The Washington times., 1917-02-11
COUNTY SPLIT BY
FLOGGING OF BOYS
AIexandrianS Divided Over Ac-
ton of Authorities in
= Castigation.
AGAINST WHIPPING POST
Statute Permitting Violence to
Prisoners Likely to
Be Repealed.
AGAINST WHIPPING POST

Residents Of Alexandria county.
Va, are widely divided in their opin-
ions regarding the whipping OF two
youths in a stable near the county
courthouse after they had been con-
victed of petty larceny.
N While resolutions denouncing the
Virginia statute under which the
chastisement was legally administer
ed have been adopted at two mass
meetings, resolutions OF an entirely
different character, have been adopt
ed by the Clarendon Citizens Associa-
| tion and Old Dominion Citizens As
ISOLATION.
These organizations approved the
course taken by the county officers
in the case and indorsed the castiga-
tion OF the youths. A number of in
dividuRls also have publicly expressed
their appreciation OF the manner in
which the boys were punished.
some Change Their Minds.
Although there is no sentiment
among either the officials or resi-
dents OF the county in favor OF estab-
fishing q whipping post, when all
the facts in this particular case were
learned by persons who previously
had Joined in the criticism OF the Of
ficers, some changed their minds and
expressed the belief that the cause
for indignation had been ninimized.
II not entirely dissipated-
1t IL believed, however, by both
sides that the effect OF the indigna-
tion meetings, which the officers say
were held for purely political pur--
poses. will be to have the statute
which permits whipping repealed.
Text of the Statute.
The statute Il No. 3sO2a. passed by
the Legislature of 1S97-9s. The title
of the statute is as follows:
ITO empower any judge. or
Justice Of the peace Of the Com
monwealth before whom a minor
under sixteen years OF age Is con-
minister stripes in lieu OF fine or
imprisonment, or OF either. with
the consent OF the parent or guar
dian OF such minor"
Following is the full text OF the
statute:
when any minor under six
teen years of age Is convicted of
a misdemeanor the justice or
judge before whom such convic-
guardian shall consent. infiict on
such minor such punishment as
the court may think adequate;
then the court shall discharge
such minor from custody. The
stripes imposed under this act
shall be administered by the
sheriff or any constable OF the
county or sergeant of the cor
poration wherein the conviction is
had, upon the order OF the Judge
OF justice imposing the sentence
and at such time and. place as the
said Judge or justice may direct.
The parent or guardian shall have
the right to be present when such
stripes are administered"
Judge Makes stafenent.
The, case which resulted in the in
dignation meetings was that of
George Deeter, white. thirteen-years
old, and Samuel Brooks, colored, six
teen. Both are said to be large for
their age.
Police Judge william Cloth, who
sentenced the boys to be whipped,
today made the following statement
regarding the case:
These boys, one of whom Is not a
stranger to the. county police court,
were convicted OF stealing several
sofa pillows, two table cloths, and
several brass lamps from a canoe
house on the Virginia shore of tho
Potomac river. Both of them plead
ed guilty to the petty larceny charge.
Parents Witnessed whipping.
at Is not true, as stated at the
indignation meetings, that the boys
merely stripped some sail cloth from
an abandoned building. They en-
tered the canoe house and carried
away the pillows. table cloths and
lamps. Only their youth saved them
from facing charges of housebreak-
ing.
Before the boys were convicted
their parents agreed with me that
the youths should be whipped. The
father of the white boy and the
mother OF the colored boy \eonsented
to the whippings proposed. The
mother ssid she would like to whip
her son, but he was too big and she
did not have the necessary strength.
The father of the white boy said he
was convinced his son ought to be
whipped, but he did not wish to ad
minister the chastisement.
81 then directed Constable Smoot
to cut some switches, take the boys
to the stable and rive them fifteen
ticks each. The boys parents went
to the stable and witnessed the whip
pings
Neither of Boys wept.
The two boys leaned over the two
sides of a barrel and clasped hands.
None OF their clothing was removed
Inc constable was instructed not to
be severe In administering the
punishment, and / sent Sheriff Fields
to the stable to see that these In.
structions were carried out. Neither
of the boys was injured by the whip
ping, which their parents approved
in every way, both before and after
the chastisement.
GSeIther OF the boys wept a tear.
At the conclusion of the whipping
one of the boys rolled a cigarette.
asked his father for a match. re-
ceived II and went home smoking
and smiling.
III the parents of these boys had
not consented to their being whipped,
the switch never would have been
laid upon them.
Not Injured In Least.