The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-17
yIoea.xa AS 4 PusIsHxExT.

yI0sGsNs AS a PCSIsEMEET.
Al earnest effort h to be made thss
winter TO secure the passage of an
amendment to the penal code OF New
York p-oyid1ng for the infection 81
csrporsl punishment upon certain
class Of criminals and for certain Of
feases. II h proposed to add TO the
punishment Of seven years imps4ssn-
Tnent and s1.e0o fire. or both, provided
for certain feIonses in section II OF the
pena, code. that any person who In
fficted pain or suffering on another be
punished by the infection OF logging
on the back. with whip. or other suit
able instrument, not more than forty
lashes 10 be inflicted. and that the pun
ssIsment be snfiIcted by keeper or
warden OF the prison TO which the
criminal Is sent. a physician duty au-
thorized to be present and no other
person
The classes Of sfeions against when
the bin is directed are those convicted
of highway robbery, where a person
struck another causing an Injury:
felonious assault with q weapon. as
sauit on children and other similar
crimes In the discussion over the n,er-
its Of corporal punishment at q meeting
in the Academy of Medicine. before
whom the proposed amendment was
brought by Etbridge +. Gerry. the opin-
ions OF several experts were presented
and read. DR.. Andrew F. Currier adj
vocatesi the irrfiietlon or this mode of
punishment principally on wife-bcaters.
He combafted the objection that 1t Is
degrading and barbarous. by asserting
that IL Is Impossible to degrade a per-
son who has sunk so low as to strike
defenceless woman. a statement that
VIII meet hearty response n every
manly breast. DIR. Way. OF the Elmira
refornrntory. showed from reports that
there were certain inmates who could
through the tnflicfion OF corporal pun
tshnlent. and that there had been more
than double the amount or fighting in
that Institution during the period when
corporal punishment was not used than
since that method OF punishment had
been restored
Mr.. Gerry. who viii introduce his
amendment, urged that the present
laws were not deterrent, and showed
by statistics that the class OF crimes
to the present penalty for which his
bfii would add corporal punishment
were. in a vast majority of instances,
committed by foreigners. There can
be no destruction os sclf-respect." said
he. .in men who have been guilty of
crimes against children They have al
ready sunk beneath the level OF the
brsstc''
Although a bill of somewhat similar
import was introduced and failed of
passage IN 1sss, Mr. Gerry is sanguine
that the legislature will promptly adopt
his amendment. 1t via, if adopted.
mark a new departure in the penal sys-
tenn. but whether in the line of benefit
or the contrary Is an open question, and
one on which the public Is divided.
That there are offenses 50 heinous,
irhuman and brutal, and offenders so
devoid of manly instincts or germs OF
self-respect. that the infiiction OF phys
ical pain seems to be the only effectuaI
deterrent. Is undoubtedly true. Such
are the beating OF defenceless women,
wives. sisters and mothers and brutal
treatment OF children. whether by ex-
posure. neglect or physical M-usage
"Scoustire.s Of this Sort" in the words
or DIR Currier. care nothing for a fine
or a short term on the Island. The only
thing Is TO give them pain, of which the
towards are afraid