The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-20

wives has no use for such barbaric
methods. there is rumor that duck
Ing" Is to be revived In New Jersey,
where certain ladies' tongues refuse
to yield to moral suasion: and muz-
Sles are in constant use for refractory
women in the provincial penitentiary
at Cologne. Not long ago a girl who
was wearing one OF these muzzles was
found dead, and the chief officials of
the prison were charged with man.
slaughter. 1t could not be proved,
however. that death was due to suffo-
cation from the muzzle, and the off,
cials were acquitted.
In the statute books of Virginia is to
be found this quaint and amusing law:
Whereas many babbling women
slander and scandalize their neighbors,
for which their poor husbands are Oft
en- involved In chargeable and vexa-
tious suits and costs In great damages:
BE 1t enacted that In actions of SLAM
der occasioned by the wife, after judg-
ment passed for the damages. the wo-
man shall be punished by ducking, and
II the slander be so enormous as to be
adJudged at greater damages than 500
pounds of tobacco, then the woman to
suner ducking for each 500 pounds
OF tobacco adjudged against her hus-
band IL he refuses to pay the tobacco"
1t Is sad to record that very few
husbands were complacent enough to
pay the tobacco; and in Virginia to
this day prudent man never ventures
to speak of any woman as a little
duck" The term Of endearment Is too
painfully reminiscent.
Time was In England when the mil.
der methods Of fines was tried: and a
woman whose tongue was source of
vexation to her husband or neighbors
was hailed before the magistrate and
given the option Of a fine or a ducking.
AS. however, the payment of the fire
usually fell to the lot Of the husband
1t Is. perhaps. little wonder that duck
| ing was preferred by him: and il when
| the wife had had an experience of cold
water she gave her husband an exper-
ience Of hot water. at least 1t was pref
cradle to paying heavy fine.
1t Is interesting. at the end Of the
| nineteenth century. to conjure up q
| picture Of "ducking." as practiced at
the end of the eighteenth century.
When the "scold" has been properly
tried and convicted, shes was escorted
by a crowd Of her neighbors--in fact.
by the whole village--to the nearest
pond. the better. A long plank was
produced. at one end Of which was the
"ducking STOOL" and in this the
screaming, struggling victim was Sc
curely pinioned.
The. chair end Of the plank was then
pushed far over the edge OF the pool
and at a signal it was tilted deep into
the green ooze until the scold was COM
pletely immersed.
When the dripping. half-drowned
woman was raised to the surface again
to the jeers and laughter Of the onlook
ers. it can be imagined that her
tongue wagged to some purpose. After
a second dose she emerged more sub
dued, and after third or fourth she
was as penitent a woman as the village
contained. and was allowed to proceed
home a sadder and wiser lwoman--un.
til the next time.
An alternative to the ducking stoo
was the muzzle or. 'scold's bridle,' q
helmet which was padlocked on tht
head, and which was provided with a
gag which insured silence as long a.
1t was in position. Another favoritj
method OF tanning a shrew" was t.
carry her through the village seatet
on a plank. to the accompaniment o
all the old pans and kettles the vilag,
could muster. How well for some o
us that we were not born a centur,
earlier!