 The punishment of slaves by one of these managers was singled out for criticism by abolitionists and became the subject of an abolitionist tract, although it would appear that this was with the tacit consent of Wells, who refrained from suppressing its publication through the courts.There were only supposed to be 39 lashes administered in a certain period of time, while it was alleged that this manager gave 39 lashes plus a "brining" – putting pepper water onto those lashes to make the slaves scream.Wells remained a plantation owner and slave owner until emancipation was enacted in St Kitts in 1833, and was compensated financially by HM Treasury.