The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-09-14
HOW THEY USED TO DUCK sOOLDs,

The recent conviction of Mrs. Mary
Brady of 2S6 Van Horn street, Jersey
City, as a common scold has aroused
much discussion all over the country.
Tried husbands everywhere have seen
visions OF relief long sought in vain,
and the multitudes of scolds have
greatly trembled. Much interest is
conferred in the event of Tuesday next,
when Mrs. Brady is 10 appear before
Judge Lippincott and receive due pun
ishment for a o. free use OF her I'M
ruly member. This novel case is the
first OF the kind which has eve been
tried in Hudson county. Two previous
cases, however, stand OF the records OF
the state. They were tried in South
Jersey early in the SEVENTEEN century,
tor wen in those early days scolds
among women were not unknown.
Connecticut, too, has records OF a sim
liar nature, II in her statue o a
law still survives which provide for a
free use OF the ducking stool for the
punishment of offenders.
The ducking stool is a curious relic
of barbarism, and consists of a plank
with a chair securely fastened on II
end. The plank is fastened, see-saw
fashion, to All upright post.
The common scOld in aye Olden
time was escorted TO a ducking pond
amid the boots and yells of the neigh
bors and their children. She was then
placed in the chair and bound. Usually
me of the most abused of her victims
was given the pleasant revenge of play
ing this delightfui-to the crowd
game of see-saw.
Or course every time the chair went
| down 1t was submerged in the water,
and when il was pulled up the victim
sputtered and gasped, but seldom
scolded. The relentless crowd would
keep her high in the air until the water
had nearly all dripped from her cloth.
ing, and then. amid bowls of joy from
the crowd and shrieks of fright from
the scold, the bath was repeated sever
Al times. History relates that it usually
had a salutary effect. Just at this mo-
ment Mrs. Brady, who has had the dis
tinguished honor of causing this ancient
method to be re called, is in terror lest
for her special benefit the ducking-
stool. too, shall be r~esurrected.
Some of the neighbors hope it will,
and others believe that Imprisonment
l " lit III boii'aiJ SoiiubCuIShI "cuIb
be a very moderate sentence.
At the trial il was observed as note
worthy that the judges, the jury and
the district attorney were all OF them
married men and knew whereof they
spo>e c.
"They had all been there before
many a time,' some one unkindly
limited, and acted as If they knew a
scold when they saw me-. Prosecutor
Winfield said yesterday that Mrs. Brady
would probably be fined a small sun
and told to go and stu no more. lie
thought the advice would trouble hel
more than the fine, and %cOgitating, hi
muttered. "How possibly can that wo'
man be happy aud hold her tongue?'
Mrs. Brady's appearance rather cor
roborates the Judgment of the jury
She is short, tat and weighs nearly 25t
pounds Her broad face is ruddy, all,
her more than full sized nose is ever
ruddier. Her hair is not of the mos
beautiful tiDge, and her eyes are black
and firm. She wears mourning, bu
her husband still survives. She ha'
two daughters, the elder closely re
sembling her mother. There is a eat
look about her husband that may b.
accounted for by one of his answer
when examined at the trial. He wa
asked:
"Does your wife scold your
mo, Sir. That is. maybe she nigh
when l come home late at night, anC
sure every woman will do that?"
Since the trial Mrs. Brady has KEEP
within doors, and the neighbors say
that they have actually ventured t.
keep open their windows without feal
of being scOlded.