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It appears that the gang successfully defy the law. The members hold their meetings at night, guarded by passwords, countersigns, grips, oaths of secrecy, and obligations. As to their numerical strength little is known, but they have, it . is said, on special occasions mustered fully 300. The “ White Caps ” always make * sure work. When a victim is selected he is g;iven “ due notice ” and advised to “ govern himself accordingly.” At the appointed time and place the “Whip-Ups” assemble by prearrangement, armed with stout h kory withes, guards are posted, the victim of their vengeance is seized and stripped, and the whipping begins. The members are known by numbers. The captain stations himself convenient to the victim, calls out “No. 1,” who steps forth and lays on five lashes, drawing the blood at every stroke. He is succeeded by “ No. 2,” and so on until the required number of blows, often exceeding 150, have been administered. In selecting victims “neither age, sex, nor previous condition of servitude ” is considered or respected. Women have been scourged almost to the verge of death, aged men have been cruelly beaten almost beyond the bounds of human endurance, and even county offic ials have been selected as subjects for “correction.” One of the astonishing features of these proceedings is the fact that they are by no means limited to the rural districts. Villages and towns have frequently been the scene of these whippings, and even cities as large as New Albany have been raided in search of victims. The instances in which these violent castigations have resulted in death are not numerous, but the fact that such has been the case in more than one instance is very clearly established. The provocation that calls for such summary punishment ranges from chicken-stealing to adultery. But it is too of en the case that the offence is trifling in nature or consequences. One poor fellow was mercilessly maltreated for stealinghis mother-in-law’s poultry. A unique case is that of the woman who was publicly whipped for privately whipping her own husband. Not long since charges of “crookedness”
Newspaper Details
London St James Gazette An Evening Review and Record of News
London, Middlesex, GB
Wed, May 23, 1888
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Sullivan C.
IN, USA 24 Aug 2020
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Bingleys Journal
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London Daily Mail
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