Whitecapping

• Where did whitecapping come from and who were the White Caps and what did they do?

  Whitecapping expanded outward from Indiana and then across North America. They were vigilantes who regulated public morals targeting: unwed mothers, abusers, and adulterers.
• How did the White Caps warn offenders?

  The White Caps would warn offenders by leaving a bundle of hickory switches and a threatening letter. If the warnings went unheeded, they kidnapped the offenders. They were then tied to trees and whipped.
• How did The White Caps present?

  They were vigilantes dressed in white masks, hoods, and robes. They borrowed heavily from the Klu Klux Klan and there was a likely crossover of membership between the groups.