Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-16


to invent something that would be eff
fectual in accomplishing his purpose.
He at first had in mind the manner in
which the Puritans enforced some OF
the laws by which the people were
governed The first chair was con-
structed, over two years ago, and after
it was completed the inventor tried to
persuade the town to adopt it as
means of preventing tramps lingering
around the town. The town did not
take hold of the idea as enthusiast
cally as might be desired and Mr..
Baker then made up his mind to carry
the matter before a higher authority
and took the chair to Augusta where 1t
was shown to some of the legislators.
The chair created great deal of talk
and was the subject for a great deal of
comment from different papers in the
State.
Attempt after attempt was made by
the inventor to induce some one to SIT
in the chair but no one seemed to be
willing to go back far enough in Puri-
tanic days to allow himself to become
a subject for experiment. AS last re-
sort to show its workings the inventor,
bv the assistance of S. bill, persuad-
ed one man, who was in no way con-
nected with the Legislature, to enter
the chair and remain there for 22
hours The man remained in the CHAIR
for the length of time agreed but at the
end of his penance grasped the money
with such alacrity that it was shown
he considered he had earned his money
many times over.
Through the experiment at the state
House. it was shown that the inventor
had substantiated one of his claims.
that is that no man could remain in
the chair for any length of time and
when he was out of the chair, say that
he had been thoroughly comfortable or
| that he would be willing to repeat the
| experiment, even with a money con-
sderation as the reward for the time
| he had spent doing nothing.
The chief REGULARITY of the chair.
lies in its door. When used as
method of punishment the culorit is
obliged to enter into it and sit down.
| The door which is so constructed that
| it follows the lines of the chair is then
| closed and locked and the victim is
confined as firmly as though he were
glued to the seat. Another peculiar
thing about the chair is that when the
door is locked person cannot draw his
| feet up or move any part OF ms BODY
| enough to obtain rest.
! On the front. about opposite the oc
cupant's chin, is a shelf on which food
| for the prisoner may be placed. The
hole through which the prisoner may
reach is the largest of any between the
bars.
|
| n mount of torture for the ordinary per-
| son in being confined in the chair. yet
1t has been so arranged that it may be
| hauled from place to place where a
crowd is assembled and thus the per-
son receives an additional punishment
| from the unusual attention which he
would attract and be unable to avoid.
The chair has been tried in this place
ard with such success that it was
sma shed to pieces by the man who had
beer, confined in it. The man who en-
loved the luxury of the chair. was re-
leased and confined in lookup. He
managed to breakout of the lookup,
and the first thing that he did when he
| was out of captivity was to seize tools
and smash the chair so that it could
never again be used.
The inventor was not at all discour-
,oed nv that proceeding but immedi-
| ata,v had another constructed. The
lot chair he had built was only one of
many one of them was so small that
1t was practically useless. except as
model of his invention.
The outcome of this EFFORT OF the good
people of oakland to rid themselves Of
the unutterable hobo Will De awaited
| LII. ,,,,ch interest.