Corpun file 23519

The Argus, Melbourne, 8 August 1903, p.13

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A Lad Birched.

A delicate-looking lad named Herbert Murray was sentenced on June 30 by the Coburg justices to seven days' imprisonment and a birching of 20 strokes for indecently behaving himself in a railway carriage, but the sentence on appeal was reduced by Judge Johnston to 12 hours imprisonment and a private whipping of 15 strokes with the birch. Murray underwent his corporal punishment at the hands of the public flagellator on Thursday afternoon. Within half an hour after the punishment was administered he was discharged, and escorted home from the gaol gates by his father.