Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-14
THE WHIPPING POST.
How Justice to Criminals IL Adminis-
tered in Delaware.


One Of the largest crowds that has at
tended a whipping in several years was in
attendance last Saturday at Newcastle,
Del. when the gates of the jail yard were
thrown open to the public. There we're
visitors from Philadelphia and other cit
les even farther distant. Sheriff Gould es-
timated that there were at least 500 wit
nesses. and. although there were many
among them that had seen the infection of
corporal punishment before: all seemed to
take an interest in the program which had
been provided by the district judges.
The paraphernalia used in administering
this form of Delaware justice is very
simple. the whipping post and pillory be-
ing combined into one structure Below is
the post with iron cuffs about seven feet
from the ground. Above is platform with
the pillory attached to the main post and
with accommodations for two prisoners.
The whip used is the regular cat-o'-nine-
tails attached to a wooden handle about
two feet long. Under the provisions Of the
law the sheriff is not allowed to bend his
arm while delivering a blow, but this does
not take away many of the terrors, as it
can readily be understood that a sheriff
who has plenty of weight behind can get
considerable force into a full arm swing.
usually Obstreperous.
Saturday there were seven offenders, all
coiored, and colored man does not get
much of show in Delaware, especially If
OF these were -
At IL o'clock John Smith, barn burner,
and Levy Gibson. who murderously as
saulted Josephine Handy, colored school
teacher, were brought out and placed in
the pillory as a sort of a curtain raiser for
the remainder of the performance. With
their necks and wrists pinioned, they were
obliged to stand for an hour Then they
were taken down and Sheriff Gould ap-
peared upon the scene with his whip. Smith
was ptnioned to the post and twenty lashes
were laid onto the bare back, but the sher-
IN did not strain his muscle very hard on
him and he left the post apparently glad
to have gotten Off so easily.
IN ADDITION to the punishment he will
nave six years for sober reflection in the
jail. Gibson Will not be whipped toll
bis offense. but he has five years to serve.
robert Brown was the next to bare his
broad, black back. He had stolen coal
and as he appeared to have a pretty stout
back the prescribed ten lashes were laid on
pretty hard. but he took it coolly and gave
no outward sign Of pain. He will have six
months In which to nurse his sore back.
Next came four chicken thieves, James
saunders, George Playter, Thomas Field and
Henry Floyd They drew fifteen lashes
EACH and as chicken thief is not looked
upon as an honored member of society in
that neighborhood Sheriff Gould was not
at all sparing with the "cat." This was
merely a preparatory lesson for them, there
being two charges against them, and the
dose will be repeated next Saturday. They
will also serve two years.
Morris Gooding was the last of the VIC
Tins. He stole a horse. buggy. robe and
whip. He paid for the robe and whip with
ten lashes and will pay for the horse and
buggy with another dose of the same medi-
cine to the extent of twenty lashes; then
he will serve four years.
The victims took their punishment coolly.
Some of them went through a series Of con-
tortions as the lash descended upon their
bare backs, and occasionally one Of them
would give vent to a stified groan, but the
majority left the post with grins on their
faces. The spectators were very orderly
except when the four chicken thieves were
on the rack; then they could not refrain
from a few gibes and jeers at the unfortu-
rates,