Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-09
"Kangaroo Law"

The Kangaroo court is an institution
of the Southwest. It exists in nearly
every well regulated jail, and is not un-
frequently organized outside of these
institutions. When it once gets VIC
tim in it's clutches it is generally bar
barous and always merciless. When
ten or twenty desperadoes, cowboys and
hard men are cooped up in jail with
nothing to do, they resort to the Kan
gsroo Court for diversion.
A meeting is held, at which the law
is laid down and penalties prescribed
for its vio alton. Some of the rules and
regulations prepared are sweeping and
far reaching enough for an entire Ter
ritory. For every conceivable offense
possible OF commission within the walls
OF prison there is penalty. and never
a very light one. The standard OF
morality Is sometimes disiressingly
high. and sometimes it is dubious in
deed.
Not long ago party of cowboys came
to town for the purpose of having a
little fun, and III the course of their
rambles they came across fellow from
Houston, a tough character, but not at
all familiar with the ways OF the wild
man of the plains. He drank and
caroused with them until late in the
night, and finally. at the instigation of
few of his companions, he threw a
beer keg through a store front. The
echo of the crashing glass had hardly
died out before he found himself a
prisoner, with his arms pinionet behind
him and an armed guard surrounding
him.
He was marched out OF town for some
miles to desolate spot, where the en-
tire party camped until daybreak. The
hight showed the prisoner that most of
his friends of the previous night were
with him still, Dut there were half a
dozen other men, who appeared to be
officers of some description whom he
had not seen before. He was duly ar
ralgned, not only for the window break
ing, but for a dCZcn other odenses,
murder and arson being among the
number, and. notwIthsta lding his pro-
test of innocence, the cours proceeded
to try him on each Of the indictments
in their order.
For the window breaking h3 Vas sem
fenced to twenty lashe-, tof arson to
ten years Imprisonment, for murder to
be hanged by the necS until he was
dead, for assault with intent 10 kill TO
be imprisoned at hard laoor ior twenty
years, for horse stealing u Ds hanged,
for deserting the army 10 De SHOT, and
so on. The proceedings were CO lducted
with the utmost solemnity, aut lasted
all day, tie prisoners pretended friends
exerring themselves jn his behalf, but
being unable to move tho court to
mercy.
The next morning the Kangaroo
Judge announced the order OF exer-
cises. As the prisoner WAS an Incom-
monty guilty person, he said, he would
have to even up his pun.s hment in
some way. If he was hanged or shot
at once he would escape the Just penal
ties for his other crimes. ImpIison-
ment would not answer, as the length
Of his sentences would give him q good
opportunity to die OF old age
1t was the Judgment of the court.
therefore. that ne snoGld first be whip
BCu, III lACA
whipped again, then sho. a; and Grip
pied, but not killed, and then hanged.
This the court considered the most
mercifuI sentence 1t could impose and
at the same time do justice to outraged
law. The man first demonstrated ard
then begged, but to no avail.
He WAS whipped and ddcked, and
whipped again, and was being put in
place for the crippling act, when his
prosecutors got INTO quarrel among
themselves over the precedence In
swinging him The court had been
drinking freely during the day, and a
good many OF the boys were quarrel
some. In the course OF the fight that
ensued the prisoner managed ID es-
cape.