whom we are fight
ing. This is not so. We are only ad
vocating the lash for felony committe
by men. Wife-beaters belong to al
other class of animals which may O
may not deserve good thrashing
They, however, do not enter into tn
discussion. Burglary with Violence. a.
, sault OF any brutal nature-those ar
the offenders who, maintain, shoul
feel the sting of the lash. convictio
of twenty years, reduced by good bi
havior to twelve, has no salutary effec
on the callous element with which al
dealing.
! "As an instance, you, law-abidint
peaceful citizen, are enjoying wei
earned rest; hardened brute of bu
glar, not satisfied with plunder, deli
e erately knocks you over the head, pu
your eye out, crushes in your skull
mains you, beats you, and for this
gets twenty years. Is that any sati
> faction to you? Do you get new e.
. or another skull or clean skin? n
. Then say let his punishment be pr
portionate in some degree to the c
fense.
Formerly crimes of which special
speak were punishable by death. b
experience showed that the class
people that commit these crimes
personal violence don't dread deaf
J Nihilists, anarchists, atheists and q
j more degraded classes scout the ide
Corporal punishment is the only thin
the scamps and rascals are afraid {
A few years in prison doesn't have al
deterrent effect. A man comes out
n prison and he Immediately perpetrat
a similar crime, but if he understan
that he is going to get dose of tn
which he infiicts on other people,
thinks twice before he runs the risk.
1T is nonsense to play the fool wi
criminals and say that corporal puni'
= ment is degrading and revival of
dark ages Are the abuses inflicted
little children degrading? Was the
anything in the dark ages more deb
* ing than the revolving acts which
he cur to-day? There seems to be NAV
M, ish sensibility in the opposition to c
N poral punishment. 1t is the old
IN form of punishment known, and 1T is
% be found in the Mosaic law. Th'
De- can be nothing brutal in it, provit
me yon don't make the exhibition pub
to In Delaware they have a curious me
- oi. A felon is sentenced to thi
of lashes, fifteen of which are admin
ter tered He is then told to get out of
re- state, and if he is found there after
cu lapse of a week the balance of
he thirty lashes awaits him. The p
aid works admirably.
F. Again, in London, when the garr
ers were terrorizng the city, the eat
- nine-tails was brought into play W
such effect that garroting was
known in very short space of til
Would l suggest any particular m'
eX of administering the punishment?
1hi, The ordinary lash on the back wo
meet all requirements. 1t is effeeti
and if live long enough the advisa
~ ity of its legalization will come bef
ro- the next session of the legislature.
) of -------
lt- rraus,rat pr>saofa frpv,, he Ouee n