Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1907-08-28
REYOLTS At the LASH.
Would Rather Hang Than Whip Men, Warden
Says-Qyits His Task.

SaYs-Q.its His Task.
II would hang a man for mur
3 der rather that lash one at the
whipping post for stealing chick
en-, If L had the choice. In the
: first instance, he would have paid
, the penalty Tor his crime, while
on the latter case no good what
ever would be accomplished. The
Delaware whipping post, instead
of being a corrective agency,
makes its victims revengeful and
brings out all that is hateful in
their nature. It should certainly
be abolished, and the day is COM
ing when it will be done away
with"
| Warden Asmond S. Meserve, of
the Newcastle county workhouse,
at Greenb back, near here, who has
resigned his position because of
his disapproval of this medieval
system of corporal punishment
and his dislike to WELD the lash,
made the above declaration today
while seated at his office at the
prison. He continued
"Since I became warden of this
penal institution, in 1901, and be-
ginning on November of that year,
l have whipped 235 white and ne
gro men. The number of lashes
ranged from five to sixty, a negro,
who attempted to poison a Will
mington family receiving the high
est. Of this total sixty men had
been whipped before, some of them
as many as six times. Does not
this prove that the whole system
falls far short of being corrective?
OF the convicts whom I have lash
led, go per cent. were negroes"
The warden was asked what his
feelings were when he applied the
first lash to a prisoner.
II Was 80 overcome" he de-
clared, "that could hardly stand
up. I cannot describe my feel
ings; words are not sufficiently y
descriptive. I had sense of ad
horrence, not to say pity
in November, 1901, wa s
to lash eight men. When it was
all over I was SO weak that I could
scarcely walk. [ was so good,
physically, during the remainder
of the day. The affair so un-
nerved me that spent sleepless
night"
"The first man I lashed was
"Buck" Cunningham, who is now
serving twenty-year term in the
Eastern Penitentiary, Philadel-
phia, for highway robbery, He was
sentenced here for theft. When
the cat descended on Bucks
back, 1 would have resigned as
warden then and there had l had
the couraget to do so. Cunningham,
las we'll as several others on that
day, received twenty lashes. The
fact that Cunningham committed
, more serious offense after serv.
ing his term here is further de
monstration of the futillty of the
whipping post as corrective
, agency.
"Caleb E. Burchenal, a Will
mington lawyer, who conducts 6
{ night school for the prisoners, hat
tanned criminals by educationa
means upon whom the lash hal
had no effect. I have hanged two
l men since becoming warden here
and the effect upon me is nothing
r compared with what I have exper
j, fenced in applying the LASH"
"When prisoners whom you art
> whipping have appealed to yor
for mercy, what are your feel
: ipgs?" the warden was asked.
Q my feelings have been awfu
and beyond description. In suct
cases I simply shut my eyes ane
welded the lash. 1 had to per
form my duty
J Mr.. Meserve said he could no
: understand why Delawareans, al
a rule, upheld the whipping post
, zone of the most lovable men il
4 this State is Chief Justice Charlie
8 B. LORE" said he. He is th'
7 embodiment all that is gentle ane
afectionate. Yet he declares tina
the post is a crime deterrent. Hi
reasons for nphclding the system
of lashing is that we are midwa,
between Baltimore and Washing
ton, on the south and Philadelphi,
and New York, on the north, and
but for the existance Of the whip
ping post, we would be a stopping
:, off place for bank burglars ant