The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-15
T HE I'm G A r I.
The DOings OF q Wandering Tribe Of Gypsies
in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
kidnapping Children and
Stealing Horses.
A Herald Correspondent Passes Night
in Their Camp.


world than that which b to be found in the
Lehigh Valley In Pennsylvania A journey from
Allentown to Wilkesbarre is the most delightful
one imaginable, presenting as 1t does many
features Of enjoyment which in other parts of the
country are wholly unknown. The scenery is at
once wild and beautiful, rugged and sublime. On
either side mountains lift their everlasting tops to
heaven, while in the valley beneath the Lehigh
flows in uninterrupted beauty, its sides
dotted with fertile fields, smiling orchards and
happy farm houses The Valley of Wyoming, i'm
mortallzed by Campbell, the noblest oflyrics, in
his celebrated poem, spreads it's wide expanse Of
pasture land before the eyes OF the traveller in its
eternal freshness, the frowning mountains loom
ing grandly down upon the peaceful scene. No
wonder that the Valley OF the Lehigh has been
made famous in verse and story. 1t stands unri-
vailed in Its peculiar attractions and has well been
called the Garden OF the East.
In this charming abode OF nature
EoMADIC TRIBE OF GYPsIES
have for the past few weeks had their habtation.
This strange and wandering race, of whose origin
nothing authentic is known, OF whose customs
much has been written are true lovers OF the pic
turesque, and with the instinct OF painters poets
they are always to be found where the grass Is
greenesr, the water purest and the air most fresh
The gypsies have furnished many fertile theme
for the novelist the stories OF their lawlessness
their thefts their romantic qualities and their gen.
crosby being innumerabe. Who they are and
what they have never been ascertained; but one
thing is certainfor generations they have lived as
a separate and distinct race in every land
where they happened to be located their hand
against every man and every mans hand against
them. One of the amable traits OF character for
which they have long been noted is the strange
affection which they have invariably displayed tor
children not their own. The annals OF many
noble family in England and France tell Of heirs
| who spent their infancy and childhood in gypsy
camps, only coming into their rightlul patrimony
| through accident or the revelations of some out
! cast member Of the tribe to which they had been
| attached. These legends are generally looked
upon as possible stories OF the past-possible 200
years ago, but utterly impossible now. People who
hold this opinion would be greatly astonished if
they were told that in the present year of grace,
| ana within halt days journey from New York, the
KIDNAPPING OF CHILDREN
has been frequently practsed by band Of gypsies,
who, with their headquarters IN the Lehigh Valley.
have been securing the surrounding country, pick
| ing up stray children or stray horses as oppor-
tunity offered. Such, however, is the fact. only
| within the past month case having occurred near
Easton. me child stolen was Of very tender
years. and, in company with its nurse had been
| out among the hills with which Easton is sur
| rounded. While here swarthy gypsy woman with
| rather attractive countenance approached the
nurse and asked permission to tell the latter her
fortune Her nurse, with the natural creduity and
superstition which is common to persons OF her
class, consented, and giving the woman some
money asked her to proceed, laying the child upon
the grass. The gypsy poured out string OF mean.
ingless nonsense, mingled with the usual illusions
to dark men and light men.
MARRIAGE AND DEATH.
The servant girl listened entranced while the
woman was speaking, and when she had con-
Guided, turning round to look for the child, she
was Mortified to find 1t gone She had seen
as he rcs suddenly We ae
her fortune was told, 1t would have been easy for
been perceived. She returned to Easton sorrowini
and sad, and her tale plunged the household to
which she belonged into deepest distress. Re-
wards were offered the police were set to work,
the gypsy camps were searched, but Tor some days
without avail as no trace OF the little one could be
procured. The child was eventually recovered,
but not until a large sum OF money had been ex-
pended and hope almost lost The affair has been
kept very secret, the local papers only dimly allud
ing to it.
Your correspondent, hearing of the circum-
stance on last Thursday determined TO visit the
gypsy camp and find out TOR his information
and That OF the public how far The appearance and
names OF the gypsies corresponded with the
mored had occurred in tue camp fastened my
movements, and took the first train to Allen
NIGHT WAS BEGINNING TO FALL
inquired of various people whom ] met about
the gypsies, but could obtain no authentic infor-
nation about them further than that they were
quartered in some woods, about fifteen miles from
threatened to be wild and stormy, and the
rain was falling in htfu torrents; but deter
mined, II possible TO proceed and reach the camp
before midnight. Alter some trouble Pennsyl-
vania Dutchman was induced to accompany me,
and about eigat O'Clock we started for the camp.
The roads had been greatly cut up with the rain,
the horses sinking almost to their knees at every
step they took. Progress under the circumstances
was slow, and 1t was near twelve O'Clock when we
sighted the woods When we came to the out
skirts the Dutchman refused to proceed further
coed alone. The driver drew mis- horses up
to sequestered spot in the woods,
and, having given me directions as to the
hp1 fQr nf
the wagon. The rain was still coming down
in torrents and the night was pitch dark; only
and then the gloom would be dispersed by occa-
sional nashes OF lightning. i began to think was
in a rather awkward position, but as had gone so
knowing that If would be fortunate enough to
reach the gypsy camp their proverbial hospitality
gone far when the barking of half dozen dogs APP
prlsed me that was in the vicinity OF the wander
ers; Going on "a little further | discovered the
gruT voice demanded who / was and what
wanted The speaker was
A PowERFUL-LooKING MAN,
and, though evidently awakened from sleep by the
barking OF the dogs and my approach, he had all
| had lost my way, and as the night was stormy
| | wished to have shelter until the morning. Alter
some hesitation he complied with my request and
asked me to share his wagon with him. | crept in
among the straw. and as was wearied with
my tramp ! soon lel asleep, notwthstand-
| the noise in the camp awoke me. and,
looking out OF the wagon, | found that
the gypsies were all astr. The morning was beautl-
| ful after the storm OF the preceding night tue
i grass smeled sweetly, the birds were gaiiy sing
| ing and l had abundant opportunity TO STUDY the
1 camp and the persons II contained. lhey were
4 thirteen in all-six men, four women and three
| children. Two OF the women were old toothlesS
| and repulsve-looking; the other two We're young
aud quite good-looking. The men were swarthy,
powerful fellows, with bronzed countenances and
| bright, cunning eyes. | was greeted civilly and
| asked to remain to breakfast winch very readily
consented to do, as l had tasted from six O'Clock
the evening before, ana felt correspondnglJ
hungry. The fire was made
IN THE CENTRE OF THE CAMP,
and mess. something like the Scotch haggis, WAC
prepared IN q large pot. 1t was savory aud invit-
ing and very little was lett in the pot wuen the
! meal was concluded | soon satisfied myself that
the stories which had heard about tragedy were
false and that the gypsies. in this particular In
stance, had been misrepresented. | learned from
d man who seemed TO he a leader among them