This remarkable little article, the author of which is unknown, is 159 years old and is taken from a very small local newspaper based in a village in the East Neuk of Fife: Cellardyke. It's curated articles are regularly republished here by the Cellardyke Trust, an organization that covers numerous aspects of old and new stories, photos and historical events from the East Neuk.
What struck me about this story, apart from actual bizarre events described, is the quality of the writing and the depth of language used. It seems that back in those days a reporter on a tiny provincial paper was far more capable, creative and descriptive with his prose than most modern journalists and reporters are nowadays. I also wonder at how teaching standards for the English language (within the current education system) have perhaps deteriorated or been dumbed down over the years when reflecting on this piece's penmanship. Then, thinking about all that, how well the actual newspaper's readers were served by the standards of reporting ... anyway it's all in the past now. (I don't doubt that levels of corruption in the press back in those days were much different but they could certainly put an entertaining story together when compared to so much of today's popular piffle both in print and online.)
"Anstruther -Lynch Law in the East of Fife.
In the early part of Monday afternoon, the west end of the neighbouring town of Cellardyke was the scene of a most extraordinary and singular occurrence, so far, at least, as the East Neuk is concerned. At the time in question, a notorious character, of the name of James Haggart, better known by the sobriquet of “Abernethy,’ was seen entering the town of Cellardyke, where public feeling was running very strongly against him in consequence of his being implicated in a case of a peculiarly bad and heartless nature. Whether the matter had been preconcerted or not, we are unable to state, but no sooner had he made his appearance than the women in the neighbourhood gathered together and began to give unmistakable expression to their anger and abhorrence by hooting and pelting him with stones.
Quailing before the fury of his assailants, the craven attempted to beat a retreat, but he was no match for his nimble-tongued, nimble-limbed pursuers, who continued to shower upon him whatever of hard missile or foul epithet that came readiest in the way. In this manner he reached the top of the road at Caddies Burn, when he was either struck down by a stone, or, what was more probable, he pretended to be under the influence of liquor, and so cast himself, in apparent helplessness, on the ground. This clumsy appeal, however, to move their compassion, was treated with utter disdain by his female adversaries — who had now increased to hundreds— for, amidst a perfect Babel of mingled screams of laughter and yells of execration, they crowded around the prostrate wretch. In a twinkling he was almost buried beneath a mass of potato stems and earth, which were brought by right willing hands from the adjoining field, and a cooling sedative was also now and then administered m the shape of sundry bucketfuls of water. The noise and confusion drew large numbers to the spot, but the graver portion of the community, when they saw that neither life nor limb were in any great danger, moved quietly on when they ascertained the cause, or remained the passive, if not amused, spectators of the extraordinary hubbub.
The sympathies of some Highland halfdealsmen were, however, more active than those of the townsfolk, for after a vigorous attempt these “children of the mist” at length succeeded in rescuing the drenched and forlorn- looking outcast from the vengeance of the “Lynchers,” many of whom seemed half mad with frolic and excitement. The assistance of the bobbies was ultimately obtained, and under the safe escort of those liveried footmen of the law he was majestically marched off to the lock-up, followed of course by an immense train of men, women, and children. While on their triumphal progress, the heroines who made themselves so conspicuous in this rough and ready administration of justice were vociferously cheered by the large groups of half-dealsmen and others lounging about the shore – a compliment which bashfulness did not prevent them from returning with gratitude and effect.
So far as we can learn, no bodily injury was sustained by the victim of popular rage, although it is to be hoped that the sharp reproof which he has received will have the effect of making him a wiser and better man for the future, and that it will also be a warning to others that the inhabitants of Cellardyke will not with impunity allow their town to be insulted and dishonoured by practices that make the cheek of humanity blush with shame and resentment."
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