Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-05-11
The POST AND PlLLORY.
Address OF Chief OF Police Doizn at the
Chattanooga Convention.

SeutibS THIS citg az tne convention oil
chiefs OF police at Chattanooga, Tenn.
was one Of tho speakers at yesterday &
session, his subject being THE Whip
ping Post and Pillory of Delaware. 2 lie
said:
Mr.. President. and members of the
National Association of Chiefs of Police
OF the United States and Canada.
Gentlemen: As we are here assembled
to confer as to the best method of les
sening crime, establishing good order
in society, insuring public safety, and
reforming criminals, We should by au
interchange OF views. be able to formu-
late that much to be desired plan.
Nearly ali sections of our country
are here represented, and AS each State
has enacted laws relating to the punish
ment of crime. they differ but little.
as they all sniiict imprisonment, and
labor, as the proper method to deal
with criminals whose crimes may be
less than murder of the first degree,
excepting the State OF Delaware, which
administers corporal punishment in
addition TO imprisonment for certain
felonies, viz: Burglar arson, at
tempted rapo. and larceny. This mode
OF punishment existed during colonial
times and has been wisely continued
during our statehood. Wilmington, the
metropolis of the State which | have
the honor to represent, contains about
I5,000 inhabitants, or nearly two-thirtls
the population of the county, and about
onefourth tho number in the State,
and according to statistics. we have less
percentage of crime, of felonious char.
aeter than any other State in the
Union, and it is greatly owing TO the
salutary effects produced by that much
criticized instrument, the whipping
post.
Although it does not entirely pre-
vent the commission of those acts of
lawlessness for which it is admins
tered, it reduces it to a minimum.
There never has been but one attempt
at bank burglary in our State, and for
tunately that proved unsuccessful, as
the perpetrators were apprelended, ar
rested, convicted and sentenced to 10
years Imprisonment, 40 lashes and one
hour in the pillory, and fine of five
thousand dollars each.
The term of Imprisonment for which
they were sentenced did not trouble
them in the least, but that portion of
the sentence subjecting them to the
post and pillory struck them with ter
ror, so much so that they offered
twenty-five thousand dollars to have
that portion of their sentence remitted,
but they had to submit and take the
punishment. They afterwards made
their escape by breaking jail, and have
given the State wide berth since that
time.
Situated as We arc between two
large cities, Philadelphia and Balti-
more, % and 72 miles distant re-
spectively, and within three hours of
New York City, We would be an easy
prey for the criminal classes of those
cities, were 1t not for this particular
institution, for which they all have a
most wholesome dread. In fact thieves
passing through our State although
having committed no crime within our
border, are in terror until beyopd our
boundaries, the very atmosphere being
unpleasant and uncongenial to them
We have no penitentiary in our State,
but movement is now in progress TO
erect workhouse, the funds for that
purpose having been appropriated by
the late Assembly, and it remains to
be seen whether it will be an improve.
ment on our present system, which
consists OF county Jail only, in which
on an average about l60 prisoners are
confined, the major part OF whom are
being held for !, non payment of fines
aud costs, and short-term prisoners
committed for misdemeanors, tho long
term and life prisoners being about 40
per cent. Instead of giving prisoner
convicted Of larceny, two. three, or six
years Imprisonment, as is done in
other States, and keeping him at the
public expense, we give him not less
than five or more than 40 Iashes,
grading the punishment) and n short
term in Jail, and turn him loose at its
expiration, and the occurrence is rare
indeed when he comes under the lash
the second time. He either gives IN
his habit or leaves the State.
In many instances tho criminals
hayo reformed, and engaged in honest
pursuits and become law abiding citi-
IONS. could mention number OF
these Long terms of Imprisonment as
punishment does not to my mind lessen
crime Or tend to reform the criminal.
When corporal punishment is not in
cluded in the sentence tho fear Of
serving time has no terror for him as
the chances for escape are always
favorable, or at least considered pos
sible. He may be defended by able
counsel. and other safeguards Of the
law taken advantage of. He has the
chance of acquittal by the jury which
| tries him, for as juries are now consti.
tuted there is no knowing what their
verdict may be, las | heard judge
once remark that it would puzzle the
Deity to fortell the verdict of petit
iury') he is willing under those cir.
,,sx ,,e,f, AN 4nlrn IL. -
yiction, ms all he will suffer will be
confinement, alleviated with the hope
of pardon, or escape, in the neal
| future, but when he knows that the
| corporal punishment is Sure TO come
Immediately after conviction, and from
| which there is no escape, he will hesi.
tate in the commission of the crime OF
seek some other locality to do his
nefarious work, where the punishment
is more in accord with his ideas.
As matter of economy, which is
an important feature of the subject
under consideration, the whipping post
and pillory have saved our State large
sums of money by deterring criminals
!, of other States from visiting us. by
preventing in great measure the com
| mission OF the crimes for which the
| punishment is nleted out, by ill dis.
posed persons in our own community
and in many instances reforming those
that have experienced the unpleasant
ness produced by this mode of punish.
| ment.
II am well aware that this method
of dealing with criminals is not in
good order with the citizens of Other
States. We are called barbarous, in.
human, benighted, and arc almost
ruled out of the pale Of civilization or
account of it, and we have within oul