The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-08
FOR A WHIPPING POST.
THEHOUSE COMMTTTEE on COURTS
OFJUsTICF FATORS THE BILL.
IL Is Claimed that It's Passage VIII Reduce
the Criminal Expenses Ono Half-Ihe
Delinquent Land Tax Bill Goes over

A special session Of the House Com
mittee on Courts OF Justice was called Tor
last evening at S O'Clock in the Hall Of
the House of Delegates. for the purpose
Of considering Senate Bill No. Y, entitled,
"A bill 10 amend and re-enact Section
6G6 OF the Code Of Virginia, - amended
and re-enacted by an act, approved
March 5, 1891, in relation 70 delinquent
lands purchased in the name Of the Audi
tor. and as amended and re-enacted by
an act, approved January y, 1896, entitled
an act TO amend and re-enact section 500
Of the Code OF Virginia, as amended and
re-enacted by an act approved March ..
1894. in relation to delinquent lands pur~
chased in the name OF the Auditor
In the absence OF Chairman Saunders.
Captain Parks, Of Page, was requested 70
take the chair. OF the twenty-four mem
bers OF the committee only ten were
present. and the question at once arose.
whether the bill should be taken up, as
suggested by Mr.. Hicks. OF Roanoke.
Judge Watkins. OF Prince Edward.
pointed out that great irregularities ac-
companied all legislation on this subject,
and the State had lost large amounts OF
money for this very reason lie added
that he was opposed 10 the bill under
discussion, but favored the lines TO be
pursued. as indicated In the bills intro
duced by Mr.. Barksdale and Mr. Mon
tague.
Before the discussion was further gone
into. the motion Of Mr.. Hicks, TO take
up the bill. was put 10 q. vote, ana II
was lost by a vote of 10 g.. IL was then
decided TO take mp the bill as special
order on Wednesday morning at 5.aO
THE WHIPPING-POST BILL.
Mr. WInborne. of Rockbridge, on benaf
Of % Subcommittee appointed yesteiuay
morning presented Mr.. Murphy modlhed
whipping-pOst bill and asked That the
committee. report the same favorably.
Some little discussion arose over the mea-
sure. Mr. Rcddy, Of this city taking the
ground that the bill should be passed by
n order to give ~ more careful consld-
Grafton. lie said ne was opposed 10, 20 t'lo
bill and the only State where such
measure was in existence was Delaware,
and there il was used chiefly Tor poiucal
purposes.
Mr. Murphy warmly spoke in favor OF
the bill which he said. N ~ became
law would reduce the criminal expenses
I'm this State at least one-hali'
Mr. Campbell, OF Amherst also favored
the bill. which. he said, was the golden
egg ina the Legislature. -,
II was finally decided 10 report the PHI
favoraby. after The enacting clause had
been stricken out, so as 10 80 INTO ell
''' Provisions OF THE BILL.
The bill as agreed upon last evening
reads as follows.
"A bill prescribing the manner in which
petit larceny shall be punished
81 30 II enacted by the General AS
sembly Of Virginia. that any person CON
Victed OF petit larceny. may De puhlsh-
od as now provided by law. or IN Inc as
erection OF the justice or jury. may ne
punished with stripes. not less IMAM I'VE.
nor more than thirty stripes. TO Doe al
ministered for any one onence' ana IN
every case where any person convicted IS
ordered 10 be punished with stripes, the
court may in its discretion. order any
portion Of the stripes 10 he given at the
time and require the convict. on his own
recognizance 10 appear before the court
at some future day 10 receive the re-
mainder Of said stripes: provided. that
this act shall not apply TO women or TO
persons over sixty years or age.
- All stripes imposed under the pre-
ceding section shall be administered by
the sheriff of the county. or the sergeant
OF the city, wherein the conviction Is had.
or Ivy any legally qualified deputy or
either. or 10y any constable. such officer 20
be DESIGNATED bv the court or Justice be-
fore whom the case Is tried. If no such
officer be in attendance al the trial the
Justice may appoint a special constable
10 administer such stripes. In no case
shall such stripes be administered in a
public manner
% In no event shall more than thirty
stripes be administered 10 any person on
the same day. but should any person be
convicted OF more than one offence OF
petit larceny and sentenced 20 receive a
greater number Of stripes. thirty OF such
stripes may be administered on one day
and the party may be remandcd TO Jail
until such time as the court or Justice
may think proper when the officer desig-
mated shall administer other stripes. Such
commitment may be from time 10 time
until all Of such stripes are administered
a. All persons sentenced to be pun
ished with stripes by a police justice or
justice of the peace under this section
shall have the right or appeal and trial
by jury.
-. An acts and parts Of acts in con-
liict with this act arc hereby repealed"