MANY A SMALL VILLAGE IN EARLY AMERICA COULD NOT OR DID NOT BOTHER TO BUILD A JAIL HOUSE TO HOLD THE OCCASIONAL MISCREANT WHO WONDERED INTO THEIR AREA AND WAS ARRESTED BY A CONSTABLE...WHAT TO WITH HIM TILL TRIAL TIME?
THE SOLUTION WAS INGENIOUS. THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH
FORGED A HEAVY HOLDING OR RESTRAINT CHAIR MADE OF IRON AND LEATHER STRAPS ...THE BAD GUY WAS STRAPPED INTO THAT CHAIR AND IT WAS PARKED IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE. DEPENDING ON THE CRIME AND THE ‘ATTITUDE’ OF THE OFFENDER OFTEN TIMES IT WAS PLACED OUT IN THE OPEN UNDER A HOT SUN....
IT WAS A GREAT DETERRENT TO CRIME... A LIVING EXAMPLE TO OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE SO FOOLISH AS TO OFFEND...