Evening journal., 1915-03-15

II
job, had prompted him to have mo
placed behind some prison bars. To
this effect my pal, knowing my infatu-
alton for a lady in Wilmington. de-
cided to commit the burglary himself
an accuse me of the crime After |
placing some stolen goods in my room
he gave me away. TO force me to si- '
lence he enlisted the services of the
husband of the woman. To offer an
alibi would have forced me to expose
the woman, and as her husband had
notified me that it the State failed 90
thrash me he would give me sound
thrashing. ! allowed myself to be con-
victed on the circumstantial evidence,
as ! thought that a whipping at the
hands of the Sheriff would be less
barbarous than a thrashing at the
hands Of whitecappers.
"The last sentence reformed me and
J state without shame that the pillory
did the work, while the lash cemented
my good resolutions TO turn a new
leaf
at my release returned to the
west. secured work and married My
happiness was not to last as my wife
died in 1910.
CAS- ] wanted TO keep the boy with
me ] engaged a housekeepcr. The
church members had their tongues
going: What scandal TO live with his
housckceper 80 soon after the death Of
nj wife, etc. The tongues never ceased.
To put a stop TO these comments ] de-
cided 10 spend my evenings away from
home joined friends and gradually 1
started to drink again, to play cards, TO
gamble, etc. could find no happiness
and as | was ncglectng my work and
losing my money | discharged the
housckccper and sent the boy to a
boarding school.
Son Dies Takes TO Drink.
"Shortly afterwards the boy died.
This Second blow was too much for me
and I could no longer control the new
craving for liquor and my business
went to pieces.
al make this confession in the hope
that the shame of exposing MY past life
viii react and save me from the down
ward road I have also another reason.
Save the corporal punishment for some
other unfortunate men. 7 he lash saved
me. The lash can save others. If the
lash would have but one-tenth of the
conyicts, the lash would accomplish
more good than our finest modern pris-
ons.
cam an ex-victim of the lnsh2 One
man in Wilmington can prove that fact.
He is my old enemy. Harris, the pawn
broker. the rather short, stout fellow,
with his mustachc turning gray. lie
had grudge against me on account of
an overcoat did not see him while
| was standing in the pillory, but when
| walked TO the whipping post he was
ON the first row close to the front. Har-
ris had sarcastic smile when he saw
me and while the attendants were fast
cning me to the post ! heard him say
60 his friends "Ihere is my friend OF
the overcoat. knew he would come
this way" I do not know If Harris can
remember the date. As for myself, /
am not sure II it was in 1891, 1892 OF
1898 II he could it would help trace
the case. If he cannot name the corr
rect year he can at least identify me
as the man who was whipped at the
post. Last time | was in Wilmington
| saw Harris in front of his store. but
! he did not look at me, and 10 tell tho
truth ! did not care to stop TO be rec
ognized
"As usual I was sentenced under
an assumed name. In New York I
was sentenced under my real name
because Of letters that l had on my
person. Since then I have made IL
point to carry nothing that would
identify me.
At the Whipping Post.
Ht.I. .~lsa
personal experiences In the pillory
and at the whipping post TO clearly
prove that / was the man seen by
Harris whipped In the yard Of the
New Castle Jail.
when | was standing in the pill
lory ! said to myself: / am innocent
of this charge, but il serves me right,
as I should have known better l
was not bitter against the sentence
as II / was punished uniustly in one
case mad not been punished for other
orimes-consequently the account was
balanced.
'I was very nervous when I left
my cell for the pillory. The attend
ant had TO keep his hand behind my
back as we ascended the ladder to
keep me from falling. Self preserva-
tion made me move my neck from the
central slot of the pillory. My shirt
and coat collars were in the way
while my derby was a positive nuis-
ance. On account of the high sun
was told to keep my hat on, but
every time I wanted to relieve my
neck by raising my head, the rim Of
my hat would hit the frame The
position was not necessarily painful.
but tedious. ! kept my eyes shut,
so at not TO see the spectators in
the hope that they would not sec
me.
Il had fully ono hour to rest in my
cell before appearing at the post. To
try TO ward of the blows | would
throw my body to one side, but as
the sheriff had regulated his arm to
land square blow on the back the
lash would then miss the intended
spot and strike the sides OF the body
over the ribs and under the armpits.
Then, like others, ! would allow my
self to drop on the knees and these
conditions worked hard on the wrists.
did not scream. beg or show amy
extra agony, but l quivered every
time tho lash hit me. The last was
not heavy, the sheriff was rather
lenient
Calls Lash n Great Reformer.
"Our kind reformers talk Of re-
forming with good words and kind
, treatment. This is great mistake.
was fairly we'll treated in New York
and Illinois. had many visits from
{ church members. | had many good
words.
can His Kindness did not helm me