Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-05-25
A FAMILY Of THlEvEs-THE INFLUENCE THEY
EXERT

From ID feE Ta-s Lslter.
There is a family residing in Onieds
county, In this State, who, according to
common fame, have followed the profes-
sion of thleviDg for nearly twenty years.
They have grown rich by their unlawful
practice Their children are educated
IN the best and most expensive semina-
ries. They dress genteely, their manners
are somewhat polished, and they appear
tolerably well in society. Their opera
tions are carried on through the counties
Of Oneida, OsWego, OtsegO, Madison,
ChenangO, Scho harie, Delaware and Sui
lIvan. They have numerous well trained
cOnfederates IN all these counties, who
are ready at a moments warning, to ride
of IN any direction for the sake of plum
der or for the c0ncealment of protection
Of associates who are IN danger of falling
into the meshes Of the law. These men
have been indicted times without num-
Der in the above mentioned counties. but
none Of them have been convicted, nor
have any Of them been in Jail for a longer
time than was sufficient for a bondsman
to arrive at the prison. It is generally
believed that there are far more, who,
while apparently respectable, belong to
the gang, and share in It's profits. Wheth-
er this be SO or not, 1t Is certain that
whenever bail Is needed any number of
substantial farmers viii come forward and
sign their bonds, without regard to the
amount OF the penalty. These men, as
might be supposed, exerted a great deal
Of political influence, and it is well under
stood that they are ready to reward their
friends and punish their enemies, both In
primary conventions and at the polls.
Although as it has been said, that they
have been repeatedly indicted, yet the
number Of their indictments bears but a
small ratio to the number of their depre-
datiOns. 1t usually happens that any one
who IS particularly active In bringing any
of the gang to justice, has his barn or
dwelling soon after burned, or his horses
are missing from the stable, or his sheep
or cattle from the pasture. These things
have happened SO often, that people are
careful how they intermeddle in the mat
ter of bringing them to justice. If a per-
son SO intermeddllBg happens to have a
mortgage on his property, Il Is apt to be
very soon foreclosed. If he has political
aspirations, thousand Of unseen obstacles
interpOse to prevent the fulfllment of his
hopes. If ne Is a trader, his custom falls
off. If he is a physician, malpractice is
imputed upon him. or other malicious
stories are circulated to his discredit
and at length matters come to such a pass
that his only recourse IS to leave the
country. All who make themselves con-
spicuous in opposing this family of thieves
are in some way made to feel the effects
ola thousand bIighting and malign infu
ences, which paralyze their efforts and
blast their hopes of success. Although
the law has been pOwerless when eXer-
ted against the gang, they have been in
the habit of using It's energies with great
effect against those who stood in their
path and instances are numerous in the
history Of the local litigations where the
forms of law have been used to punish !
innocence and shield robbery under the |
5killful manipulations Of this gang of |
villains. Such are the facts respecting |
crime and its professors IN some of the |
inest counties in the Empire State, and !
loubt not innumerable similar gangs arc |
and at work constantly in this |
3ity.