THE LASH IN SOUTH AFRICA

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 93, 12 July 1879, Page 2

THE LASH IN SOUTH AFRICA

A correspondent supplies the Cape Argus with the following particulars of whipping in one of the districts in South Africa:—" The attention of the authorities at Kimberley has lately been directed to the instrument in use for tho infliction of corporal punishment, in consequence of tht- horrible ott'octs which resulted from a recent case of whipping, in which the prisoner underwent a sentence of fifty lashes. In tho Cape Colony there are two kinds of eato'-ninci tails supplied to the magistrates for use in the gaols of their districts, the one lighter in thong intended for prisoners of delicate frame, and not of full age, the other, good deal heavier, and intended for cases where the sentence exceeds twelve lashes, the utmost that a magistrate can inflict, without having his sentence allowed by a judge. In Griqualaud West, however, among the reforms introduced in the Government by I'olouol Lanyou, was that of prison discipline, the importation of respectable gaolers, Zulu constables, an inspector of prisons and a new cat-o'-nino tails. Whethertheso new officials hadbeen accustomed in Natal to use an instrument more severe than the one they found in use at Kimberley, or whether Colonel Lunyon himself suggested tho introduction of a cat such as ho thought was used in the army or in tho prisons of Jamaica, is by no means certain. Hut the fact is unqucstionabla that a new style of cat-o'-nine tai's was, boou after Colonel Lauyon's arrival brought into uso in tho gaols of the province—longer aud. heavier in the handle, and in thongs, and the knots mora numerous and larger; altogether a much more sovcro instrument than heretofore known in these parts. The effect of custigatiou with this weapou is different to that produced by the ordinary cat—the knots penetrutiug more deeply in the flesh, and raining blains below the outer cuticle, wlaoU have the effuct of stoppiug the action of the blood, nerves, and muscles of the blood nerves, and muscles of the book, iu fact creating a serious wound ami iujurytotho unfortuuatu culprit, which it takes a long term of acute pain and oonstant dressing with carboiiuoil to got rid of. For Mime time after the unhappy wretch hj Ibowuod front the triangle," rest to hi* wrecked frame in a recumbent position on tin b.ui or sides, iu out of the question

—he «an euly sit partly bent, or lie on j' his tmet. It is hardly pc«ib!o to irua- j ] gine anythiag more horrible, or that such things are dwe under the name of law and with tbe sanction of authority; and ■ it is lieped (he case which has just hap-;. pened in the gaol of Kiraberley so ter- i riblv illustrating the effects of this' novel I cat,' will lead to a discontinuance of the i use of this instrument, if not altogether I at least partially, till other arrangements can be asade ior carrying out sentences of. corporal punishment."