The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-04-23
MISCELLANY.
A Gang of Reputable Thieves.

A Gang of Reputable Thieves.
A Springfield H., special says;-Ill-
iopolis is about twenty miles east of this
city, on the Toledo, Wabash and West
ern Railway. Itis small village and
station, the shipping and trading point
for large section of country, and the
farmers who reside in the immediate
vicinity, are generally respectable and
well to do; they are largely interested in
stock raising as well as farming. When
the rebellion broke ont the people of
IIliopolis township rallied around the
old dag.
Among the number who were fred
with martial glory were Francis Green,
Samuel Dickinson, Benjamin F. Crane,
John Pontzious and Mitchell Havenor.
They enlisted il the Forty first infantry
Colonel Isaac Pugh, and when an cleo
tion was held Green. was made a second
lieutenant. His general reputation be-
ing that of good man, on the first oc-
casion he, was promoted to the captaincy.
Captain Green, Samuel Dickinson,
Benjamin +. Crane, John Pontzious,
Taylor Dickinson, Robert Pate, John
Eager and Berry Peel now languish in
the Sangamon county Jail. Captain
Francis NJ. Green, the leader of the
party, is about forty years of age, has
family and has resided in Illiopolis since
he came out of the army, having form
erly resided in Mount Auburn, just over
the line, in Christian county. Since his
residence in Illiopolis he has been a
most exemplary citizen. He has always
taken deep interest in Christianity,
regular attendant. He is a general
farmer and occasionally has engaged in
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and selling
grain, stock, &c.
All of these men except two Ben.
Crane and Pate) have for years been
known and respected as honest, in lus-
trious men, living in the same community
trading laboring and associating with
all its inhabitants, and not a breath of
supieion pointing to them as the gull
ty parties in course of wholesale and
petty robberies that every citizen has
known of for four years. The charges
against the gang embrace almost every
| species of robbery, and their stealings
will aggregate tens of thousands of dol
lars in value, horses, mules, hogs, cat
ties, wheat, corn, wagons, provisions.
clothing, boots and shoes, liqnor, grocer
ies-everything in fact, thar could be
had.
Some time in March the first suspi-
! cion was aroused, and the first clew to the
guilty parties was discovered. Two
valuable horses were stolen from farm
er in Illiopolis township. Shortly af-
terward man by the name of Win
gates, formerly resident of IlliOpolis
saw and recognized the horses in Christ
ian county. An officer went after them,
and found that the man in whose pos
session they were had traded span of
mules to captain Green for them, and
that Green had taken the mules to St.
Louis and sold them. Before Green
could be nabbed. however, he went to
Kansas. A requisition brought him
back
During the last four weeks arrests
have been made until the number aggre-
gates, nine. On Tuesday night Samuel
Dickinson and several of the gang were
taken before the Sangamon county grand
jury and confessed all and singular the
charges against them.
Illiopolis people tell many amusing in
cidents in connection with Green. Ben
Crane stole psir of mules and run
them off to st. Louis. On his return he
and gave Green a bill of sale for them.
Green then went IA the owners of the
mules and told him he thought he could
find them. The owner had bills printed
describing the mules and commissioned
Green to hunt them up. Green took
the bills and started for ST. Louis.
While crossing the ferry boat he dropped
the bills into the river, went to the sta
BILE where the mules were obtained,
possession, sold them. pocketed the
money, came home, told the owner that
!. the mules could not be found, "whacked
up" with Ben Crane, and then went of
, with satisfied air.
The robbery of the cars and the depot
at Illiopolis became so frequent and the
: loss of property SO extensive that Skeen
( the agent, consulted with captain Green
(who is his brother, ,-in-law) about hiring
watchman. "Of course you ought,
said Green, and straightway Green, Ber
Crane and others Of the gang were hired
or volunteered to watch the very prem
!, Uses they were robbing. The robbing, o
course was stopped. Then Crane and
t Green told Skeen che had spoiled it al
by telling the constables that the depo
n was watched They hadn't told tn,
:, constables they would have caugh
i the rascals."
r The boldest operation so far unearth
6N Is the one JOE 1AdNSH
e or, is held. Havenor and Sam Dickin
u son went 10 Toledo and presented tn
r house of Hays & Co., certified bills Q
e lading and invoice for FIVE cars of whea
e shipped from Illiopolis. The paper
l. purported to have been signed by Sar
j. Skeen, the Toledo, Wabash & Wester
N agent. AS the transaction appeared t
short time the forgery was disco~ere
le and Havenor was pursued and arreste
le Sam Dickinson now confesses that Gree
v forged all the papers.
l.
Il