# Who Invented the "Tar and Feathers" Procedure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 27, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169 "2003-09-27T16:50:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bingo\_Plebney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@Bingo\_Plebney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bingo_Plebney)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/1 "2003-09-27T16:50:26Z")
What fun-loving party animal first thought of “tarring and feathing” someone, and who was the first Honoree? Why feathers? Since, I expect, this was a long time ago, were solvents (turpentine?) available to remove the tar, or was this pretty much a death sentence? Bingo ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/2 "2003-09-27T21:27:28Z")
Some unsung rural sadist. Send him a letter & ask. Address it to: Dipstick 3rd Sulfer Pit Row, Hell. He’ll get it. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/3 "2003-09-27T21:52:25Z")
Quoting _Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable_, 15th edition: > [@](#): > > This was a common punishment in primitive communities, and it is still occasionally resorted to. The first record of this punishment is in 1189 (1 Rich 1). A statute was made that any robber voyaging with the crusaders ‘shall first be shaved, then boiling pitch shall be poured on his head and a cushion of feathers shook over it.’ The wretch was then to be put on shore at the first place the ship came to. Death sentence? With boiling pitch, highly likely. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/4 "2003-09-28T01:35:14Z")
If it wasn’t a death sentance, what did the convicted usually do after tarred and feathered to get back to ‘normal’? ---
**Author:** ![disponibilite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5daacb/32.png) [@disponibilite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/disponibilite)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/5 "2003-09-28T04:06:15Z")
It does seem to be taken lightly today as sort of a hazing type punishment. And probably incorrectly so. It was most likely a very cruel death sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Bingo\_Plebney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@Bingo\_Plebney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bingo_Plebney)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/6 "2003-09-28T04:12:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kanicbird \* > \*\*If it wasn’t a death sentance, what did the convicted usually do after tarred and feathered to get back to ‘normal’? \*\* That’s why I was wondering about the availability of solvent. Or at least some Mr. Bubble… Bingo ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/7 "2003-09-28T05:17:10Z")
I´ve read somewhere that this particular system was envisioned by two French gentlemen, Doctor Tarr and professor Fether. ---
**Author:** ![Bingo\_Plebney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@Bingo\_Plebney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bingo_Plebney)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/8 "2003-09-28T14:52:51Z")
Perhaps the feathers were to prevent the victim from sticking himself to one of his antagonists. B ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/9 "2003-09-28T18:47:06Z")
> [@](#): > > The wretch was then to be put on shore at the first place the ship came to. That doesn’t sound like a death sentence, to me. When a guy dies on ship (by execution or other means), you don’t wait until you touch shore to dispose of the body. And assuming that the victim survives, anything’ll come off eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-the-tar-and-feathers-procedure/204169/10 "2003-09-29T21:18:12Z")
Seems a lot of trouble to go through if you’re aiming to kill someone. So I don’t expect it was fatal. My guess would be that the point is that it does take a while to get off, and is highly visible in the meantime (as well as hurting like a sumbitch during both the application and removal, which is part of the point, too) “Hey, what’s with all the feathers? Art thou a thief?” “Me, a knavish thief? Nay! What, the uh, feathers?.. Well, uh, that’s a funny story actually…” “Never thee mind. I’ll find someone else to watch my horse.”