The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-02-24
THE RUNNING CINCH.
Its Meaning and Economical Uses
Explained by Western
Sheriff,

''It is in the newly settled regions of
the far west, where bad men col gregate
and turn loose, that the running oipch
works to best advantage, and it saves
/ costs to the community and trouble to
the sheriff. said an eX-sheritf from
New Mexico. 1T works well all round,
and satisfies everybody concerned ex-
cept the man that is cinched, and he
never complains, because he's dead.
You see it often happens that sheriff
in wild and woolly region, with the
best intentions, has live prisoner on
his hands that ought by all good rights,
TO be planted. He is responsible for his
safe keeping in a Jail that cow could
walk through, and he knows that the
man is dangerous every minute that he
lives. The prisoners friends outside
are plotting to help him escape, on the
one hand, and, on the other, there is al
ways the chance that the citizens get up
necktie party and call for the prisoner
with rope. which is reflection on the
sheriff, and gross disrespect to the:
majesty of the law. These things worry
the sheriff, and he thinks he's stood
enough of it; so he leaves matters loose
in the Jail, and there is not much of
watch kept that anyone can see, and
the prisoner, seeing nothing to hinder,
walks out some day and runs for it. He
does not get far. The sheriff has every
thing prepared, with men waiting, and
the prisoner is bored and ballasted with
lead before he has time to make much
of show as pacemaker. .
The Mormons have used the possi-
bilities of the running cinch the most
systema atically, and in the days when
they held cards and spades in Utah
gentle prisoner in their hands was
liable to be overpersuaded if he de-
clined TO take advantage of the chances
they gave him to run. During the
building of the Union Pacific road
through Utah the Jail at Brighamville,
40 miles from Salt Lake City, became
famous for this. Although the prison
ers comprised the toughest class of
men, such as naturally tlocked TO the
country as the railroad advanced, no
effort was made to hold them in Jail and
a door or window was always left open
somewhere at their service, should they
feel inclined TO walk out But none ever
got away, or outlived his experiment in
breaking Jail. The Mormon in official
authority are always good shots, and
the prison guard kept their practice up
in this way.
at was through an atrocious misuse
of the running cinch that the great.
Apache chief, Mangas Colorado, wasA
killed by United States soldiers about.
40 years ago. He had surrendered as q a
prisoner of war, and was held under
guard in camp when the plot was made
for his death. AS he refused the oppor-
tunties given him TO run, be was
pricked with red-hot bayonet thrust :
through the wall of the tent in which.
he was lying. AT that be sprang from
the tent and was killed by the guard ms =.
an escaping prisoner. This dastardly,
murder. which was wholly withour
justification, proved a costly crime for
the government in the end. After this
the Apaches would not trust the white.
mans word, and long wars followed as
a consequence, in which thousands of
lives were lost and vast expense in
CURED. N. Y. Sun.