After researching the previous article on people tied to logs, I decided to continue looking into this gruesome punishment from the past and I have found five more stories to share with you.
1. Arkansas River, Again
Over the decade, many things have turned up in the Arkansas River, and it sounds like a good topic to research for a future video. For today, however, we are going to look at a log binding case from 1922.
“Chained to a log weighted with stones, the body of a man was found floating in the Arkansas River near Okay early today.
“Police and sheriffs forces failed to identify the body, which was discovered by men working on a new bridge.
“Belief was expressed by some local authorities that the man might have been chained alive to the log and cast adrift, as no evidence of blows or other wounds were found.” [Source]
2. Missouri River
In 1926, a man was attacked by three unknown characters, tied to a log, and set adrift. Fortunately for the victim, he survived the ordeal.
“Beaten to insensibility, lashed to a log and set adrift at night in the turbulent waters of the Missouri River, William Deckert, young Iowa farmer and former German army aviator, may live to face his assailants, as yet unknown.
“Deckert was in the water more than twelve hours before he was rescued yesterday…
“Unconscious for many hours after his rescue, Deckert was unable to furnish any clue as to the identity of his assailants, but from mumbled and incoherent utterances, physicians pieced together a fragmentary account of an attack by three men who waylaid him Monday night…” [Source]
3. Swamp Beating
Of course, Deckert wasn’t the only person to have survived being tied to a log. In 1914, Georgia, a farmer was taken to the swamp, tied to a log, and beaten. According to the news report:
“Because of a lawsuit he had instituted, E.M. Tullis, a well-known farmer, whose house is south of Homerville, was taken from his house to a swamp nearby and so badly beaten with leather straps that he is in critical condition today…
“[Two men] have been arrested and charged with assault and battery. It is alleged that under pretense of borrowing grease to rub on a mule the two men got Tullis to leave his house, and grabbed him at the barn, taking him to a swamp and tying him to a log where the beating was administered.
“Tullis was then taken home in a semi-conscious condition. Neighbors passing saw him on the porch and got medical aid for him.” [Source]
4. Vigilantes
Not surprisingly, tying people to logs and whipping them was a rather common method to “get people to change their ways.”
For example, in Florida, 1920:
“Arthur Hames, who was kidnapped and badly beaten Sunday night, testified yesterday afternoon at the inquest into the death of his son, Grady, killed by his assailants, that one of the men who attacked him said his name was ‘Anderson’ and that he was a ‘Federal district attorney at Jacksonville.’
“Hames testified that he could identify this man and one other, both of whom were unmasked. The other six were masked, he said. No arrests have been made…
“Grady Hames, who died Monday, was shot three times. It is said there were eight men in the mob that went to the Hames home. The younger man was shot down while defending his father.
“The elder Hames was taken to the woods and given a severe beating with straps. He was tied to a log before the beating was administered.
“The trouble grew out of stories to the effect that Hames was intimate with his own daughter. Also remarks alleged to have been made by Hames about other women of this section are said to have caused trouble to pile up for him.
“Some ten days ago, it is said, a group of men visited Hames’ home and warned him that if he did not mend his ways he would be summarily dealt with.
“Sunday night about 10 o’clock the men went to the apartments of the Hames. The younger man was not at home but arrived in time to take part in the struggle. Guns were drawn and the young Hames was shot three times…” [Source]
5. Already Drowned
Finally, we are going take a look at an article about tying drowned bodies to logs. This was a common practice back in the day. The idea was that when a floater was found, it would get tied to a log or tree until the coroner could be notified.
From Minnesota, 1899:
“Raymond Aber, aged 18, was drowned Monday night while swimming at Lake Calhoun. The body was recovered yesterday afternoon with grappling hooks in a deep hole in the lake… and was taken to the county morgue…
“The body of Paul Murphy, who was drowned in the east river channel the other day, was found by a man named Peter Short, floating in the river… The body was tied to some logs and the coroner notified, but at a later hour last night he had not moved the body. The boy’s parents, who are nearly crazed with grief, were notified last night by the… police that the body had been found.” [Source]
