The New York herald., 1922-06-25
Boston's History Shows
Many a Bloody Stain

In Boston the punishment was used
frequently in the attempt 10 abolish
the Quaker sect. and many young
women of fine families and refinement
we're publicly tied to the whipping posi-
and flayed, until they had tainted. by
the orders of the city executives, who
tranded those with the new faith in
the same order as murderers, Grim
inals. &c.
One of the most popular uses OF the
whipping post consisted of the flog-
ging being administered in the market
place of the city. and when the skin
Of the victim had been thoroughly torn
by the knout. and the branding iron
had been applied 10 the forehead and
back. he or she was then sent to the
next town, which may have been over
thirty miles distant, armed with note
bearing instructions to the effect .ha-
the criminal was TO be given 100
lashes, heartily and thoroughly ar-
rlfed upon his arrival, and, after the
beating, was again to be sent on foot
10 the next town. This was kept uu
until the offender either died from cx-
haustion on the road or else perisned
under the rod.
The last instance of an American
woman receiving the knout for being
accused of immortality occurred in 1864
in Delaware and as a matter OF fact
the efficacy of this form of justice Is
so highly thought of by the State that
II is still sanctioned there.
Just the other day the whipping post
in Newcastle county, Delaware. was
used for Furnishing some criminals ac-
cused of petty felony, and five men
were so thoroughly beaten that they
were hardly alive when it was over.
However. the citizens and the Alder
men of the place state that never
within their knowledge has a criminal
ever returned for second whipping.
This is why the whipping post is con-
sidered so efficient means of stamp
ing out crime. for together with the
pain and physical agony which are
suffered there is the added degradation
of the public exhibition of their sins.
Before 1860 the whipping post had
been practically abolished in all North
ern States, but was widely used in the
South. incident to slavery. The whip
forms one of the most tragic sides of
the history of slavery, and while it
was thoroughly approved of and used
centuries before in all foreign nations
the merciless beating of the slaves
by their masters, many of them dying
under the whip, is one of the dark
clouds on the progress of American
civilization.
A few of the Southern States still
use the whipping post as a means of
punishment for petty offenders. and it
is quite frequently employed by the
village Board of Governors in Virginia,
South Carolina and other States.
When therefore, il is made probable
by the pressure of such men as Judge
Gammill and his colleagues that the
whipping post will again be brought
out i'm an attempt TO stamp out the
present crime wave it will be very
much modified for present use.
1t is no. expected that the old brand
ing iron will be brought back, and
the public degradation is judged to be
unnecessary. but there seems to be
little doubt in the minds Of many who
have studied the history of the power
of the whipping post throughout the
world that there may be at least very
effective weapon employed against all
legal offenders by its revival