New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-12-03
Historical "reminiscences
Brann0n Doing Penance.

business was managed among the early
settlers of the Western country, show.
ing a desire on the part of the citizens
OF Greene county, Ohio, to supply a
lack OF business when such a misfOr.
tune occurred. Another incident, of I,
| somewhat similar character, but tend.
ing to show how particular our Fathers
were, under every privati0n and diff.
Guilty, to observe all the forms of I.
legal tribunal, and the sentence of 4
criminal to stripes because there was
no Jail to cOnfine him in, may not be
uninteresting. The pioneer residents
of the West were law abiding citizens,
and, although there were certainly some
rude and rough specimens of human
lty among them, yet, as a class, they
were very observant of all forms of
civilized and enlightened society, and
would not deviate from them, even at
the sacrifice of convenience.
Chil(icothe, on the West bank of the
river SciOtO, in the State of Ohio, was.
at one time, an exception to the gener.
al rule of sobriety and love of order
which characterised the settlers of
that state, and at one time it had sank
s. low us to become a perfect sink
hole OF corruption and debauchery.
Many of Wayne's soldiers and camp
women settled there on being dis
charged, and thus formed a nucleus
for a dissipated population, When
it was first settled, whiskey sold
for $3.50 per gallon, but the whiskey
manufacturers finding it good mark.
ct, began to send it in in such quaEti-
ties that it soon fell to so cents, and,
as consequence, every man, woman
and child became habituated to the
use Of it, and many who had been
respectable and sober people, were
reduced to the most pitiable condition,
through the vice OF intemperance.
There were, of course, some exceptions
to this sweeping rule, who, not salts
fed at such condition of things, en-
deavored to restrain their unbridled
and vicious neighbors, and maintain
law and order. The following instance
OF the meteing out of Justice occurred
in the spring of 1877.
"A great'coat, handkerchief, and
shirt, were missing, and the theft was
pretty clearly traced to discharged
soldier, who with woman who passed
for his wife, lived in cabin near the
banks of the river. Finding that sus.
piciOn was directed towards them, they
absconded. This being a pretty clear
evidence of guilt, committee of citi.
zens determined to bring them to trial,
pursued, captured, and brought them
back. There was no court then organ
lied, and it was decided to create one
for the occasion. The most influential
Of the citizens met together and organ.
lied a court, by appointing by viva roce
vote, Samuel Smith, judge; impannel-
ing jury, and appointing two of their
as prosecuting attorney, and
for the prisoners. The trial
then proceeded in due and ancient
form. Witnesses were examined for
the people, and perfectly clear case
was made against the prisoners, who |
were called upon for their defence.
They had bnt little defence to make.
and the case was submitted to the jury
under an able charge from the Judge.
Having retired out Of court, the jury,
after celebrating a sufficient length Of |
time to give 4 proper degree of char
acter to their proceedings, at length re-
turned with a verdict of guilty, and |
recommended such punishment as the |
Judge should decide meet for the Of
fence. This was placing his honor in
I sad dilemma, as there was no means
Of punishment in such case made anu
provided; there was no jail, no stocks. |
)r other place of confinement, and the |
object was to get rid of the criminals. |
" hipping at that time was, or rather
had been, in vogue in the army, and
was not thought to be so barberous as
At the present day. The Judge, there.
fore, sentenced him to receive ten lash
IS on his naked back, or, that he should |
sit astrlde his own pony, on a bare pack |
saddle, and that his wife, who was SUP
posed to have been connected with him |
in the theft, it, indeed, she had no, |
been the instigator of its commission,
should lead the pony to every house il.
the village, and announce to the in.
mates thereof, 'sThis is Brannon. whu
stole the great-c0at, handkerchief, an,
shirt until every house in the place
mao been visited; that they should |
chen leave it, and return no more unde !
pain of further punishment. Persons
were appointed to guard the prisoners
until the morrow, when they were t,
decide, and James B. Finlay, now til,
Rev. j. B. Finlay, chaplain of the Obi,
should see the sentence
Of the court executed.
The morrow arrived, and BrannOl
decided to receive the latter punish
ment. His pony was accordingly mar