<"fiery cross" stuff was taken by the KKK from Scottish tradition>

Like McGrath I've always thought that too, quite annoys me really.

As regard to tarring and feathering I think it also happened a lot after the liberation of France, to women who had consorted with the Germans during the occupation. I also vividly remember some young women in Belfast, who had gone out with Briish soldiers (this would have been the early 70's) having their heads shaven and being tarred and feathered and left tied up to a lamp post. It made the front pages of the newspapers, dreadful pictures of them surrounded by jeering crowds.