Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28
WHIPPING, TN THE NAVY
LASH WAS ofTEN.spsED IN YEARS
GONE BY.
For Mutiny AID Desertion-only One
Officer Eyer Hanged at the
Yard Arm.

soi "ilS peatefS recalls the oiu Gays WHen
stringent measures oftdiseipline were en-
ployed to enforce discipline in the navy.
Many years ago enlisted men of the navy
We're subjected to corporal punishment.
regulated by law, but the "cat" has been
long since abolished The officer who
would now attempt to have a nutinous or
fracuous subordinate brought to obedience
by the infiiction of any other disciplinary
or punitive method than double irons, .
extra duty or confinement. would be him
self subject for trial or court-martiaI
An ofncer who struck seaman with the
nat of his sword not many years ago suf-
sequence.
The official records of the Navy Depart
ment are full of interesting stories of the
DAYS when ffogging was common form of
punishment for the atl-o'war s-man. In
the early part of the last century there
was regulation forbidding any command
er 10 lnfiict any punishment upon sea-
man beyond twelve lashes upon the bare
pack with the cato -nine-tails. Another
regulation provided, however, that "if the
offenSe should deserve greater punishment,
1t Is to be tried by court-martial, and In the
meantime the offender may be put in con-
hnement These regulations were con-
strued so literally by many courts that
enlisted men were frequently subjected to
terrible f1osgings. The official records show
mat Peter Jealous, marine. who was
by the court TO receive 270 lashes; to be
branded with the letter d two inches IN
length on his left cheek, to have the left
side of his head shaved clean, and to DE
dismissed from the service That sentence
was imposed in the year 1909.
Lash and Branding Iron.
In those days the lash and the branding
iron We're in use, and discipline was main
tanned by the most brutal punishn1ents.
Justice was rarely tempered with mercy,
and the sound of the cat falling on bare
backs was heard continuously.
1t seems incredible that a man could
receive 200 lashes on the bare back and
survive, yet 800 lashes was a sentence fire.
quently imposed The sentence in the case
OF Jealous was his second punishment for
desertion The first time he received 200
lashes, had the right side of his head
shaved and wore ball and chain for one
year.
Years ago mutinous conduct was quite
frequent in the navy and mutny was most
severely punished. In 1915 Richard Combs
marine was found guilty of mutinous
conduct, disobedience of orders and con-
tempt or court, and was sentenced to re-
ceive 100 lashes, to have one side of his
head shaved, to have a halter put around
his neck, and to be ANONYMOUSLY dismissed
the service. Robert Quinn holds the rec
ord for receiving the maximum number of
lashes. In 1904 this man was charged with
mutiny, and sentenced to have his head and
eyebrows shaved, to be branded in the fore
head. to receive 800 lashes, and to wear
White cap with a label In that condition
he was placed in q ships boat; wherein had
been erected gallows, under which he sat
while the boat was towed ashore, stern
foremost.
Punishment for Midshipmen.
Midshipmen We're frequently brought be-
fore courts-martial. Their deeds were due
to the fact that they were sent to sea at a
tender age, and, boy like, resented the at
tempts at discipline on the part of their
superior officers which action led to their
being tried for INSTRUMENTATION or disre-
spect The trials usually resulted In their
being severely reprimanded cashiered
The only American officer ever hanged at
the yard-arm on board American ves-
sci was Midshipman Spencer. In 1912 the
brig SomerS, under the command of Com
mander Alexander Sliden Mackenzie was on
cruise with naval apprentices. On her
passage from the coast of Africa to New
York the officers claimed to have discovered
mutinous plot, the ringleader being Mid
shfpman Spencer, whose father was then
Secretary of War and afterward Secretary
of the Treasury. The officers thought it
necessary to make an example of the lead
ers, and accordingly Spencer and two 9TH
ers were hanged at the yard-arm.
That episode, owing largely to Spencer's
social position, aroused great indignation
on the part of the public and some of the
newspapers of the day, and a court of in
quiry was ordered to investigate the conduct
of Commander Mackenzie. Mackenzie was
eXonerated, but the courts finding did not
satisfy the friends of Spencer, who charged
that Mackenzie had allowed his fears to get
the better of his Judgment, and that, in or
dering the execution of Spencer and his
companions, he had been guilty of murder.
Commander Mackenzie then asked to be
brought before cOurt-martial.
His request was granted and he was
charged with murder, Illegal punishment,
conduct unbecomfng an officer, cruelty and
oppression, but was acquitted of all these
charges
The First Court Martial.
In 1899 Lieut.. Cords of the navy was tried
for cruelty and drunkenness and sleeping
on his watch. That was the first court-mar-
-tial, so far as the records show, ever con-
vened in the American navy. The court as
sembled on board the United States frigate
Constitution. 1t appears from the evidence
that Cords was left temporarily in charge
of the vessel, and, while so in charge beat
John Hunt, seaman, with an inch-and-a-
half rope. Hunt was felled to the deck by a
stroke across the kidneys. One witness
testified that he saw Cords give Hunt
eleven lashes with the rope and that Hunt
ran forward laughing and said that it didn't
hurt any more than flea bite. Further
evidence showed that Cords struck Hunt,
was therefore acquitted of the charge of
cruelty. Neither of the other charges was
sustained by the evidence adduced.
During the early days of the navy deser-
lions were numerous and the offenders were
frequently sentenced to death. James Bar
rett, marine, was found guilty of deser-
ton. His punishment was unusual. He was
fined So and shot to DEATH Another odd
punishment was that inflicted upon Cornell
ius Cairns, a deserter, who sentenced
to wear a 24-pound shot fer six months and
to pay the expenses of his apprehension.
Deserters and mutineers were not the
Only offenders to be severely punished. In
1909 Patrick Smith, a marine, received 300
lashes for woundlng a seaman, and two
years later Joseph Sherburn, for sedtious
expressions was sentenced to receive 200
iashes. ~
Manitoba Will Exhaust Soil.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Manitoba. farmer has not profited
by the experience of the wheat growers on
this side of the boundary. Like them. he