THE TRIANGLE VICE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12480, 16 February 1935, Page 9

THE TRIANGLE VICE

‘ ‘CAT-O'-XIN E-TAII>S. : ’

MEMORI ES OF A FLOGGING

THE SWING OF THE LASH. lu tlit! light of the sudden awakening of public interest in the rights or wrongs of prison Hoggings, doubtlessly provoked by the recent suicide of a Dartmoor convict due for the “cat,” the recollections' given belou of a man who has .suffered the punishment are instructive and illuminating. Certain members of the .British l’arliament are pressing for an early inquiry into the subject of prison floggings, and in answer to preliminary questions Sir .John Gilmour, the Home Secretary, has already stated that the experience of medical authorities afforded no ground for the suggestion that corporal punishment was likely to result in serious injury. Barelv had a Hogged man to be admitted to hospital, and the recent suicide from fear of punishment was the only one within the knowledge o! Sir John.

While the great majority of His Majesty's judges, magistrates and police officers strongly urge the retention of the “cut.’' many professional men unconnected with the administration of the law remain to be convinced of its necessity. PRISON HAS NO TERRORS. A London senior police officer expressed the opinion that only the universal tear of flogging in the criminal world of Britain saved this country from the gangster rule of Chicago. “The knowledge.” ho said, “that violence may he met with violence makes the criminal think twice before lie lands himself within the swing of the lash.

“Prison lias no terror for the out. and out crook. He regards a 'stretch' as a normal risk of his 'profession.' knowing he will he housed and fed reasonably well inside, and that friends will look after his dependents. So he finishes a sentence and goes back to his own particular line of crime forthwith.

“.Out a. man who lias been Hogged rarely risks a second dose. Xow and again you read of a man asking ior the 'Cat' rather than a long sentence, but invariably that prisoner knows the ‘cat’ cannot be given. It i' sheer bluff and bravado.’’ Xow here is the story of a man. an admitted “old lag." who knows, all about prison hoggings, because the “cat’’ has been part of hi- punishment. To-day he is on ticket-ot-leavo. Inn ing won 245 days’ remission irotn a sentence of three years passed on him at London Sessions in .1 unitary ; 19:12. His name is Frederick Ohatterlev. and he describes himself as “Ex otisx Strangeways Gaol. Manchester. ' “Two years ago. he said, “with to convictions for various crimes against me. 1 started on a three years ‘stretch’ in Strangeways. To jnv that was just a bit of bad luck. 1 was ready to do it on my head. But then ] was flogged, and the marks and memory of that Hogging will be with me always. I would rather die than sull’er it again. “They—the visiting committee—• found me 'guilty of being the ringleader in iiicitment to mutiny. 'The

prison doctor passed me tit to receive 12 strokes of the eat. and fortunately l was saved from the mental anguish of waiting day alter day in anticipation of the Hogging. “Within a few minutes of the sentence I. was stripped and strung up to a triangle. My coat, singlet and shirt were taken off, my arms and wrists were strapped above my head, and a broad leather belt was passed round my waist and fastened to the triangle.

“My ankles were sharkled to a bar with feet wide apart. I lien a canvas collar was passed round my throat, with a leather ‘bib’ arrangement hanging over my breast and chest to protect those parts from the lash Two tapes wore attached to this collar and passed through the triangle. “A warder holding the tapes pulled my head towards him so that 1 could not see who was actually wielding the ‘cat.’ Nor could I see the man holding the tapes, because a towel hung before my face, preventing me from looking ahead.

FROM ONE TO TWELVE. “That is liow the stage is set tor a Hogging. I knew the doctor was there, .and I could hear also the voices of the governor, his deputy and the principal officer. “Then the principal officer called f one,’ and the ‘cat’ came down. “The first stroke stung, but not terribly. I thought, ‘lf this is all l can stand it.’ But the next bit deeper into the flesh. I gritted my teeth and resolved that nothing would'make mo howl. With the third lash, however, I lost control. “I screamed, shouted and struggled impotently at the manacles. And all the time I could hear the monotonous count by the principal officer . . • ‘Three . . Four .' . Five . . Six!’ - “Mild rage possessed me—rage against everybody and everything- As the lashing went on so my senses became numbed. My back was on fire, my right arm rendered useless where the tails of the ‘out’ swung round.

“1 prayed ami cursed alternately, but. still the principal officer went on in even tones, ‘seven . . eight . . nine . I do not remember the count of ‘twelve - which spelled the end of the agony. ‘‘l collapsed as they released me from the shackles. Physically and mentally I was iinislied. 1 felt that nothing could ever matter to me again. ‘‘After the flogging I was led back to a punishment call. A piece of medicated lint, spread on my back and arm, was changed every morning for three weeks. For nearly a month my right arm was useless, and my back felt as though it had been torn to ribbons. 1 carry the marks of that Hogging with me to-day. “It. is an ironical reflection that- X' actually may have made the ‘cat’ used on ntv own back. They are manufactured in Pentonville Prison. The handle is of ash, two feet long and almost ornamental in design. It is bound with tinfoil and blue serge cloth, and there are nine round the end.

“The ‘tails,’ three feet long and nine in number, are of specially woven, cord, and the end of each ‘tail’ is bound with silk flex to prevent fraying. They inflict a thin, cutting stroke, but that stroke marks for life.”