Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-02-13
The Luzerne Thieves--Extensive Cans
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devclopements we're about TO be made respect
ing criminal transactions, in which some per-
sons Presidents of this and neigbbCring States
we're implicated, who had heretofore occupied
a respectable pos ition in society. The exis-
tence of an organized gang OF horse thieves in
this and IeighboEing States has been more
than suspected, and the confession Of Rutter,
Lately arrested in BuzeEne county, on a charge
Of stealing horse Ii Westmoreland county,
and now in our county prison, were the devel-
opements 10 which we had reference. Op
Tuesday last 3ir Gamble, from Indiana
county--an uncle % RUsteF-caine 10 this city
a0d visited the prison, and to his inquiries
Rutter confessed that be had, for a long time
, been connected with aR orgeHized gang Of
horse thieves, who are located in several coun-
ties of Pennsylvania and New Tork-particu-
lariy in Chemung county. The names OF
some twelve or fifteen Of the persons connected
| he has given, together with their places of
residence, and such information as we hope
may eventually lead to their detection. He
/ says their operations were not confined to
/ horse stealing they also committed robbcries
and burSlaries, when opportunity offered.
/ They had regular stations or - head quarters"
where they were safe III stopping, all over the
Western and Northern part of this State.
i he names OF the keepers Of several of these
9 station houses hc has given. a large
/ number of the gang reside IL Luzerue and otl-
er counties IN the Eastern portion Of the
State. lie gives a detailed account Of crimes
committed by them, for several years, past,
and related an almost endless variety Of rascal
ly transactions and breadth escapes, in
which he has been himself engaged
He says that there were no horses stolen
! from this part Of the State, except four from
Old Harmony and one from near Greensburg.
These were taken about four years ago, and
/ taken TO Chemung county, New York-where
Col. f. gentleman who had suspicious
that they We're stolen, took them, and had the
two persons Who lad them in charge conTicted
of passing couutcrg,it money The horses
were advertised Che says } but 10 owners ap-
peared. He gives the name Of this gentleman.
and says tao Of these horses are stil in his
possess on, and the others are in the vicinity
and may be recovered
The gang (he says had = contract with
merchant Ia Western Pennsylvania, (whose
name and residence lie gi7es,) TO sell him all
the horses which they stole, at $50 each, he
10 ran ali risks Of their b-ing reclaimed by
the owners All the other goods stolen we're
sent TO tais same individual. to BE disposed Of
Under the name Of Walter (Rutter says this
merchant has already served two terms Ia
prson-oDe Of which, for three or four years,
0as iu the II estern peniJentary This man
Is living Ike a nabob, (although it has been
suspected by some Of the more shrewd Of HE
nc. ghbors that all was not rght,) and has
managed to preserve fair reputation. he
has brother, who is SAID TO be eonG1ant Of
all his trUnsactious
j few months since some members OF the
party broke into . store near j Johus1own, and
took large quantity Of goods Ratter says
he received seven Iieces Of bvoalcloth as his
share Of the plunder, which he sent to thie
merchant TO be disposed of. lie alleges that
he owes him for this, aud also $3.50 on ac-
count Of horses stolen and delivered. lie Is
of opinion that 2 portion Of ,h s br adcloth
remaius uIs0ld, and can be recovered by Wis
ting tins merchants store One of the gang
(namej Harper he says procured a Situation
al the railroad depot Ia Buffalo, New York,
and made use Of the opportunities the affor--
ded to such purpose that lie o ''tainid, at vari-
Gus times, upwards OF 81, 000 worth of goods
of different descriptions, which he forwarded
to this same merchant to sell.
Mr.. Gamble, his uncle, has for long tine
suspected that Rutter burnt saw-:uilI belong
iug to him. On Icing gu u7stioned, he den
this. but stated that i was set on fire By
man named Green, who is now III the Yaz o
Swamps in Mississippi-and but for his inter
ference the grist-miil and barn belonging tn
Gamble would also have bcea burned Tbs
Harper, tue ButaIo Depot man, was once ar
rested and held 20 bail on charge Of horse
Stealing, in Butler county, and this merchant
wIo appears 10 have been genera! agent for
the concern. came on aud went his bail
with the understanding that it was TO be fol-
fsitcd aud paid
0u Tuesday night last Alderman MKenna /
went over to the JAIL and Rutter made afida- !
Wit to these statements, and variety of 9th /
ers, wiki view Of 7utiHE things in train for
a proper legal Ilyesti-ajIOn. Nr. Gamble |
says be has no doubt the statements of his !
nephew are in the main, true. Many Of the /
facts stated he knows to be so, and says that |
the persons whom be names as belonging TO !
the gang have long borne suspicious charac /
ters Rutter at one time worked for Mayor
Adams, in Allegheny city, and is well known
to him. The names of quite number of
persous implicated by Rutter are in our pos
session, including that of the merchant who
he alleges was the head of the gang-but, for
obvious reasons, we cannot publish them at
present If sharp poice-ofieer were to be
paid a sufficient sum to justify him in making
The attempt, we think he might bring to mer-
tied punishment some great rascals, thro the
information which this man has given-but,
there being no provision forssuch expenses,
we fear they viii escape. PiHsbarg Dispatch
Mexico--The Distracted Condition of the
Country.
The condition of Mexico is truly deplora-
bic A new revolution has commenced, and