Evening journal., 1908-03-02
UNIFORM AT THE
WHIPPING POST
"Ex-COnyiCt" BeSiegine State
and County Officials
With Letters

Prominent officials Of State and
county are being besieged with let
ters signed "Ex- Convict" advocating
the adoption OF uniform for men
while being lashed at the whipping
post in the different counties. Accom-
panying the letters are photographs of
the uniform Ex-Convict advocates as
a badge Of shame while the culprit is
being ffogged at the post.
These letters have been received by
Governor Preston Lea, Chief Justice
Charles B. Lore, Judge William c.
Spruance, Judge Edwin r. Cichran,
Jr., of city court; former Judge j.
Frank Ball, secretary of the work.
house trustees; Warden Crawford Of
the county workhouse and the sherins
of the different counties. EX-Convict
also states that he has sent the letters
and photographs to the different news
papers
He discusses the effect of hogging
at the whipping post upon men who
have suffered it, and advocates the
adoption of a uniform set of pants as
/ a further mental punishment Of the
offender The worst part of the whip
ping post is not the lash proper but
It is the great humiliation of allow
ing oneself TO be fastened to the past
and to he whipped in public as dog, -
says the writer. We criminals dread
the eye of the honest public and our
worst moment is our trial in the open
court room. once behind the walls we
have no fear. If the whippins In Della
ware weer given in private we would
not dread the post so much"
Says He has Been Whipped.
The uniform advocated BY Ex- Con-
Wet, who says he has tasted of the
Delaware lash, is merely a pair OF
/ lSnee-length white pants, with a belt
on the back OF which Is printed in
large letters Whipping post" He ad-
vocates separate pants for the white
and colored offenders at the post The
three photographs give views OF the
knee pants on the man at the post.
Along with the ding dissertation on
the humiliation attending the wearing
of such a uniform at the whipp ng post
was letter reading as follows:
Too Much Comfort Given.
Dear Sir.--Some time ago, suggest
ed to the trustees of the workhouse,
a scheme of special pants for the whip
ping post.
My personal experience as an ex-
convict, is that too much comfort is
given to the criminals, VIII ch is a great
temptation TO return Although l have
done my best for a number of years
to keep on the good path, do not claim
to be fully reformed. as when the
work is slack and 1 do not know when
the next meal is coming, / am tempted
regretting the comfort and care of
prison. The greatest trouble with
charitable folks, is 70 eliminate all what
Is humiliant and instead of using the
plain handcuffs, to drag the prisoners
to Jail, we have we'll fitted and covered
patrol wagons, etc. / believe in the
efficiency of the lash not I'm the. force
of the blows. if the punishment is
made humiliant to create a deep i'm
preston on the culprits as we'll as
on the visitors. believe that if had
| been whipped at the workhouse,r I
would have been impressed by the uni
forms of hte warden and OF his guards.
but whipped in the old jail. by a sheriff
who was laughing, talking, smoking and
! looking more as a bum, in his dirty old
gray suit and his old straw hat, I was
poorly impressed and considered my
sells. no more a burgIar punished for
his crimes but the central figure of a
picnic If ever I was to fall again, Q
! hope uot) 1 would certainly he deeply
Inundated to have to wear the whip
ping pants.
"As I believe in the efficiency Of the
lash and as I know that many states
scared by the increase in crime, are
talking Of reestablishing the whipping
post, I humbly submit my ideas hop
ing that Delaware can improve the
punishment and decide other states
10 follow
In addressing the newspapers. 7 do
not ask any publicity I'm this affair
but If they think we'll OF my sugges-
tions, they are the parties, TO mould
the public opinion to such a reform
They are at liberty to use parts of
my communication but I ask them. to
not make a scandal or a sensation Of
what I said I hope the papers will
Join me for the good Of the community
in general. An E-Convict."