The Osceola times., 1886-02-27
EYE FOR EYE.
How the Offenders Of We Olden Times
Were Punished In New York.

were Iuhi>htu ~" w"
There ARE three books, old and musty,
and covered with parchment, IN the col
lection of the New York Historical So
ciety, which are practically invaluable.
They contain records of the court OF
general sessions for the city and county
Of New York which date half way back
to the year in which America was iirst
discovered, and continue down to the
early part of the rule Of King George
ILL.,, when the troubles began which
finally brought on the revolution. The
merciless Justice of our forefathers Is
bluntly outlined on the time-staned
! leaves. and the brutal violence OF many
Of those who tasted the same justice,
are matters calculated to make the
present generation shudder. Aside
from this feature of the record, how
ever. they give the reader an insight
| into the life, m lnners and customs OF
the early colonists in our city which Is
| seldom obtained from other histories
The earliest recorded meeting of the
court was on .'ye first Tuesday in Au-
gust, being We seventh day, annodom'
| 1914
The grand jury was called over and
/ sworn, proclamation made and silence
commanded while the charge was given
/ 10 the grand Jurors. The only indict-
ment or presentment found by them
was against John Watson, butcher, for
''forestalling the market. lie was
convicted and fined six shillings, and
the court adjourned sine die. 1t was at
this time called the general quarter ses-
sions, as it met regularly only four
| times year.
At the last quarter session in 1895 it
| is recorded that Anne Sewell, a widow,
was bound over for appearance for
"keeping in chains and irons for several
weeks upon bread and water only, and
also for cruelty beating a certain ser
| vant-maid of hers called Anne Parsons.
| In her defense the widow said that the
maid had highly offended her, and that
she did not know she was committing
breach of the law in furnishing her as
she did And this was the punishment
| that was meted out to the heartless
widow: "The court, having duly con-
sidered the matter, does order that said
servant be discharged from the service
/ of Anne Sewell." 1t was further adj
Judged that the widow should pay the
/ fees OF the trial.
An affair which doubtless created
great sensation in New York was jotted
down in the courts minutes of August
20, 1896, as follows: "Wlliam Merritt,
Esq, mayor Of the city of New York, in
formed the justices of the peace that last
night several persons were making a
great noise and disturbance in the street
near his dwelling-house, and uttering
several oaths and execratons, where
upon the said mayor went out and or
dered them TO disperse and go home to
! their several habitationS, which they re-
fused 10 do; and thereupon he offered TO
strike some of them and took them into
custody. upon which one Prince assault
| ed the said mayor upon the face, but
some persons coming TO the mayor 8
assistance, seized said Prince and he was
committed to gaol, and upon eNamina-
ton of the fact and the pernicious and
evil example thereof we do order that
the said Prince be by the public whippcr
carried forthwith to the public whipping
post and there be stripped naked from
Ale middle upward, and then and there
be tyed to the tale Of a carte. and, being
so stripped and tyed. shall be drawn
round the city within the Notifications
till he return to the said whipping-post
and at the corner of every street shall
receive eleven laShes upon his body for
the said misdemeanor.
A sailor who forged the name of his
ships master to an order for goods ig
put down for zone less than forty
lashes," and couple of women who
stole remnants of serge valued at fl0
from Isaac de Peystey, ,merchant, re-
ceived 'twenty-one lashes each with
birch rods Another mild way of ad-
ministering corporal punishment was 10
brand letter I on the "braun of the
thumb" The operation would be per-
formed in open court by the Sheriff,
after he had first taken the branding.
iron out to be heated
The first murder on record was com
mitted April Z, l7l2 The victim was
prominent citizen named Adrian
Hoghlandt. -Four persons were arrested.
and "A special session of the court was
called for the trial of the offenders on
the llth. From the evidence it appears
that one Clause struck the fatal blow
with dagger inllicting a wound two
inches in breadth, whereof Hoghlandt
died Immediately. The record leaves a
doubt in the mind Of the reader as to
whether the support of his fellows was
moral only, or physical as well. The
poor fellows all protested their innO-
cence on trial, but evidently with little
effect, for the story of the tragedy ends
with an order from the court directing
THAT the said Clause be broken alive
upon a wheel, and so continue till he be
dead, and his head and quarters to be
at the Queens disposal; that the said
Robin be hung up in chains alive and
so continue till he be dead; tnat the said
Quaco be burnt with fire until he be dead
and consumed, and that the aforemcn-
toned Sam be hung by the neck until
he be dead ~
For the death of Adrian Beeckman,
one slave was burned alive slowly and
another hung by the neck. The murder
OF Henry Braglier, who was killed with
an az was revenged in burning of the
leading consprator and the hanging OF
five others. There were two other muir
ders, for which at least three slaves snf-
fered death.-N Y. Cor. Toronto Mai.
. =
FINGER RINGS.