Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-01-29
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
THURSDAY. JANUARY 20. 1885.
MAuMEE JUSTICE.

AS lt WIS utteU Oub ny oethCio'
Toledo Commercial Telegram: Suisse
qusntly after Perrysburg had been plat
ted by the general government and the
people who had settled at New Orleans,
between Fort Meigs and the river. had
moved up to the higher grounds Of the
forest village, q local government OF a
crude character was formed. Courts
were far apart and the people could not
aboard to board prisoners, while the jus
tees possessed little or no final jurlsdic-
tiOn In criminal cases. The people adopt
ed law unto themselves for the pun
ishmsnt of criminals Of the lower gT ade.
This class of offenders were required
each to dig up stump, or two or three
stumps, from Front street, according to
the grade Of the Offenss. The constable
would attend the offender and see that
the task was well performed. This work
ed well, for every person theg living up
there knew every other person, and 1t
was not very pleasant thing for q man
to be set at digging stumps out OF the
streets where every man, woman and
child could see him and thus all become
familiar with the fact that he was not
good citizen. Offenders, as rule, keen
ly feel such public exposure, and the
Perrysburg plan worked admirably.
There were grades of Offenss where
stump digging was not deemed just the
thing, aud the accused were held for tri-
al before the higher courts to receive the
punishment due to their violations of
law. On one occasion, where the Offense
was OF the more aggravated character.
the offender was taken from the jail one
Ia q II nj oh nj ha rood Ern-
mont aud told to travel. Men were sta
toned along The line of his march at
brief intervals, provided with good whips.
The parties who started the offender on
his perlOus journey gave him good
send-OT with "black snakes" and each
sentinel in turn piled the lash with tell
ing effect; the offender pleaded for mer-
cy most piteously. The stage driver re-
ported the next day that he met the fol
low travelling hurriedly towards Fremont
Chen Lower SandNsky), and that his
clothes were fairly cut iatO shreds. The
sentlAels with whips were stationed at
brief intervals for distance of q quar-
ter of mile or more. and the rascal did
not dare to attempt escape from the pun
ishment provided. The whippers were
strong young men, and every stroke told.
The man was not stopped, but each ap
piled the CAD vigorously as long as be
was within reach. 1t is safe to assume
that this offender did not return to the
village, and probably he was cured
of all disposition to offend against society
in the future.
Another illustration of early justice
was tho ease of man who stole money.
A German had lost $32 in silver and sus-
plei0n rested upon this man. He was
arIested and taken before q justice Of
the peace. The office was in q building
which had not been lathed or plastered,
but the base boards were on. No money
was found on the man, and no evidence
could 10 produced of sufficient weight to
hold him. This did not change public
sentiment. The man was burning a csal
pit in the southern part Of the corpora
lion. and one night a posse OF self-con-
stituted administrators OF justice visited |
him. He denied all knowledge Of the
theft. This did not convince them. They |
placed a rope about his neck, drew him
up to limb, and let him down again. |
Still he denied. and still they would rot
30 convinced. Again he was drawn up
and held until il was difficult to restore
him to life when lowered to the ground. |
He still persisted in his denial of all
Of the theft, but was told that
unless he confessed and told where the
money could be found the next time he |
was drawn up he would be left hanging |
TO the limb-that If he would confess
and restore the money he would not be |
mOlested for two weeks, they giving him |
that length of time to dispose of his |
charcoal and leave the country. He then
and said the money could be
found behind the base board in the JUS
tees Oflice-that he placed it there while
under arrest. portion of the posse re-
manned guard over the man, while the
balance went to see that his story was
true. The money was found, taken to
The Exchange hotel bar and placed in |
caro- of Mr.. Crane, then bartender at that
noted hotel, less the requisite amount for |
treating" the crowd. The next day the |
German got his money less the treats"
and ut the end Of two weeks the thief |
had closed up his business and left. He |
was never seen in Perrysburg but once
after that.
These methods OF administering JUS |
lice will appear singular to the people of
to-day, but in those times tho wheels Of
justice moved terribly slow in the sourts
the northwest, and the means
Of keeping offenders were limited, while
the people could not afford such expense,
30 they became tribe unto themselves
and dispensed justice in their own way.
There Is no evidence that they ever made |
A mistnke