The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-01
USE The Lash.
L. ii. Perkins Advocates Return
to Whipping Post.
Does Not Want a Laceration Of
the Skin.
EFFECT WOULD BE GOOD
Believes That It Would Dimin-
ish Crime.
Interesting Papers Read Before
Bar Association.
EFFECT WOULD BE GOOD

The session of the State Bar associa-
ton Thursday afternoon gave most of
its attention to a paper on Corporal
Punishment Of Crime-the Whipping
Post. read by T. H. Perkins, Of Law
renee
The paper was most interesting one.
advancing some ideas which were evil
IDENTIFY new to the members of the assoc
citation Mr. Perkins took the ground
that only certain crimes and individuals
should come under his rule of establish
ing whipping posts. He did not be-
heye in the use of a cato -nine-tales
and the liberation of skin and flesh, but
the application OF lash that would be
effective and humane.
Speaking of the purpose Of punish
ment, Mr.. Perkins said: There IS
among penOlOgiStS a wide difference OF
ishnent. One declares that it is retribu-
ton. Another that retributiOn is for sin,
not crime, and belongs to God. Another
that it is TO protect society from the
criminal and diminish the number OF
crimes. Another says the supreme OBJ
ject is reformation. Stated briefly the
purposes of government are to protect
individual rights and promote the COM
mon welfare Hence the state is not
alone concerned with the repression o.
crime and the protection Of the citizen
1t is its duty to redress the wrong BY
proper punishment; and whenever the
Of social order.
''The theme that especially engages
our attention is the treatment of the
rogue, the VagabOnd, the brute, the
habftual and professional criminal
Discussing the action which different
states had taken concerning this mode
Of punishment, among other things ne
said Maryland has lately revived the
whipping post on a strictly limited
scale chiefly for the wife heater. He
also quoted the opinions of several
judges who had observed the effect Of
the whipping post upon criminals, and
who spoke favorably of it. In condemn
ing the present county jail system ne
said:
The moral atmosphere reeks with
contagion. 1T is moral pest house
from which issue germs Of loathsome
disease that infect the body polite
Every lesson taught within its walls is
anti-sociaL, contempt for authority and
plots against the law"
Speaking Of the crime Of assault on
women and its punishment, he suggested
three degrees, all punishable with the
lash: for brutal violence the additional
penalty OF surgical operation was pro-
posed IF brutal men Will trample un-
der foot the closest ties Of blood, ne
said in conclusion, outrage the hottest
instincts of humanity, and bring I'M
utterable misery and shame on those
who should deserve their tenderest care,
before high heaven they so deserve such
chastisement as will appeal to their dull
leACAAtAcS5 o4AAt A1-AAAAA7 e-AA
may be that the LASH revived in Chris
tan hands in this new century, may
prove an instrument Of mercy"
The discussion of the paper was led
by TT. IT, Mason, of Garden City. For
mer Justice Allen Of the supreme court
and a number OF others participated,
mostly agreeing with the propositions Of
Mr. Perkins.
Payton Carter. Of Chapman. was given
the honor of having prepared the most
meritOrious paper presented by mem
bers Of the senior class of the state uni
versity law school His paper was read
by Eugene Hagan, chairman Of the
committee on legal education and the
state law school