Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-03-31
COvINGTON NEWS.

OONlNNfTON NEWSs
%-
GiPsIEs ARREsTED-GREAT EXCITEMENT
LUsUs NATURE.-For some days past party
of Gipsies have been encamped on the Lex
ington Pike, about three miles from the city,
since which time petty thefts have been fire.
quent during the night, while during the day
all the houses in the vicinity have been be-
sieged by members of the gang in various
disguises, such as peddlers, beggars and for
tune-tellers. Having extended their field of
operations ms far as town, warrant for their
arrest was issued, and Officers Francis, Riff
and ReA. proceeded to the spot and arrested
five men and three women, accompanied by
six small children. The grown members
were arragned before Justice Shrock on n
charge of vagrancy, about twelve o'clock
yesterday. The news of the arrest created
considerable excitement among both men
and boys, all Of whom were anxious to OBJ
tain a sight of these strange and eccentric
people, whose history and mode of life have
rendered them so famous. A few minutes
was sufficient to fill the Justices Office, to-
gether with the hall leading thereto, and the
street in front. ,...lt....r -. p. -...f
Concerning the identity of two of the men,
named John and James Scarret, and the
three women, named Sarah, Betsy and Unity
(Scarret, together with three of the children,
lhere could be no doubt. They have every
as they did not deny the charge of vagrancy,
they were held over in the sum of 800 each,
for their appearance at the next term of the
Circuit Court They deposited the money,
gave their own recognizance, and left.
Another Of the men, a German named
Mart. Crater, stated that he was from Texas,
where he had formerly lived, and was on his
way to Pennsylvania, to his relations, and
that seeing the Gipsy encampment, he sup
posed they wcro emigrants, and he accord
ingly stopped his horse to feed it and take
some refreshments, only few minutes before
the officers came up. He had with him n
horse, small covered wagon, some bedding, a
basket of provisions, and three small children,
aged about eight, six and four years.
With reference to this family, we think
the world may safely be challenged to find
parallel. Families all blind, idiotic, or deaf
mutes, have occasionally been known; but
! we have no record of an Instance in which
deformity so hideous, and so diverse from
nature, has been transmitted from q parent
to all his children. He was without thumb
on either hand, and had only the third and
fourth fingers. His feet parted at the instep
and near the ankle, and diverged at least
three inches. Each division tapered to
point, on which there was nail like that of
toe. He wore shoes, however, but his
children did not, and the shape of his feet
could be Judged by theirs. Each child had
but one fnger-the fourth---on each hand.
The youngest was idiotic, and fell into q
spasm in the presence of crowd of specta-
tors on the street. fs '.HI
Although evidently not Gipsy, he was in
their company, and arraigned with the rest.
He was defended by Mr.. Allnut, who volun-
teered his services in his behalf and when
the Court announced his discharge, a spon-
taneous shout of applause burst from the as
sembled crowd, whose sympathies were en-
listed to the highest degree in behalf of the
unfortunate prisoner and his family. H
He appeared harmless, simple creature,
weak in body and imbecile in mind, and one
resigned to irreyocable melancholy. His
hopes in his family had all been blasted, and
simple though he was, its evidences were
has around him family of healthy and intel
ligent children can form any conception of
the feelings that embittered the existence of
that father as he contemplated his helpless
family, which must ere long be thrown upon
the charities of the world. III..vl- s'
The other two men, named Shelby Martin
and VIM. Krismani were not Gipsies, and
upon asking it a continuance was granted
with respect TO them until they could estab-
lish that they were not vagrants. 'li-' D.
STATISTICS OF CovINGToN. The following
statistics of our city have been furnished us
by ii. +. Bowen, assessor, who has just COM
pleted his labors M .iTts
Number Of Tthes for 22sl
Number Of Children between the ages OF SIX
Number of White Porso I9I5
Number Of Free Colored Persons................ 56
Number OF l63
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