Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17
CRUEL AND |NHUMAN
Punishmnrts Melted Out in
Years Gone By.
TIL E W HIPPIN G. POST
DEFEATS TIE ENDS FOR WHICH
1T rs INTENDED.
Why It Has Never Succeeded as a
Means Of Correction-Its
Brutaliaing Effects.
Written for Tho Evening Star.

Frequently and persistcntly in recent
years ire whipping post controversy has
been revived ana discussed, and this fact
has been a source OF wonder and astonish-
ment to many VINO have given time and
thought to ;he subject. Every now ana
then. in almost every city of the United
States and II other countries as well, the
establishment Of the whipping post as a
specific punishment for wfe-beating and
similar crimes is earnestly advocated. And
the suggestion never fails fat There is in
variaby controversy as a result of tie
suggestion. or ut least an earnest pro and
con discuss on OF tine various phases of the
matter-the idea having many advocates
and as many earnest opponents-and the
subject finally dies from the public mind
until revived again by some further utter
ance applicable to q specific and usually
single instance.
In Washington not long ago the sugges-
ton was made from the local bench that
there should be a whipping post in this
jurisdiction for the punishment of wife
heaters, and just al present the general
subject is under discussion in many homes
in the national capital as a result of a rec
ommendation by President Roosevelt in h s
annual message that the post be establish
ed here. But il is not the first time that
the subject has been brought up in this
city. In 1879 sixteen members of the ex-
listing grand jury recommended to Justice
Bradley of the supreme bench the estab-
hshment OF whipping post for the correc-
ton and punishment of wife heaters.
And about five years ago Major Richard
Sylvester. the chief of the local police de-
partment, urged in Ills annual report the
establishment of a more adequate system of
punishment for wife-beaters, and suggested
the whipping post as s.ble solution of
the dlttculty. The Star on the two occ1-
sions mentioned secured tee views of the
1aal ffff NFU Ia
some of them favored corporal punishment
for certain crimes, public sentiment may
be said to have been pretty well set aE linst
a revival of the ancient institution. While
there IS no present likelihood that the resi-
dents of Washington VIII ever he called
upon to deal seriously with the whipping
post problem, the recent utterances from
the bench, previously mentioned. and the
fact that President Roosevelt saw fit to
touch on the subject in his recent message
10 Congress have sufficed to secure a re-
vlval of interest in the que ion Further
more. the fact that the whipping post has
of late been talked of at al as good |
thing for the suppression of Isolated crimes. |
makes the subject just now, n its relation
to the penal system of the District OF CO. |
lumbia and of the whole country, and 10 the |
present status of modern civilization of
particular interest and Importance.
Would Be Considered Mad.
Doubtless If some eminent judge or Ju'ist, |
or some man of great prominence in Il" |
business world of the United States should
solemnly declare that he advocated the abo-
lition of the present penal system ana
return to the old forms of punishment--the
rack and the thumb-screw, the wedge and
the pincers, the looping off of ears and tie
Sitting of noses, the branding of breasts |
end the destruction of Sight-he would be |!
called mad, unfit to hold an office of trust. |
a far-gOne racial degenerate. And yet the |
whipping post a corrective and preven- |
tive institution may be advocated by 4 |
judge from the bench, by men of the high
est type of American citizenship, and a host !
of others will arise To indorse their views.
1t can hardly be denied that the whipping |
post and the pillory were part and parcel |
of the old regime of retaliatory punish |
ms ntS, simple and natural outgroWth or |
the conditions of other times. 1t may at |
least be said that the system of punish |
neut was notable for Its sweet simplicity. |
II man took what did nor belong to him,
his hand was Topped Off with the idea that !
the MANNED stump would remind him for
the rest of his days that the way of The
traEsgressor was hard; If he offended the
second time and was caught, his othV
hand followed the first, and he was left a
helpless cripple for life. If his hearing
proved too acute al the wrong time an ear
was sliced from his head: on slight provo
cation the second followed the first.
II ne talked too much the pincers tore
out his tongue; if his vision proved too
keen at some unfortunate moment, red
hot poker destroyed his sight. And in
addition to these trifing punishments for
trivial offenses, there were 200 capital
crimes for which the penalty was death.
Certainly il would seem to the average man
as if sufficient inducements were offered to
the jewellers in those days to stick to the
straight and narrow path. But evidently
the desired end was not served. for in the
face of all that long list of manning and
burning and branding and beheading-of
fearful punis hments without number and
that beggar descrption-there is no record
that crime and license were any less prev
a!ent than al the present day.
Was Long in Use.
Prior 10 the nineteenth century the whip
ping post was an English political institu-
tion of great antiquity, the direct out
growth of whipping at the carts tayle.'
All through the middle ages 1t held sway
In the army and the navy it was continued
until not so very long ago and it was, of
course. considered the Indispensable expedl-
ent for enforcing discipline among slaves
Associated with IT corrective nc :. ures
were the ducking stool for the leWG and
the iron Bride for scolds. The church
and city records of England show how con-
stantly the post and the pillory-for the
two We're usually found together-were in
voked to perform their large share of legal
md restrictive duties. In the reign of
Henry VIII famous whipping act' was
passed, by which all Migrants were to be
whipped severely at the carts tayle until
their bodies become bloody by reason of
such whipping" Certainly there could be
no fault found with that statute on the
ground that II ambiguous The enact
ment was In force nearly through the
reign OF Queen Elizabeth, when the whip
ping post became the usual substitute of
the carts tayle." But from all conten-
.poraneous accounts il does not appear that
q, the force of the blows whit lessened
rs a good sound British institution and
IN order that there might be familiar and
home Ike surroundings in the new and
strange land. the whipping post was
promptly set up, and the nine-thonged lash
started to work. in all the American COO
mics. In an order sent over from England
Tor the government of the first settlement
at Salem whipping prescribed In the
phrase, "corrocCOn Is cnjored for the foOles
back SclurEings We're made a feature of
the Sabbath and usually occurred on lee.
turC days well. From that time on The
whipping post was leading feature OF the
~ stem of puuishments IN the blue laws
ot New England In Boston in particular
the post was early IN operation. The rec
ordS OF that city show that at the session
~ The court ON November 20 1890 one man
was sentenced 20 be whipped for stealing
half loaf 81 bread; another for swearing
on tho S'bhuth. another for leaving his
vessel Without ''pylatJ" Fur "strykiu:
DIS mo- her and dcritiug her. John Pcase