The whipping post was put into use around 1885 at the Baltimore City Jail, where until 1938, many of those convicted of wife-beating were punished.
In the early 20th century, Baltimore was among the few major American cities where judicial whipping persisted, primarily for violent offenses. The Baltimore City Jail had a whipping post in use since 1885, where many convicted of wife-beating were punished. A notable incident in 1938 saw Clyde Miller, a Baltimore printer, flogged 20 times with a cat o’ nine tails. This event marked the last use of Baltimore’s whipping post, which was specifically for punishing wife-beaters.
Whipping in Baltimore sparked significant public debate. Critics viewed it as a cruel and outdated punishment, while supporters believed it deterred crime. By the mid-1950s, legal challenges and criticism led to the abolition of whipping as a judicial punishment in Baltimore.
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Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity, you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.