The Olden Time Series, Vol. 5: Some Strange and Curious Punishments | Page 5

the remains of executed
criminals in chains as having been carried into effect in our country.
But from some investigations of Mr. James E. Mauran, of Newport,
R.I., we learn that on March 12, 1715, one Mecum of that town was
executed for murder and his body was hung in chains on Miantonomy
Hill, where the remains of an Indian were then hanging, who had been
executed Sept. 12, 1712. Mecum was a Scotchman, and lived at the
head of Broad Street. A negro was hanged in Newport in 1679, and his
remains were exposed on the same hill.

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A BOOK ORDERED TO BE BURNED BY THE COUNCIL IN 1695.
The "Salem Observer" of Feb. 14, 1829, quotes from the Rev. Dr.
Bentley's "Diary" as follows:--
Tho's Maule, shopkeeper of Salem, is brought before the Council to
answer for his printing and publishing a pamphlet of 260 pages, entitled
"Truth held forth and maintained," owns the book but will not own all,
till he sees his copy which is at New-York with Bradford, who printed
it. Saith he writt to ye Gov'r of N. York before he could get it printed.
Book is ordered to be burnt--being stuff'd with notorious lyes and
scandals, and he recognizes to answer it next Court of Assize and gen'l
gaol delivery to be held for the County of Essex. He acknowledges that
what was written concerning the circumstance of Major Gen.
Atherton's death was a mistake (p. 112 and 113), was chiefly insisted
on against him, which I believe was a surprize to him, he expecting to
be examined in some point of religion, as should seem by his bringing
his bible under his arm.
Thomas Maule was a Quaker who lived in Essex Street, Salem, on the
spot now occupied by James B. Curwen, Esq., as a residence.
Imported books were ordered to be burned in Boston as early as 1653,
by command of the General Court; but we believe this is the first
instance of burning an American book.
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Punishment for wearing long hair in New England. From an old Salem
paper.
PURITANICAL ZEAL. It is known that there was one of the statutes
in our ancestors' code which imposed a penalty for the wearing of long
hair. At the time Endicott was the magistrate of this town he caused the
following order to be passed:--

"John Gatshell is fyened ten shillings for building upon the town's
ground without leave; and in case he shall cutt of his loung hair of his
head in to sevill frame (fewell flame?) in the meane time, shall have
abated five shillings his fine, to be paid in to the Towne meeting within
two months from this time, and have leave to go in his building in the
meantime."
Purchas says of long hair that--
"It is an ornament to the female sex, a token of subjection, an ensign of
modesty; but modesty grows short in men as their hair grows long, and
a neat perfumed, frizled, pouldered bush hangs but as a token,--vini non
vendibilis, of much wine, little wit, of men weary of manhood, of
civility, of christianity, which would faine turn (as the least doe imitate)
American salvages, infidels, barbarians, or women at the least and
best."
Prynne, who wrote in 1632, considers men who nourish their hair like
women, as an abomination to the Lord, and says--
"No wonder that the wearing of long haire should make men
abominable unto God himselfe, since it was an abomination even
among heathen men. Witnesse the examples of Heliogabalus,
Sardanapalus, Nero, Sporus, Caius Caligula, and others."
He refers to the opinions of the fathers and the decrees of the Old
Councils to prove that--
"Long hair and love locks are bushes of vanity whereby the Devil leads
and holds men captive."
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In a Boston paper, Aug. 11, 1789, we find the following ludicrous
account of the unfaithfulness of an officer in the duty of whipping a
culprit:--
On Thursday, 11 culprits received the discipline of the post in this town.

The person obtained by the High Sheriff to inflict the punishment, from
sympathetick feeling for his brother culprits, was very tender in dealing
out his strokes, and not adding weight to them, although repeatedly
ordered; the Sheriff, to his honour, took the whip from his hand, by an
application of it to his shoulders drove him from the stage, and with the
assistance of his Deputies inflicted the punishment of the law on all the
culprits. The citizens who were assembled, complimented the Sheriff
with three cheers for the manly, determined manner in which he
executed his duty.
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In the "Boston Courier," September, 1825, is an account of the
conviction of a common drunkard at the age of 103! It seems hardly
possible that