FLOGGING A PRISONER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 239, 6 November 1876, Page 4

FLOGGING A PRISONER.

(Auckland Herald.) The punishment of Jatnes Bi ierly by a flogging twice, in addition to imprisonment, for a brutal assault and rape upon a womau, between Papakura and Drury, was carried into effect last evening io the Court-yard of the Gaol. Tbe prisoner, it will be recollected, wae put upon his trial before Mr Justice Gillies at the last criminal sittings of tbe Quarterly Circuit Court. When tbe indictment was read over to tbe prisoner he pleaded guilty, so thnt there was no doubt whatever of bis guilt. His Honor tbe Judge, in passing sentence, made very some very strong but just remarks upon the necessity of surrounding women with the protection of the law against euch persons, and of inspiring terror in evil doers of a particular kind, by administering the ooly species of punishment of which their hardened natures had adequate fear. He sentenced the prisoner to ten years penal servitude, aDd to be flogged twice—once on the 16th October, and the eecotid time on the 22nd December, both in tbe present year, with an instrument called the "cat." In carrying out the sentence the object was ttat the proper regulation "cat 5 ' should be obtained, and next that an efficient hand at usiog it should also be secured. Both requirements appear to have been supplied without much reluctance, for the crims of which the prisoner was guilty upon his own couiession, is abborreut to all manly natures. Briefly was brought into the gnol court-yard yestenJay, at half-past five o'clock. Everything that coulJ give significance to the uupleasont ceremony was done in order, The whipping took place in tbe presence of bia Honor Mr Justice Giilies, the Visiting Justices, the Inspeolors of Armed Coustabulury, Dr Philson, and several other functionaries connected* with the gaol and the administration of the law. After the firot five blows the flesh became discolored, and at the fifteenth blow the flesh broke. The remaining ten blows weae given in more rapid succession. There was no doubt, whatever, as to the severity of this whipping. When the culprit was unstrapped, be was sent to the hospital of the gaol, where he will remain until ha is pronounced by the doctor to be fit for work. The punishment is of a degrading kind, u<> doubt; but it would seem scarcely possible to degrade <«uc!i a mnn as ihe prisoner below the level to which be bad sunk, j his mode of punisbuieijt should act us a warning to others.