From the July 31, 1895 New York Times:

“Watertown, N.Y.–Jayville, a village on the fringe of the Adirondack forest, above Carthage, has been the scene of the punishment of a woman, in a manner which has been outraged decency.

Mrs. Bert Covey of Jayville left that place some time years ago, and it was alleged that she had eloped with a man of the place. Nothing was heard of until Saturday, when she suddenly returned. Sunday two men called on her, telling her that if she did not immediately leave the place, she would be tarred and feathered. She went to Pitcairn on Monday, and swore out a warrant for the arrest of the two men who had threatened her. She returned home in the evening.

When the train stopped at Jayville, and the woman stepped off, she was suddenly surrounded by a crow of men, who seized her, and took her into the railroad freight house, where they stripped her. There was a crowd of women present, dressed in men’s clothes, and with blackened faces.

The men held the woman down on the floor while the women applied tar and feathers with a paint brush, completely covering her with the stuff. Then they left her. She was taken to her mother’s house, where a physician was called, who found that one arm and a number of ribs were broken. It is said that almost all of the parties concerned in the case are known, and warrants will immediately be sworn out for their arrest.”