“Uncle Frank’s trick” was anecdotally attributed to a “philosophical Apache”, who reasoned that it was better tactics to temporarily disable a mugging victim without endangering their life.
During the early years of the 20th century, the trick attained a degree of pop-culture infamy as part of the “Apache chic” craze. It was frequently showcased in self-defence manuals of the period – along with various counters – and in the media, including this flip-book produced by Leon Beaulieu.