The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-22
THE WHIPPING POST.
WHAT N" WAS IN DELAWARE IN THE
OLDEN TIME.
In Those Days 1t Had a Record and a Rep
utation-Respectabie Offenders Could
Not Escape It-Instances Related by AN
Old Time Native.

has fallen on the whipping post, said an
old time native 90 Delaware. There was
a time when it mad record and reputa-
ton; when people of quality were recog-
nized by it, and il stood not only as the
stern and unbending dispenser of justice
by the aid of the man who handled the
lash. but gave distinction to that man as
the purveyor of punishment TO many of
his fellow citizens who otherwise, owing
TO wide difference in station, he never
could have hoped TO meet without taking
off his hat and standing aside until they
had passed by. This may seem strange
10 any one who never lived in Delaware
in the good old days and when folks were
folks, but / remember when some of the
Blue Hens most respectable chickens were
put in the pen known as the pillory and
made TO expiate their offenses against law
and morality by forced embrace of the
whipping post. These offenses were worth
while They were, If not the outcome of
genius, at least the result of talent that
the common mold Of transgressors could
not be capable of. Then the whipping
post was an adjunct of justice that it was
pleasant to contemplate.
''See what the whipping post used to
be: / remember having seen men who,
after being whipped, were by law COM
PEELED TO wear the letter + (felon) over the
backs of their coats as long as they re.
manned within the boundaries of the state.
I'm the old time, when Delaware was
more rigid in her righteousness than she
is today, it was held by those who made
and those who administered the laws
that dishonesty was much more heinous
when engaged in by those placed by social
position above want and amid respectable
surroundings than when INDUCED in by
those tempted by necessity and evil COM
partnership. Consequently when prom
inent citizen was caught stealing or forg-
ing his punishment was made heavier and
moro severe than that melted out to rogues
of either of the classes contemptuously
known as poor whites or free niggers.
Toward the close of the last century
an eminent and well beloved gentleman
OF Kent county, public benefactor dis
tinguished for piety, fell from his high es-
tate He was a magistrate and noted for
wisdom and excellence of judgment. On
one occasion there were brought before
him in his official capacity some counter
feiters who had been arrested for passing
bad money, large amount of which was
found on their persons. The magistrate |
as was his duty, took possession of the |
counterfeit stuff to destroy it, as was the |
law. The rogues were committed for tria! |
and were subsequently pilloried and whip. |
ped. Years afterward the neigh borhood |
was Hooded with bogus money. Where it |
came from was long puzzle to the au-
thorities who had undertaken TO trace is !
origin, but when its source was at last /
discovered the discovery fell like a thun-
derbolt on the community. The RESPONSE
bility for the prevalence of the counterfeit
money was traced TO the very magistrate
who had committed the culprits for coun-
terfeiting some years before. The dis
covery was made that, instead of destroy
Ing the large amount of spurious money
he had confiscatcd for that ostensiblc pur-
pose, he had kept it, and biding his time
had himself put it in circulation in the !
county for his financial benefit But he
was so popular and well beloved by his
fellow citizens thp5 ,vcry effort was made
10 deliver him fro.I the consequences of
his offense but without avail. He was
whipped most severely in the jailyard at
Dover, and the officer who inflicted the
punishment was so apprchensive that he
night be accused by some one of PARTIAL
y for a rich and respected criminal that
AZ SuO ~ tNtply lulO lIlS man ucSn WltD !
lis lash that the blood ran off the end of
and down over his own hands, while
he back of the offender was a sight that
illed every onlooker with horror.
1T is almost within this generation
hat conspicuous and very able politi-
ian, citizen of Wilmington, ran for
congress in his district and came within
ess than half a dozen votes of being elect
"a in, IA |
han he could afford. In order to tide
Yer the temporary embarrassment to
which this expenditure had brought him |
e forged the Endorsement Of "a near rela-
i've of his, who was a leading Whining
on DOCTOR to note and had the note
iscounted at one of the local banks, in
ending to take it up before it came to
and thus escape the consequences
his act. Unfortunately for him, the
eller of the bank knew that this man and
no relative whose name was on the note
) its indorser had not been on speaking
rms for long time, and he wondered
luch at the reconciliation this indorse- ,
tent indicated had taken place between ,
10 two men. and meeting the doctor one ,
ny his curiosity got the better of him. ;
nd he accosted him.
Doctor, said he L am glad to see
lat you and John have made up yorr
larrel. Your Endorsement of his noro :
i'll help him out :
My indorsementl' said the doctor. L !.
I'VE not Endorsed for him nor made up /, ,
it'll him.
The bank teller reported this at the ,
INK, and the maker of the note was .
areed with forgery. His relative, the
'otor eagerly and willingly came for
ard and assured the bank that he would
axe the Endorsement good, so that the
fortunate forger might not be exposed
ID prosecuted, but political enemies of
o man were among the directors of the 7
nix, and they insisted that the law
ould take Its course. The culpirt was
rested, tried and convicted and sentenc-
to be publicly whipped. The sentence
)uld have been carried out but for the
ct that the wife of the citizen had been !.
schoolmate and an intimate friend of
Q wife Of the then governor of Delaware.
10 went to her and appealed to her to 9
Q her influence with the governor TO 4
rdon her husband, and the wife's appeal =
owed the governor, who pardoned the
an and saved him from the disgrace of :
o whipping post. New York Sun. .
Not Spending Money For Nothing.