The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-30
NEW CASTLE NEWS
Correspondence Of the REPUBLICAN.
NEW CASTLE, March 80, 1897.

NEW CASTLE. March 80, 1897.
A writer in New York monthly this
[ month contributes u lengthy article on
l the whipping post. The fair writer says:
1.-THE abolition Of the whipping post,
| by the Delaware Legislature, will align
| that State with modern civilization,
| and prompts u retrospective glance over
the role which the relic of barbarism has
| played In history. Prior to the nineteenth
| century the practice of Furnishing crimi-
| nails by whipping was political institu-
| tion Of great antiquity.
1t prevailed IN its pristine vigor oil
through the middle ages, as a penalty both
in the army and navy OF all civilized
| countries. 1t was continued until Il few
| years ago, as an indispensable expedient
for enforcing discipline among common
sailors and the practice in countries where
negro slavery prevailed as necessary
preventative Of sheep and chicken steal
ing g - .,., ,,,
post stood in Philadelphia at the south
east corner Of Third and Market streets
They were also to be found in most other
American cities at that time. The pillory
which usually accompanied the whipping
\ of criminals was regarded as species Of
public entertainment. The rabble evinoei
such pleasure in pelting the culprits with
eggs. vegetables aud clods, that Watson,
in bis historical annals of Philadelphia,
declares that inasmuch as these punish
ments were inflicted only on market days,
the price of eggs was then systematically
higher than common.
1.-TWO centuries ago these punishments
were frequently accompanied by the bar
barity of Sitting tho nostrils or clipping
the ears of the worst offenders. After
wards the sheriff usually held up the ex-
cised fragments Of the ears to the gaze and
vociferous applause of the multitude, We
have no record indicating that nose or ear
splitting ever prevailed in America but
instead thereof, the pitiless pelting of the
offenders with mud or eggs was universal
custom bequeathed to us by Old England,
and practiced until the date Of the revolu-
tionary war
The penalty of whipping was also
salient feature in the blue laws of New
England as many miserable Quakers
abundantly discovered whose zeal had i'm.
proyidently led them into these colonies.
So strong was the prejudice against Qua.
kerism that it was punished by the CATO
nine.tails. while the victims were dragged
at the rear of cart from township to
township. 1t was Also deemed the only
argument that could be used with slaves
or white offenders of the lowest class,
which could be hoped to impress them
VIM plopoi oChoO VI VhVh tluhoSlCo-
sions."
The young lady may have bcen in New
CASTLE but she never saw the famous
piece Of antiquity mentioned.
There Is no driveway through the centre
of the old court house except whore Cap
tain Rogers drives the members of Com
pany II in their weekly drill.
Learning that the institution of the
whipping-post, which still survives in the
State Of Delaware is about to be abolisha
ed, the writer went to New Castle to make
a personal observation Of the practice, the
better to judge of its exaggerated hor.
rors
The most striking badge of antiquity
associated with the subject proved to be
the court house near by, with passage
way for wagons running through its CEN
ter, near to which the penalties were car
ried into execution There was
nothing particularly blood-curdling in
either the appliances Of the whippng.I ost
and Its appliances or in the process of
whipping itself The whipping post was
sturdy beam some eighteen feet high,
cncircled by n platform ten or twelve feet
from the ground, and also supporting
pair Of cross bars four or five feet higher.
The upper cross-bar contained apertures
for the wrists and was contrived SO as to
rise and fall upon the lower, and thus con.
fine the culprits in an immovable position
while standing upon the platform.
This fair writer may use the pen and her
voice for free silver but the people Of Della
ware know that the sheriff's warden
whipped no one this year Here is another
sample Of a writer for an out Of town
paper.
"rhe criminals who were paraded be.
fore us were mostly negroes, and the
Sheriff's baillff, who administered the
ca }tigation, seemed exempt from all desire
t,,h httrf har 10 fl,nt
flesh of one or two of the white criminals
his lashes made perceptible marks,
although unaccompanied with either |
liberation or bloodshed. Nor was there |
any QUERY by the recipients, indicative of |
serious suffering. In fact, the whole |
scene seemed to constitute public show |
for the humiliation of the prisoners, rather |
than an expression of popular vengeance |
against their crimes"
Manager Hushcbeck of the G. A. c. |
base ball team is besieged with applicants /
for positions on the Club this season A |
pitcher shorrstop and second baseman
will be secured and then the Club is COM
plete. Montgomery will play in the left |
garden. Manager Bacon of tho Barber
shop Senate has formed first baSemun
Williams to the kirkwood team.
Among the settos Tn Saturday night
before the G. A. G. will be IA four-round |
mill between Midget Glynn and an un-
known.
Shad is scarce and the highest catch
Yesterday reached only eleven.
A colored prisoner Was removed from
tho jail to the almshouso hospital yester-
day.
i he electric lights wero turned On last
evening. The test could not bo taken us
meaning that the lights will not DO any
better.
The handsome battleship Iowa anchor ed
below New Castle last evening
"I can highly recommend DR.. Bulls
Cough Syrup for Group. have used it
for several years and find it the best rulnu
dy ever tried"
Mrs. Hannah Morrison. Burlington, VIVA.