Evening journal., 1921-07-11

white-painted. neat. within a space
enclosed by high stone wall, al
most directly beside the public high
way. Remove the wall, and you
would Immediately restore, in A. d.
1921, the roadside display Of whip
ping post and pillory that in most
States disappeared well-nigh a CEN
tury ago. Only a mere stone wall be-
tween now and the archaic past.
Il was told that the pillory had
not been used for years. Some
what more than a generation ago. It
stood In a public place In the cen-
ter OF Wilmington. the neck and the
arms Of the victim locked tightly
through the apertures while the
children OF the day committed vari-
Gus degrees Of indecencies upon the
helpless bodies. Today, the indecen-
cies Of the public whipping post
urvives-behind stone wallis, but
free to the gaze of the public.
VIII Whipping Post Remain?
"Why make the people Of Will
mington go four miles to see it2
There is one reason, perhaps They
can then go inside the institution
and see the amazing good conduct
and Intelligent use OF privileges Of
the inmates. The whipping post
did not do this. for it was there
long ago. A new warden did it.
one who has no use for the post.
But why not bring the whip
ping post down in front OF the beau
tiful dupont Hotel2 There is a
splendid public square just set for
the purpose. The whipping post
might be user, nights, between the
community singing features. Surely
thousands would come, to every
one hundred and fifty that now at
tend that function. And II II is
good for the public in one place, it
must be all right in the other place;
and there could be special seats for
children.
Il doubt II the whipping post Of
Delaware will be long in the land.
IL will be driven into the limbo of
antique Instruments Of torture partly
through the inmates OF the work.
house themselves who now, after
twelve months trial of Warden
Plummer's extreme methods OF
trust, still stay put in the ways OF
decency and good behavior. There
seems to be something approaching
Consideration in the minds of many
outsiders who are today forced to
note that discipline is far easier es-
capes fewer. guns and revolvers lack
ing. punishments, it is alleged. great
ly diminished, since deprivation OF
privileges have taken the place OF
the dreaded RAM the cufnng-up
the standing-up at meals, and other
tried and true mechanical substi-
tutes for Intelligent individual
methods OF treatment.
However, the whipping post Il
only one conspicuous feature Of Del.
aware's pitiably inadequate and otter
perverse ways OF dealing with crime
and criminals There are only thre,
counties in the State The county
workhouse near Wilmington, as
have said. receives all State pris
oners.
Il stopped a young colored bo,
, in the corridor. Ho was thirteer
years old. He had been sentenced
|, TO the State prison. In the count,
from which he came there Is no ju.
venile court law. In this case, tn,
, boy, his father and his mother wer,
. all under one roof Of the New Cas-
tie County Workhouse. Moderr
states in this country have reform
, schools for children, reformatorie
for early manhood and prisons 70
adults Delaware has a whipping
y post and a human menagerie."
Hillcs Stands by Warden.
, Mr.. Lewis tells OF passing a da,
with T. Allen Hines, who, afte
I many years service, has resigne,
I from presidency of the board o
, trustees of the workhouse.
' 'He" (Mr. Hilles) says Mr.. Lewis
believes the warden's way is right
but like his former colleagues, n
watches with a certain gravity an,
= concern for the possible time whei
0 something will happen
\ Warden Plummer," continues MI
I Lewis, swept ruthlessly out OF tn
8 door, the accumulated customs q
:. years, and prisoners now 10 in an
/. out Of prison, at their work. withou
d any searching, I am told. and ofte
s without any guard It is quite pos
{ sible to bring in drugs. knives, gun
Y and what not Three lifors Wake
q across the front OF the grounds Will
we were talking. on the uppe
n farm, several miles away, ninetee
) men, white and colored. work with
" lifers
/ This prison is run by the heart
# said the warden, and II has the be-
l. discipline Of any prison in the worl,
l. Don't forget to say in your articI
Is that we emphasize religion her
II Church and Sunday School. The me
lie must go, TOT
le There were s25 inmates at N
~ workhouse when I visited IT," cor