Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-28
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.
First wbippings at the New County Work
house. lft..'. t'Fssa

FIRST whippings at the New County Work.
house. tffE
The first corporal punishment at the
New Castle County Workhouse at Green
bank was Mustered Saturday IN
presence of about 100 people. The
victims were:
William Walker, white, one hour in
the pillory, 90 lashes and 10 years inn
prisonment
John King, white, one hour in the
pillory and five years.
Walter Thomas, colored, 20 lashes and
one year.
Richard Coverdale, 90 lashes and one
year.
Warden Messrve began his UNPLEASANT
duty at 10 O'Clock, when John King
and William Walker were placed in the
stocks. At the ex 2iraton Of their hour
they were succeeded in the T.. llory ~
Walter Thomas and Richard Coverdale,
colored youths. who also stood for an
hour. None OF the oulprits had any
thing to say, but all acted 30 II the
siege was terrible ordeal for them.
misty rain was falling part of the
time. but the men in the piilory were
protected by a roof over one corner of
the yard in which the corporal punish
inent is administered. The yard adj
Joins the powerhousa on the west and
is reached by a tunnel from the work.
house. Utt,s
Spectators began to arrive early in
! the day. coming chiefly from Whining
ton, Philadelphis and the surrounding
country. ds
AT u. 30, Just five minutes after the
last man had been released from the
stocks, William Walker, the only white
man to be whipped, was brought out.
| When the men were in the stocks they
| wore thoir coats, but when they were
| brought out to the post their backs
were barred. After Walker had had bis
hands clamped to the post Warden
Messrve took his brand new cst-o-nipe-
tails and began to administer the lashes.
Every blow told on Walker and when
the ordeal was finished his entire back
was marked. Several times while being
whipped he moaned and sluirmed and
said he could not stand the punish
ment, but Warden Meserve had bis
duty to perform and the 20 lashes were
we'll laid on.
Next came Richard Coverdale, colored,
who also got 90 lashes. He squirmed
and twisted, but did not have much to
say. His back was welted and when
the last stoke fell he dropped on his
knees, as If exhausted.
Walter Thomas. colored, suffered the
most. He wriegled and bent his body
| and arms, twisted about and tried to
protect his back with his feet, but was
not successful. He cried AID moaned.
| After the 14th lash he drew bis left
hand out of the clasp, but it was i'm
mediately put back and made more
secure. Although Thomas 90 lashes
were the lightest of the three he APP
peared to be in terrible agony while be-
ing whipped. His back was only,
slightly marked. King was setenced
for cutting his wife's throat Walker
for robbing John Evans house at ll20
West street, Wilmington, and Thomas
and Coverdale for robbing the residence
of Thomas Mckinney at Porter's
station. sp
While the men we're in the stocks
they were watched by Chief Deputy
Warden Leonard Crawford, who walked
up and down back of them, carrying
the new cat -nine-taila in his hand,
but, of course, he had no occasion to
use it, incidentally, it might be re-
marked that the lash being new ha d n
more telling effect on the men whipped
than the old one.
A new order went into effect, which
was disappointment to some. Several
photographers. including David j.
Wingfield, were there for the purpose
OF photographing the FIRST whipping,
but they were prohibited from doing 40
by Warden Meserve, who objects TO
having the whippings photographed.
He does not think it does any good. 1t
was painful duty to him to have to
apply the lash and he does not care
about advertising the fact broadcast.
1t is his own order and not that Of the
trustees.
Tho whippIngs are public. The yard
in which they take place is enclosed by
n high wall. Spectators are admitted
through an iron gate, which Is closed
while the whippipgs are in progress.
Among the spec Rtors there Saturday
were Trustees Ball and Corbit. Like
Warden Meserve, they did not enjoy the
spectacle, a fter the whippings they
were guests of the warden, and in the
Iatter's office the administering OF cor
pcral punishment was discussed.