“CAT” FOR BRUTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1930, Page 8

“CAT” FOR BRUTES.

REMEDY FOR VIOLENT CRIME Determined to suppress crimes of violence, which are unhappily on the ihcrease, judges are reverting to the use of the cat—just as happened when, during an assize in Liverpool, Justice Day had many prisoners flogged, and so earned the sobriquet of The Flogging Judge. . There were three instances at tne Old Bailey recently. The Common Sergeant—Sir Henry Dickens—sentenced a man who had attacked a girl and robbed her, to 18 months’ hard labour and 15 strokes with the cat. On the following day the Recorder (Sir Ernest Wild) had before him two prisoners, who were accused of attacking and robbing a septuagenarian. Ona was sentenced to nine months and

12 strokes with the cat, while the second man was given 15 months! hard labour and 18 strokes with the cat. Mr Justice Swift sent a painter who had followed a servant girl home and had entered the house and beaten and robbed her to three months’ imprison rnent and 18 lashes with the cat. In passing sentence, the judge said: “You treated that girl with ferocious cruelty, and the only thing to do is to make. you suffer something like the pain you inflicted on her.” The cat is dreaded above all other types of punishment. Physical pain is the last thing which cowards who as•sault women and old men can stand. It is understood a meeting of judges was held, at which it was determined that the only way to put down crimes of violence was the cat. In Leeds, at Maidstone, and at Liverpool, the cat has been ordered.