My family lived for a short time in the 50's in Rogers, Arkansas when they still lived somewhat in the old style.
We had an old neighbor, a great story teller, with a tremendous sense of humor.
He told us once, probably in the late 1910's, he had a .22 rifle, and while hunting near home, put a bullet through a neighbor's window.
On Saturday, when everyone came to town, they told him they were having a trial for his crime. The judge ran it like a regular trial, more or less. Okay, less...
There was discussion on what should be done. One man said, "I think we gotta' hang him." And, sat in the court room making a noose as they talked.
There was general agreement, and he was scared to death.
After a time, someone said, "Well, he is pretty young to hang. Maybe we should give him another chance."
After extended conversation, more folks started agreeing. And finally the judge told him if he promised to never again shoot in a dangerous fashion, they would give him another chance.
He sure agreed to that deal!
That's how they dealt with problems in that community.
A man who was at one time a small town cop in the Midwest said back in the 50's, if a kid did something bad, he would grab him, toss him in the back of his patrol car, and take him out in the country for a serious talk. Those boys would be trembling with fear, they didn't really know if they would be coming back or not. Then, after speaking to him of Hell Fire and Damnation, he'd take him to his parents and tell them the kid was riding with him a few nights to see what cops did.
He said that worked, he could not remember a kid treated that way who got into further trouble. A lot of them became cops themselves as they grew up. He admitted today a cop that tried that would end up in jail himself, and the kids go ahead to further crimes.
Me no like congress !!! Hangum not good enough.
