Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-25
STRIPES FOR CRIME.
THE BILL TO REVIVE WHIPPING
POST IN VIRGINIA.
Mr.. HURPHYS ARGUMENTS FOR 1T,
He Goes Into the Figures to show
the DesIrnbiIity of Returning 10
the Old Law-The Measure Attracts
Outside Attention.
Outside Attention.

The anti-fOOt-ball Dill, the Dill 10 pre-
vent Irritation with the pupils at girls
boarding schools, and the bill reviving the
whipping-post in Virginia, have been the
measures introduced at this session OF the
Legislature which have attracted greatest
attention outside of the State.
None OF these can be called crank bills,
though many who oppose Them designate
them as SUCH Some of the best mem
bers of either branch heartily approve one
or more of them. and make strong
showing in presenting arguments In their
support.
1t is probable that the bill to re-estab-
lish the whipping-post has attracted as
widespread attention as any introduced
in the Virginia Legislature for many
years. Delaware is the only State in the
Union i'm which it still exists, and II has
been so frequently declared barbarous
and a relic of Blue-law days by its OPP
ponents that a proposition to revive it
naturally excites comment and opposi-
ton.
However. Mr. Murphy, the author or
the bill, says he sees no barbarism in its
provisions, especially since II provides
that women and male infants under the
age of 10 years may be exempted from
the action of the law If they so elect,
and that the law shall not apply to either
males or females over So years of age.
THE PROPOSED LAW.
The following is the full text of the bill:
BE it enacted by the General Assembly
of Virginia, That all persons convicted of
petit larceny shall, instead of being
punished as now provided by law. be
punished with not less than ten nor more
than thirty stripes but, in cases of con-
victions of females or male infants UNI
der the age of 10 years, ii shall be OPP
tional with said female and the parent or
guardian of said infant whether they
shall be punished with stripes. or ac-
cording to statutes i'm force at this time /:
and IL there be no parent or guardian
competent. in the opinion of he
trial justice or court, to choose
for said infant then the said trial Jus,
tice or court. shall choose for said infant;
and in every case where any person con-
victed is ordered to be so punished with
stripes, the court may, in its discretion,
order any portion of the stripes TO be
given at the time, and require the con-
Wet, on his own recogniZance, TO APP
pear before the court at some future
day to receive the remainder of said
stripes provided, that this act shall not
apply to persons over 65 years OF age
q All stripes imposed under the pre-
ceding section shall be administered by
the officer into whose custody the party
convicted would have been committed il
sentenced to be confined in jail under
section 1901 of the Code of Virginia, 1887,
and acts amendatory thereof.
3. All persons sentenced to be punished
with stripes by police justice or justice
of the peace under this section shall have
the right of appeal and trial by jury
4. This act shall be in force from its
passages.
ARGUMENTS FOR THE BILL.
Mr.. Murphy submits strong arguments
for his measure, going into figures to
prove the desrability of reviving the in
Fiction OF stripes as a punishment for
crime Below is a statement prepared
by Mr.. Murphy, showing the expense TO
which the State was put by her criminal
classes during the two years before the
old law was enacted, for the same period
while it was in operation, and for the
years 1895 and 1896:
MR.. MURPHYS FIGURES.
Criminal expenses for two years be-
fore the whipping-post bill became
a law NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Criminal expenses for the first two
years after the whipping-post bill
became law .....................,. 26O,llf