Western Kansas world., 1886-02-27
CONNECTICUT'S BLUE LAWS.

How Vice President Aaron Burr and a VIII
lage Schoolmaster Once Evaded Them.
A New Haven correspondent writes:
Among the many products of Connecti-
cut piety and thrift, perhaps the most
widely known are the celebrated code of
blue laws and the far-famed wooden nut
meg insinuation may possibly be dis
missed as the aspiration of rival states,
but of the actual existence of a severe
code of laws in very distant past there
can be no doub. In conversation on
this subject with ali old timer the other
day, I heard many "reminiscences of the
time when church and state went hand
in glove.
As the veterans story ran, the zenith
of blue law activity was in the neighbor-
hood of 1920; but in the interval between
the beginning of the century and the
time of Robert Fulton's invention there
was pretty lively enforcement Of the
joint laws of church and state. Among
the articles of the code then in vogue
none more strictly enforced than the law
prohibiting travel on Sunday. Many a
would-be desecrator of the puritan Sab
bath was accosted by a tthing man
while quietly pursuing his travels on
horseback or foot, and, despite his protes-
tations, was compelled to then and there
to cease from his worldly peregrinations
or the time being.
In 1903 Aaron Burr then vice presi-
dent of the United States, was called
from the seat of government to Boston
in pursuance of private business. As
was the custom in those days, and espec-
tally with the naughty and aristocratic
Burr, the vice president travelled in state
and pomp. Six horses drew his large
and ponderous barouche, and In advance
of the turnout gorgeously apparelled
outrider heralded his masters coming.
After the completion of his busin ess in
Boston. Burr hastily returned to this
city, arriving here late one Saturday
night. After brief rest, he procured
fresh horses, and started for New York
bright and early on Sunday morning.
At about II o'clock the gay turnout,
with it's iveried attendants, had reached
the center of the little village of Milford,
and was rapidly passing the old Congre-
cation church near the green when a
slim but dignifed figure appeared in the
doorway of the building. Hastily TAX
ing a mental inventory of the barouche
and it's appurtenances, the owner of the
puritanic figure advanced to the middle
of the road, and planting himself direct
ly in the route of the team, loudly COM
manded its iveried coachman to halt his
horses. Dumfounded at the strange
command and the stranger appearance
of the speaker, the coachman did as he
was told. Burr quickly thrust his head
from the side of the carriage, and in a
sharp voice CALCULATED:
"Sir, by what authority do you stop
my carriage?'
"By the authority of the town of Mil
ford," came the quick response. 81 am
Deacon Highly, tithing man, duly ap-
pointed by the town authorities"
At this explanation Burr's features re-
laxed the frown which was gathering,
and the statesman pleasantly said:
"Weli, well, deacon, honor you for
doing your duty; but if have violated
any law of this state, you must report
the matter to the Unitdd States"
With stupefed glance at the speaker,
the officious tithing man mechanically
doffed his hat, and with rush and rum
BILE the equigage Of the government Dig
nitarv resJ1rned ifs iOr1rnev
But despite the law on this subject Of
Sunday travelling, all tithing men were
not so jealous in the performance Of their
duties, and many crossed palm quietly
authorized violation of the law. Other
devices were frefuently resorted to by
travellers who wished to evade the law,
one of the most common and at the same
time efficieht schemes being explained by
the following narrative:
E i, 1903 one Amos Phelps was school
teacher in Manchester, at the same time
residing In town some miles distant.
During tbs week the schoolmaster board
ed out among his pupils, but each Satur-
day he was wont to return on horseback
to his own home. One Saturday he was
Unexpectedly delayed, but at an early
hour Sunday morning he saddled his Ro-
zinante and started for home. Trusting
to escape the vigilance of the several
tithing men on his route. He had safely
proceeded as far as Bolton when, to his
dismay, he was espied by good Deacon
Strong and formally commanded to stop
in the village until the following morn
ing, when he might resume his journey.
Fearing such an encounter, the traveller
had muffled his face in his handkerchief,
and on hearing the deacon's orders, he
hastily dismounted, and, grasping the Of
ficiars hand, exclaimed;
''Oh, sir, if you viii only accommodate
me here. I have been attacked by the
small pox, and every village have en-
tered has pitilessly turned me away"
With one startled look at the supposed
victim Of the then dreaded disease, the
tithng IN took to his heels, and the
wily scnDq1unGt1s soon LEFT the town Il
Inod1fm - ths unbanding code q !
IN - ~ ths eixil sniAoliiiss, ~ |