The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-12
OF A CHOKE TRAP
Peculiar Form of Punishment
Is Remembered
IN EARLY INDIANA
How a Giant Was Brought TO
Terms.

Reading the early settlement OF the
wabash valley. Indiana. by Sanford c.
Cox Of La Fayette. published in 1850 has
caused me 70 think of what VIII be the
history Of the early settlement. etc. Of
sedgwlck county. Kansas said Charles
". Ferguson. yesterday.
when I read the chapter in the above
mentioned history Of indiana. giving some
Of the instances OF the early history Of
Fountain county, Indiana. the home Of
several men Of mora than local reDuta-
ton. such as Daniel ". Voorhees,, Cen
eraI Lew wallace. Joseph T. Mcdonald
and z. E. Nebeker Cthe latter stiu resid-
Ing there and narrZring the novel
method OF .chastising an ineb1ate-Sa-
1utsrv effects CT domestic discipline
Cousin Bob's repIy-The ChOke-Trap-An
incident IN the eany judicature OF IN
diana Squire Tongs-Eis extensive 1urls-
dictian-TrlaI and fne Of q prisoner-His
tncarceration-A striking incident, brings
I'D many pleasant recollecuons.
Having been born IN this county on
the immediate banks OF the wabash,
about the date Of this publication this
niece Of history is interesting to me as
me rest Of the present generation OF that
county, where they have eyer since
maintained a 'squires court and circuit
court The narration is from a letter
from Cousin Box dated Forks q Coal
Creek. Fountain County, May 2nd. lSZl,
is only one OF many interesting bits Of
the early history Of Fountain county.
d. Dear Cousin B0b;-Father has sold
his farm here in the woods and talks
Of moving to the Wea plain The whole
family are in favor OF going there, as
soon as We can set ready
We have in our neighborhood an
other fndubItable proof Of the Old adage,
that necessity is the mother Of inven-
non. which may be regarded as a paTal-
lei 10 the one related il your story OF
the choke-uap-
There is a little old man named B.
in this vicinity, who is in the habit OF
getting drunk AZ every log rolling and
house raising he attends, and on coming
home al night makes indiscrininate var
,lpon his wife and daughters, and every
thing that comes IA his way
The old lady and daughter bore with
his tyranny and maudlin abuse as long as
forebearance seemed to be virtue For
awhile they adopted the doctrine Of nom
resistance. and would hy from the house
on his approach. but they found that this
only made him worse. At length they
resolved to change the order Of things
They held q council OF war, in which It
was determined that the next time he
came home drunk, they would catch him
and tie him hand and foot and take him
out ard tie him fast 20 a tree, and keep
him there until he got duly sober
t was III long until they had a chance
10 put their decree into execution. True
10 their plan. when they saw him coming
lvo OF them placed themselves behind
the door with ropes. and the other caught
him BY the wrists as he crossed the
threshold: he was instantly lassoed. A
russell ensued. but the old woman and
girls fell urpermost They made him fast
with the ropes, and dragged him out to-
wards the designated tree
He raved. swore. demonstrated and
begged alternately, but 70 no effect
the laws Of the Modes and Persians We're
not more unalterable than was their de-
termination TO punish the stubborn Of
fender They tied him fast 70 a tree, and
kept him there in limbo the most Of the
night Nor did they unite him even after
Dc became sober. until they extracted a
promise from him that be would behave
himself and keep sober for the future.
and not msltreat them for the favor they
had conferred upon him and themselves.
Two or th-ee applications of this mid
and diluted form OF lynch law has had
an admirable effect in restoring the do
nestle order and happiness Of the family.
and correcting the demeanor Of the de-
linquent husband and father. The old
woman thinks the plan they pursued for
better and less expensive than it would
have been Il they had gone ten miles 10
ESQUIRE Make-Peace every few weeks.
and got OUT writ OF assault and bat
terv. IT warrant 10 keep the peace which
would cost the family. besides the
trouble and expense OF attending as Wit
nessas before the justice and circuit, ten
or twenty dollars every month of two,
eud done no good towards reforming the
old man. I reckon she is more than half
right BY the hy. Bob. I would be much
obliged IL in your next letter YOU would
rehearse the story Of the chope-t-ap.
which / wish 10 show 70 Mrs - and
the girls. to let them see the striking CO.
incidence in the two cases
.In compliance with the request con-
sa.ned in the letter. Cousin Bob furn-
lshed the following version Of the choke
tra1.' an incident in the early judicature
of indiana.
During the early history Of Indiana,
about the YEAR ISIS. If my memoir. serves
ulc correctly. in one IF the neiehborhoods
1a the east fork ii White water. there
occurred q hagrant breach NJ The. peace.
Uhicb demanded a summary exercise Of
tha laws If The land