Corpun file 26115 at www.corpun.com
The Bisbee Daily Review, Arizona, 3 May 1917, p.2
Judge Lockwood Inaugurates Spanking In Juvenile Court As Punishment for Youngsters
 |
Spanking was officially adopted yesterday afternoon as a means of punishing offenders who appear before the juvenile court and are found guilty of petty crimes. Judge Lockwood, of the superior and juvenile courts who came to Bisbee yesterday and conducted the trial of about ten little Mexicans in justice court, adopted the new method of punishment here which has proved so successful during the last few months in Douglas. When court was called to order the young sons of the southern republic, a grinning, chattering crowd, sat in front of Judge Lockwood and appeared to be hugely enjoying the affair. As each was called up and closely questioned regarding his part in recent thefts of candy and canned fruit from a warehouse on Broadway avenue, however, his attitude changed to one of apprehension. And when the judge requested Constable Bert Polley to go out and get several good straps and a few extra barrel staves, the young Mexicans squirmed around, tried to laugh and finally burst into tears.
Polley is Spanker
Mothers, sisters and aunts of the boys testified that they were willing that the boys be punished, and so Judge Lockwood awarded sentences in accordance with the number of cans of candy and fruit which each lad admitted having stolen and sold. One tousle-beaded little fellow snickered and said he had taken fourteen cans. He was given twenty-four "spanks." The others were "sentenced" to from ten to eighteen licks. Constable Polley was ordered to administer the spankings and Night Sergeant J.A. Kempton acted as official "holder." Although the "high constable" showed mercy in wielding the heavy leather strap, he nevertheless made his victims squall loudly and stagger around the room in a dazed manner when each had completed his "sentence." Kempton was overpowered by several of the young offenders who struggled manfully to escape at the first licks. A large crowd assembled in front of the court room when the victims started to scream and enjoyed the spanking scene. After Polley had almost fainted from exhaustion, the last victim trudged painfully from the court room, joined his comrades and vowed, in voluble Mexican, that he would never steal again.
Douglas Starts Spanking
Owing to the fact that several of the lads' mothers are working to support themselves and families, Judge Lockwood gave them time in which to pay for the goods stolen by their sons. Each of the women, however, seemed to enjoy the spanking scene hugely. Spanking was first adopted in juvenile court cases in Douglas several months ago when Mrs. G.H. Hirst, probation officer in that city, superintended a spanking fest in the rear of the city hall. Since then several other spankings have been staged and the number of petty robberies by small boys has decreased wonderfully. Judge Lockwood stated yesterday he intended to purchase a specially made leather spanker "to be used in juvenile cases. He declared that he had found public spanking to be the best punishment for young offenders, inasmuch as it took the "kinks" out of many boys whose conduct might otherwise land them in the reform school.
