The whipping-post and stocks were discontinued in Ma.s.sachusetts early in the present century. On the 15th of January, 1801, one Hawkins stood an hour in the pillory in Court Street (now Washington Street), Salem, and had his ear cropped for the crime of forgery, pursuant to the sentence of the Supreme Court.
It would be easy to multiply cases showing the old methods of dealing with criminals; but we think we have cited enough for our readers to be able to form some judgment as to the desirability of reviving the old and degrading systems, even if it could be done. It does seem sometimes that there are brutes in the shape of men whose cruelty, especially in the case of crimes against women, makes them deserving of the worst punishment that could be inflicted for the protection of society; but for the general run of such comparatively light offences as petty larceny, etc., beating and branding with hot irons must be considered barbarous in the extreme, and more after the manner of savages than Christians. We always thought that the beating of scholars--a practice once very common in schools--for such trifling offences as whispering and looking off the book, was a gross outrage, and the parent knowing and allowing it was in our opinion as guilty as the schoolmaster. Of course we will not deny that teachers did, then as now, have a great deal to put up with from saucy, "good-for-nothing" boys, to whom the rod could not well be spared; but we do not allude to such cases. We knew a master whose delight, apparently, was pounding and beating _little_ boys,--he did not touch the large ones. And yet he was generally considered a first-rate teacher. Parents upheld him in anything he chose to do with the boys, and if they complained at home, they were told that it must have been their fault to be punished at all. This man every morning took the Bible in one hand and his rattan in the other and walked backward and forward on the floor in front of the desks while the boys read aloud, each boy reading two or three verses; and woe be to any boy who made a mistake, such as misp.r.o.nouncing a word! Although he might never have been instructed as to its p.r.o.nunciation, he was at once pounded on the head or rapped over the knuckles. Of course he never forgot that particular word. And this teacher was called only "strict"! If ever a man deserved the pillory, it was that teacher.
Possibly some of our readers may think that there is another side to this story; for the benefit of such we give some lines from the "Salem Gazette," Feb. 6, 1824.
_From the Connecticut Centinel._
THE SCHOOLMASTER"S SOLILOQUY.
To whip, or not to whip?--that is the question.
Whether "tis easier in the mind to suffer The deaf"ning clamor of some fifty urchins, Or take birch and ferule "gainst the rebels, And by opposing end it? To whip--to flog-- Each day, and by a whip to say we end The whispering, shuffling, and ceaseless buzzing Which a school is heir to--"tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To whip, to flog, To whip, and not reform--aye, there"s the rub.
For by severity what ills may come, When we"ve dismissed and to our lodging gone, Must give us pain. There"s the respect That makes the patience of a teacher"s life.
For who would bear the thousand plagues of a school,-- The girlish giggle, the tyro"s awkwardness, The pigmy pedant"s vanity, the mischief, The sneer, the laugh, the pouting insolence, With all the hum-drum clatter of a school, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare hickory? Who would willing bear To groan and sweat under a noisy life, But that the dread of something after school (That hour of rumor, from whose slanderous tongue Few Tutors e"er are free) puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear _these_ lesser ills, Than fly to _those_ of greater magnitude.
Thus error does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied over with undue clemency, And pedagogues of great pith and spirit, With this regard their _firmness_ turn away, And lose the name of _government_.
We here record a curious affair which took place in the State of Georgia in the year 1811. At the Superior Court at Milledgeville a Mrs. Palmer, who, the account states, "seems to have been rather glib of the tongue, was indicted, tried, convicted, and, in pursuance of the sentence of the Court, was punished by being publicly ducked in the Oconee River for--_scolding_." This, we are told, was the first instance of the kind that had ever occurred in that State, and "numerous spectators attended the execution of the sentence." A paper copying this account says that the "crime is old, but the punishment is new," and that "in the good old days of our Ancestors, when an unfortunate woman was accused of Witchcraft she was tied neck and heels and thrown into a pond of Water: if she drowned, it was agreed that she was no witch; if she swam, she was immediately tied to a stake and burnt alive. But who ever heard that our _pious_ ancestors _ducked_ women for scolding?" This writer is much mistaken; for it is well known that in England (and perhaps in this country in early times) the "ducking-stool" was resorted to for punishing "scolds."
This was before the days of "women"s rights," for there is no record of any man having been punished in this way.
It is said that the ducking-stool was used in Virginia at one time.
Thomas Hartley writes from there to Governor Endicott of Ma.s.sachusetts in 1634, giving an account of the punishing a woman "who by the violence of her tongue had made her house and neighborhood uncomfortable." She was ducked five times before she repented; "then cried piteously, "Let me go! let me go! by G.o.d"s help I"ll sin so no more." They then drew back y^e Machine, untied y^e Ropes, and let her walk home in her wetted Clothes a hopefully penitent woman." In the "American Historical Record," vol. i., will be found a very interesting account of this singular affair, with an engraving of the "ducking-stool." Bishop Meade, in his "Old Churches," etc., says there was a law in Virginia against scolds and slanderers, and gives an instance of a woman ordered to be ducked three times from a vessel lying in James River. There must have been very severe practices in Virginia in the early days, according to Bishop Meade. We refer persons especially interested in this subject to Hone"s "Day Book and Table Book," or Chambers"s "Book of Days," both English publications, for a full account of the ducking-stool and scold"s bridle, formerly used in England for the punishment of scolding women. It is not pleasant to think that such a shameful practice was ever resorted to, but it appears to be well authenticated. We cannot, however, read English history, or any other history, without finding a vast number of disagreeable facts which we are obliged to believe. Some things, too, have occurred in our own country that we should like to forget.
All over the country we are nowadays troubled with "strikes." Such "irregularities" must have been treated in a different spirit half a century ago from what they are now. In these days the "strikers"
attempt to dictate terms, and in some cases succeed; although as a general thing they get the worst of the struggle. The method of dealing with such matters fifty years ago is briefly set forth in the "Salem Observer," March 29, 1829. It says: "_Turn-out in New York._ There has been a turn-out for higher wages among the laborers in the city of New York. _Several of the ring-leaders have been arrested and ordered to give heavy bonds for their appearance at Court._" In September, 1827, some sailors struck in Boston for higher wages, formed a procession, and marched through the city, making considerable noise with their cheers, etc. They issued the following proclamation, which was read by the leader now and then, and responded to with loud cheers: "Attention! We, the blue Jackets now in the city of Boston, agree that we will not ship for less than $15 a month, and that we will punish any one who shall ship for less in such way as we think proper, and strip the vessel [which he ships in]. What say you?" At the Common they were met by a militia company, who charged upon them; some men of both sides were knocked down, but no lives were lost or blood shed. In the afternoon the sailors were out again with drum and fife. The paper from which we obtain this information says that they probably would not get any advance, as it is a.s.sured by a shipper that he found no difficulty in procuring crews at the customary wages.
Probably it was not intended that the military should do more than endeavor to keep order.
It is rather surprising that there should have been no conviction for felony in the County of Ess.e.x from 1692, when the witches were tried, until 1771,--a period of seventy-nine years. It would so appear, however, from the following extract from the "Ess.e.x Gazette," Nov. 12, 1771:--
Last Wednesday Morning the Trial of Bryan Sheehen for committing a Rape on the Body of Mrs. Abial Hollowell, Wife of Mr. Benjamin Hollowell, of Marblehead, in September last, came on before the Superior Court of Judicature, at the Court-House in this Town.
The Trial lasted from between nine and ten o"Clock A.M. till three in the Afternoon, when the Jury withdrew, and in about one Hour brought in their Verdict, GUILTY. Mrs. Hollowell"s Testimony against the Prisoner was fully corroborated by the Physician who attended her, and by the People who were in the House, at and after the Perpetration of the Crime; by which the Guilt and Barbarity of the Prisoner was so fully demonstrated, that the Verdict of the Jury has given universal Satisfaction.
This Bryan Sheehen (who has not yet received his Sentence) is the first Person, as far as we can learn, that has been convicted of Felony, in this large County, since the memorable Year 1692, commonly called _Witch-Time_.
From the "Boston Post-Boy," February, 1763.
BOSTON, JANUARY 31.
At the Superiour Court held at Charlestown last Week, Samuel Bacon of Bedford, and Meriam Fitch, Wife of Benjamin Fitch of said Bedford, were convicted of being notorious Cheats, and of having by Fraud, Craft and Deceit, possess"d themselves of Fifteen Hundred Johannes, the property of a third Person; were Sentenced to be each of them set in the Pillory one Hour, with a Paper on each of their b.r.e.a.s.t.s with the Words a CHEAT wrote in Capitals thereon, to suffer three Months Imprisonment, and to be bound to their good Behaviour for one Year, and to pay Costs.
From the "Ma.s.sachusetts Gazette," May 1, 1786.
On Sat.u.r.day evening the 22d ult. eight of the prisoners, confined at the Castle, broke from their confinement, and made their escape to the main. The day following five of them were taken in a barn at Dorchester, and immediately re-conducted to the Castle.
The ensuing night the three others were apprehended at Sharon, near Stoughton, and were also sent back to their place of confinement.
Richard Squire and John Matthews, the pirates, and Stephen Burroughs, a _noted_ clerical character, were among the prisoners who made their escape from the Castle, as mentioned above. And on Sat.u.r.day last, we are informed, the eight culprits shared among them the benefit of a distribution of 700 lashes.
On Monday evening last, a person, in pa.s.sing from the Long-Wharf to Dock-Square, was a.s.saulted and knocked down, by a single villain, who robbed him of a box, containing a coat, two waistcoats, a pair of corduroy breeches, a piece of calico, in which was wrapped up three watches, and a letter containing money.
On Thursday last, at noon, seven fellows received the discipline of the post, in this town.
Curious list of punishments in the early days of New England. From "Salem Gazette," May 4, 1784.
_The following (taken from a Boston paper of last week) is a collection of a few of the many curious punishments, inflicted for a variety of offences, among the old records of this Commonwealth._
Between 1630 and 1650.
Sir _Richard Saltonstale_ fined four bushels of malt for his absence from court.
_William Almy_ fined for taking away Mr. Glover"s canoe without leave.
_Josias Plastoree_ shall (for stealing four baskets of corn from the Indians) return them eight baskets again, be fined 5l. and hereafter to be called by the name of _Josias_, and not _Mr._ as formerly he used to be.
_Joyce Bradwick_ shall give unto Alexander Beeks, 20s. for promising him marriage without her friends" consent, and now refusing to perform the same.
_William James_, for incontinency, was sentenced to be set in the bilboes at Boston and Salem, and bound in 20l.
_Thomas Petet, for suspicion_ of slander, idleness and stubbornness, is to be severely whipt and kept in hold.
_John Smith_, of Medford, for swearing, _being penitent_, was set in bilboes.
_Richard Turner_, for being notoriously drunk, was fined 2l.
_John Hoggs_, for swearing _G.o.d"s foot_, cursing his servant, wishing "a pox of G.o.d take you," was fined 5l.
_Richard Ibrook_, for tempting two or more maids to uncleanness, was fined 5l. to the country, and 20s. a piece to the two maids.
_Thomas Makepeace_, because of his novel disposition, was informed we were weary of him, unless he reformed.
_Edward Palmer_, for his extortion, taking 33s. 7d. for the plank and woodwork of Boston stocks, is fined 5l. and censured to be set an hour in the stocks.
_John White_ is bound in 10l. to be of good behaviour, and not to come into the company of Bull"s wife alone.
_Thomas Lechford_ acknowledging he had _overset_ himself and is sorry for it, promising to attend his calling, and not to meddle with controversies, was dismissed.
_Sarah Hales_ was censured _for her miscarriage_ to be carried to the gallows with a rope about her neck, and to sit upon the ladder, the rope end flung over the gallows, and after to be banished.
Wholesale sentences of death in London, in 1820.