Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/152

 128 HISTORY OF ratus, that had the pliancy of examining subjects quite around, endeavoured to awake into life a conscience that had died an unnatural death some years before. A very commendable care in resuscitating this valuable principle, was taken at the dawn of its opening life, to incul- cate what particular crime it was that had operated with such deleterious influence ] and now, through the smarting medium of what is esteemed a corrective, as well as a coercive — an attempt was making not only to enliven the conscience, but to fix the affrighted memory on the horrible points most promi- nent in his life of depravity. Now commenced the work of retribution. The first ten lashes played around him like the fiery serpents of the Great Sahara, hissing horror, when they said : ' Beacraft, it is for being a tory ; when your country claimed the services of those it had nurtured on its bosom, you, like a traitor, stabbed it to the heart, as far as your arm.'had the power.' The second ten lashes came with augmented violence, as if the arrows of ven- geance were drinking deep of life's keenest sensations — ' Bea- craft, it is for aiding in the massacre of those who were your neighbors, the Yrooman family.' A third series of ten lashes at a time, played around him, as the lightnings of some frowning cloud, streaming its direful fury at one selected vic- tim, tearing anew, and entering deep into the quivering flesh — ^ Beacraft, it is for the murder of that helpless boy, the son of Yrooman, whom you scalped and hung on the fence.' " A fourth quantum of ten lashes at a time, lapped their doleful history around his infamous body — ' Beacraft, it is for taunts, and jeers, and insults, when certain persons, well known to you, were captives among a savage enemy, which marked you as a dastardly wretch, fit only for contempt and torture, such as is now bestowed upon your infamous body.' The fifth and last series of lashes, fell as if the keen sword, hot from the armory of an independent and indignant people, had