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 Critics viewed it as a cruel and outdated punishment, while supporters believed it deterred crime.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.
(source)
