The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-02-12
WHIPPING-POSTS AGAIN.
Efforts OF Prominent New Yoekers
In This Direction.


What It II Hoped to AceompiisA rhyough
Such LAw-Te he 1mpsq04d Oaly
for Wife-Beatsrs and Brutal
- Thues.
New York proposes to oN+te1ppt to re-
vivesthe system of corporal punish
nAent for certain classes of offenders
At least caFtain people in New York,
led by Elbridge T. Gerry. will try to
hive the following made law at the
next session of the legislature:
Whenever a male person shall be
convicted of felony consisting Of or
accompanied by the infliction Of phys
ical pain or suffering upon the person
of another, the court may, in its dis
cretion, in addition to that penalty
now prescribed by law, impose an ad-
ditional sentence of corporal punish
ment to be inflicted upon the offender
in the prison to which he shall be sem
fenced. Such corporal punishment
shall be inflicted in private in said
prison, in the presence of the warden
and sur geon thereof, who shall certify
the fact to the court wherein it was
imposed"
Commodore Gerry is very much in
earnest in the matter, and in an inter-
view with a reporter for the New York
Recorder stoutly defended the plan on
the ground that it provided for the
only punishment that is really feared
by the brutes that it is intended to
reach.
Crime" said he, ''of the more brutal
and fendish character is frightfully on
the increase, especially in the case
where children of both sexes are the
victims. Instances in which lifelong
injuries have been inflicted on girls
and boys of tender age are becoming
so numerous that it is time something
was done to strike at the very root of
evil, and l am sure the only weapon
that can be effectively used against the
brutes who, in their passions, exhibit
no thought or feeling for their victims
is the lash.
'sOnce let the brutal element of the
community know that the pain and
suffering inflicted by them on others
will be meted out on their own bodies
and the shocking state of affairs now
existing will be to a great extent
wiped out. am thankful to say that
the creatures responsible for the Of
fenses are foreigners. The grade OF
crime against which the resolution is
aimed is peculiar to men from other
countries. And the only way to show
these wretches that they cannot in
dulge in such things in this continent
is the crack and the sting of the lash
SIT has been enormously stated that
wife-beaters are included among the
creatures against whom we are fight
ing. This is not SO. We are only ad-
vocating the lash for felony committed
by men. Wife-beaters belong to an
other class of animals which may or
may not deserve a good thrashing.
They, however, do not enter into the
discussion. Burglary with violence. as
sault of any brutal nature-those are
the offenders who, maintain, should
feel the sting of the lash. A conviction
of twenty years, reduced by good be-
havior to twelve, has no salutary effect
on the callous element with which am
dealing.
s.As an instance, you, a law-abiding,
peaceful citizen, are enjoying a we'll
earned rest; hardened brute OF bur-
plar, not satisfied with plunder, delib-
erately knocks you over the head, puts
your eye out, crushes in your skull,
mains you, beats you, and for this he
gets twenty years. Is that any salts
faction to you? Do you get a new eye
or another skull or a clean skin? No!
Then say let his punishment be pro-
portionate in some degree to the OF
fense.
Formerly crimes of which specially
speak were punishable by death. But
experience showed that the class OF
people that commit these crimes OF
personal violence don't dread death.
Nihilists, anarchists, atheists and the
more degraded classes scout the idea.
Corporal punishment is the only thing
the scamps and rascals are afraid OF.
A few years in prison doesn't have any
deterrent effect. A man comes out OF
prison and he Immediately perpetrates
a similar crime, bus il he understands
that he is going to get dose OF that
which he inhicts on other people, ne
thinks twice before he runs the risk.
"It is nonsense to play the fool with
criminals and say that corporal punlsn-
ment is degrading and q revival OF the
dark ages. Are the abuses inflicted on
little children degrading? Was there
ANYTHING in the dark ages more de bas'
ing than the revolving acts which oc'
cur to-day? There seems to be mawk'
ish sensibility in the opposition 70 cor.
moral punishment. 1t is the Oldest
form of punishment known, and 1T Is &c
be found in the Mosaic law. Ihere
can be nothing brutal in 1t, PROVIDED
Won don't make the exhibition public
In Delaware they have curious meth
cd. A felon is sentenced to thirty
,ashes. fifteen of which are admins
tered. He is then told to get out OF tAs
.tate. and If he is found there after the
Iapse of q week the balance OF the
thirty lashes awaits him. Ihe plan
works admirably.
"Apain. in London, when the CARROT
ers were terrorizng the city, the cato
nine-tails was brought into play with
such effect that garroting was un
known in very short space OF t'me
Would suggest any particular mod<
OF administering the punishment NO
The ordinary lash on the back wouic
meet all requirements. 1t is effective
and II I live long enough the advisa OH
itv of its legalization will come before
the next session of the legislature.