Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-10-30
WHIPPED
By Command Of
the Law.
Six Youngsters Got In
to Probate Court
And Their Misfortune
Was Made Plain.

The bones of Solomon must have
ratified gleefully in their tomb We'd
nesday morning when with shrieks,
spangs and declarations of their
abandonment Of all sin, six young
boys, one after another pad tribute
to the law, in the old fashioned way,
for violation Of its provisions. There
was no dodging of the issue In the
order given by Probate Judge Ander-
son, except that the youngsters in
stead Of being whipped might be sent
to the Lancaster Reform farm. In the
matter of decision the boys had no
voice. Their parents decided for them,
and by sounds emanatlng from Sheriff
Kelly's barn soon thereafter the
parental choice was made an open
book.
The fathers Of the boys had been
notified to be on hand Wednesday
morning to hear the opinion of the
court in the cases against the youth
ful prisoners, who We're accused Of
stealing half q bushel of chestnuts,
and who had been bound over from
Mayors court. "They are all too
young to be sent to the Reform farm"
said Judge Anderson. 1T would be
to them like a prison, and the men,
ory would remain as blight on their
lives. If you punish the boys well, I
VIII release them from the sentence
committing them to the Reform farm.
Physical punishment will have q
greater effect on them now than i'm
! prisOnment.'
BY this time the news that six boys
the Law, had got well circulated
through the Court House. Although
| such sentences have been imposed be-
fore by Judge Anderson. unusual in
terest was created. owing to the size
of the class-the largest within the
history of the '.new dispensat'on."
When all was In readiness for the
program someone told Judge Ander-
sonsthat Judge Kohler had started for
the scene with a view to prevent the
Nuii liG oul VI lIlt StlAltlltt, ILL
mediately. Judge Anderson started for
the barn to prevent Interference, hut
Judge Kohler said nothing other than
to ask Sheriff Kally IL he might wit
ness the affair. One of the boys had
just been whipped and the Sheriff was
going after another one. You may
see the next performance" said the
Sheriff, but when he had returned,
Judge Kohler had gone,
There was no hitch in the program.
The Sheriff allowed one minutes pun
ishment TO each hoy. He permitted
no excessive application of the strap"
and raised his hand when time was
up. The instrument" of correction
a halter strap-was provided by the
Sheriff Once Sheriff Kelly had to
Interfere, 1t was in the case of young
Conrad Smith, of Peninsula. accused
of stealing candy from railroad de-
pot His father lost his temper and
was stopped by the Sheriff. Coon"
However, was not hurt much. Joseph
Henry's mother, n rather frail woman,
had all she could do to make her son
sing out for pie in regulation style,
but she finally succeeded. The father
of Frank and VIM. Mcfarland had
a double assignment as both boys had
to be punished, He Is stalwart cltl-
zen, though, and his efforts satisfied
the law. They were also intensely
satisfying to Frank and William who
both in few well chosen remarks
admitted that they had enough" be.
fore the end of the number. Contrac,
tor Chas. O'Neil had his son, John
trimmed to stand-still when time
was called. Edward Mccormick alsc
admitted that his fathers strength
and persistency had never been seer
or felt to better advantage. All the
boys had to take their coats Off, and
while none We're abused, there was nc
sham about the punishment The
ages of the boys ranged from ii tt
IL years.
There was some talk Wednesday re
latiye to Furnishing hoys with publ,
whippngs The court, as he stated
Is not disposed to blight young live
with Reform farm sentences, but 4
willing TO impose sentences carryln,
with them humiliation as well as pain
II Is believed public whipping rul
would also stimulate parents to lool
after their children with more car
and would also charge law-breakin,
with wonderful terror to children.