Corpun file 22173

The Baltimore Sun, Maryland, 30 April 1926

Wife-Beater To Get Five Lashes Today

Kingsmore To Be Whipped By Potee At 10 A.M.

Penalty Set By O'Dunne

Flogging Sentence Imposed In Addition To Sixty-Day Prison Term.

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James H. Kingsmore, who is serving a sixty-day term in the City Jail for beating his wife, will be led from his cell to the whipping post and given five lashes by Sheriff John E. Potee at 10 A.M. today. The extra penalty was imposed by Judge Eugene O'Dunne.

Preparations for the whipping were completed last night by Sheriff Potee. Harry O. Martin, jail warden, said that everything was in readiness for the sentence to be carried out.

Whipping To Be Private.

The whipping will be held in private, admission being only through printed cards issued by the Sheriff. A few of these were given out yesterday.

Before going to the whipping post Kingsmore will be examined by a physician, who is expected to pronounce him fit to undergo the ordeal. It was said at the jail that up until last night Kingsmore had shown no physical ailment which might prevent the carrying out of the whipping sentence.

After Sheriff Potee has administered the five lashes with the cat-o'-nine-tails the physician again will examine the prisoner to determine whether the punishment has made him ill enough to necessitate his removal to the jail hospital.

Jail Term Ends May 15.

Kingsmore's jail sentence will expire May 15.

After Judge O'Dunne ordered him to be whipped, Kingsmore, through his attorney, announced that he would appeal from the decision, arguing that five strokes of a nine-strand whip would constitute forty-five lashes instead of the prescribed five.

Later he announced he was ready to accept the sentence and withdrew his appeal.

Follow-up: 1 May 1926 - Wife Beater Jokes After Jail Lashing