The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-09-22

ed Baitim ore. whld6 explains Itself.
To the Sheriff OF New Castle COunty,
Wilmington. Del.
DEAR Sn:--I am not against the
whipping post, on the contrary i
should like to see 1t In every State OF
the Union.
Your corporal punishment lie more
effective by the Disgrace attach I'D to
it than by the severity of tho blows.
The great trouble OF to day is to make
the prisons so comfortable, that really
we cannot blame the poor destitute to
commit larceny; II he succeeds he
has something to support him for q
while, II he falls he Is assured o first
class board for d few months.
can speak as an expert, as am an
ex.convict.I am converted now an
for four years Eave been leading a
terms In New York, one In Massaohu-
sets, one In Pennsylvania. During
the summer OF 1890 / was in your
State. i committed several small OF.
fenses. | committed two bad crimes
which would have sent. me to the
post for the maximum OF lashes aud
to the pillory. lsft your State. dur,
ling the following November. return
led. as had planned several crimes.
At the Noyembe whipping day.
wont to New Castle by simple curio5i-
Ity. felt very bad. my conscience was
me much and | sympathiz
cd q good deal with the men punished
| made my mind up to leave the State
as | would never submit to such Q
Treatment. Two years ago l witness
edanother whipping day.
| sympathized u good deal with the
men IN the pillory, not for the very
uncomfortable position In which they
had 30 remain, but to face the public
land lot every one sec that they were
under the power OF justice and that
the officers OF Delaware were mol
land expose them. We criminals
always think that the officers have to
do their duty for their pay, but thai
thoy are afraid OF us and are always
willing to treat us nicely and never
humiliate ourselves by showing thelI
superiority; they try to be our friend.
\ But in Delaware. the officers forget
themselves in taking courage to punish
la professional criminal ne a dog. A pro
lfesslonal criminal can be arrested sew.
eral times, visit several juils;he ID still Il
member of the gang and considered
worthy by the other criminals, but II
he gets logged In Delaware he Is ban.
ished from the gang. Its disgrace
for the gang to have n member so un.
worthy to undergo tho power OF the
Officers OF Delaware. So sympdthiz.
ed also with the men at the post, not
for the blows they received, but for
the humiliation OF being led and tied
! to post same as n dog.
| When | was arrested the first time
"a | nj an ~
simple citizen; hud no hundculIs ana
we were talking as two good friends.
I III fact no ono noticed | was arrested.
land reached tho pnnltentiary with
Inew friends, pleased to have winters,
lrest In comfortable place. The only
Humiliation was to put on for the first
Itlme the convict suit. but this [ soon
got over, as no citizen could SEQ mo in
this uniform, When | returned to
New York ! said to my friends that
had been out Of town for a while.
/ lam an eX-convict. and II you cues
ton some regular criminals you VIII
.Iiind that what am telling Is perfectly
Eight, | am not going to say anything
against tho corporal punishment, but
lot me SD sgcst that IA little more de
,rcngy wOul! be better. | witnessed
at your post some poor fellows will
ragged punts ornamcntnd with big
holes at the seat. so big that TIE ilesh
IcOu!d 10 seen. also remarked that
US these poor pants are never custom
made pants the culprits must have
spHuders TO hold them Ia place. ans
las suspendsrs would be in the way oil
The lash tile pants are falling when the
lmen are logged. Some couvlcts have
,Itried 10 make belts with their suspen
ders, etc.
7 thought thai il you should adopt {
! pair OF whipping pants you should
f'have more decencY, and at the SAM
;. time you should make tho punishment
Ia little more Illuminating.
7 | think that these pants. with {
} blouse OF the sane material, wuult
mako a good costume for the plliory
One objection | have to your pillOry
is that you allow them to keep theil
hats on. BY deGency ana respect
TO justice. | Thick they ought to bt
'haTeheaded, and IL something is neces
sury for the sun or rain, provide then
with small cap not hiding theil
faces.
think men ought not to be allowet
to chew In tho pillory. Ii Is no respac
fof justice to soc mon in the pillorI
! splitting at all times the Juice. |, Is
: the same with the whipping post wilt
a Pipe or a cigar lii their mouths
They are UNDERGOING a punishment
not going to picnic.
/, Respectfully yours,
I Who Fred c." Is Sheriff Gould doe
not know. On inquiry at the iGil }
was als) lelrnc.i TINT he was no
( kGnw.s. HIS signature must b
anonymous.