The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-21
Handouts of Ancient DAYS.

Martha Haskell Clark, in the Metropol-
itan.
Handouts of Ancient DAYS,
In Virgil is to be found the first re-
corded instance of the use Of handouts.
for the poet tells that Porteus was thus
fettered and rendered powerless by
Arlstaeus, who apparently knew that
even he gods themselves were no.
proof against this form of persuasion
In the fourth century B. c. an army of
victorious Greeks found several char
lots full Of handouts among the bag
gage Of the defeated Carthaginians,
and it is highly probable that the an
cient Egyptians had some continuance
of the kind.
Saxon "handcop,' whence comes evil
IDENTIFY the slang term "copper"" IN
earliest Saxon days "handcops' were
used for mobiles and ''footcops" for
kings, but in the fourteenth and fiji
teenth centuries the word is supplanted
by the terms ''shackbolt' and Swivel
menacle,' and the instruments them
selves are as cumbersome as the names
by which they are known.
Up to the middle of the last century
there were two kinds of handouts N
general use. One. known as the ''flex-
1D10, Was very IKE those WHICH are
still used; the other kind, called the
figure g." was used to restrain violent
prisoners. 1t was so fashioned that the
captive could not move his hands, and
was universally dreaded, for the pain
caused by a limb immovably confined
is almost unbearable.
simple but powerful device for Sc
curing prisoners was the "twister,''
W abolished, owing to the injuries it
inflicted. 1t consisted of a chain with
handles at each end. The chain was
put together and twisted, until a firm
grip was obtained. The least struggle
on the part of the captive and the
chains bit deep into his wrists. Of the
same nature, but made of wire is ia
igote," while in an emergency whip
cord has proved perfectly satisfactory.
The manner of use is as follows:
Take piece of whipcord and make a
double running knot tie one moose
around the prisoners wrist, then, max
ing him put his hand in the pocket,
lash the cord around his body, and,
bringing it back, slip it through the
moose again. The prisoner is perfectly
comfortable so long as he does not at
tempt to take his hand out of his
pocket. A still more efficacious method
was once employed by a London con-
stable. Being without his handouts,
and having nothing which could pos
sibly take their place, he simply took
his knife and cut off all the prisoners
brace buttons. This absolutely pre-
vented rapid flight, and gave the man
something to do besides.
The handcuff used in some parts of
eastern Europe Is most primitive. IT
consists of a, V-shaped piece of metal,
in which the wrists are inserted, the
open ends being then drawn together
by means of a cross hook, which must
be kept taut the whole time. The mos
handy form of cuff which is in general
use at present comes from America; 1t
Is lighter and much less clumsy than
the old Flexible
1t is no easy matter to clap the
bracelets on a person who is strug-
Cling violently. Inventors should turn
their attention to the subject. for much
remains to be done before the fightins
prisoner can be quickly and strongly
secured without harm to himself or his
captor.
One hardly realizes that a manacled
man has been provided with a very for
midable weapon: yet such is the case,
for he has but to raise his hands and
| bring them down heavily on the head
| Of his captor to stun or even kill him
| For this reason dangerous prisoners
! are generally handucffed with their
! hands behind their backs. The police
| also have to reckon with the fact that
| all handouts will not fit every prison
er, being often either too large or toe
small If they are too large, they pro-
vide a knuckle buster Of great pro-
| ficiency.
| It is always painful to see a number
of manacIed prisoners being put into a
train, and almost worse to see a single
captive, followed by a constable, enter
| a third class carriage and take his seat
| opposite his captor. Very often he
vainly endeavors to conceal the fact
| that he is handcuffed, and, although he
may have an evil face and still more
evil record, ole cannot help reenne
more than a little sorry for him. for
his DEGRADATION is complete. and al
! ,.rho r11r NAV read=I4ondonG Globe.