Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-02-23
CLOVERSEED THIEVES.
DARING EXPLOITS AND ESCAPE OF TWO
BoLD coUNDRELs-.FoUR HORSES, HAR-
NESS, WAGON AND CL0vERsEED STOLEN
EXCITING PURSUIT OF THE THIEVES
RECOVERY OF THE PROPERTY.

NESS, WA0ON AND CLOVEHsEED STOLEN
EXCITING PURSUIT OF THE THIEVES
RECOVERY or THE PROPERTY.
The Wholesale thievcry, which has
been going On in portions of Union and
Lycoming counties for some time past,
is related by tho WiIiamsport B'iiaia
as follows
There il still great excitement among
the farmers of Gregg township, Union
county, and Washington and Brady
townships, Lycoming county, regard
ing the exploits of the cloyersced and
horse thieves in those neighborhoods a
few days ago. Mention has already
been made in the Bulletin. Of tho fact
SIif-nf the thieves, but as the interes, s J,
a correspondent sends detailed ac-
count of the affair, together with much
that is entirely new
APPEARANCE OF THE THIEVES.
On Monday afternoon (Feb. 7th) two
strangers passed through Uniontown,
driving sorrel horse with open buggy,
and proceeded to Elimsport. On their
way up to the village they made in
quiry about Henderson 4 Barber's
mill, in the gap, if any one wished to
trade horses. At the residence Of John
Haincs, where they stopped and were
treated to dinner, they also made care
fnl inquiry about the price of clover
seed, alleging that they were anxious
TO purchase certain quantity. Mr..
Haines took them to his barn and
showed them about fifty bushels OF
seed that he had in bin. They did
not make a purchase, but soon after
wards started for the village of Films
port. After they had proceeded as
far on the way as the house of DAME,
Bobst, one Of them got out Of the bug
gy, and looking in bis barn discovered
some cloverseed. They then went to
the farmhouse of Mr.. Persons and
ased if they could not leave their horse
and buggy there for a few days, as
they wanted TO go to Collomsvillc,
where they had some business to trans
act lie told them that he would keep
the horse for them.
STEALING THE SEED.
After leaving Persons they started
down heroad in the direction Of Films
port. On the way they stopped at
Mr.. Dougherty's for supper. He asked
them whether they had not driven
past his place a short time before, but
they declared that it must have been
somebody else. After partalSing OF
supper they started for Mr.. Bobst's,
where they succeeded in stealing zen
bushels of his cloverseed, which they
carried away from the barn and placed
under large tree near by. They then
proceeded to the barn Of Mr.. Foresman,
where they stole a fine black horse,
and then they came down to Mr.. Jacob
Marshes, where they stole fine bay
horse, and harness for the two, and his
wagon also. Having secured good
team they hurricdly drove to John
Haines's, where they at once loaded
the cloverseed and started in the direc-
ton of Lewisburg to dispose of their
booty.
1t fortunately happened on Tuesday
morning that Mr.. Haines intended to
commence threshing oats, and num-
ber Of workmen were on hand early
for business. The moment the farmer
went into the barn he discovered his
granery broken open and his clover
seed gone. He at once suspicioned the
parties that had been there the day
before. An examination Of the road
showed that the thieves had a wagon,
and that they had driven in certain
direction. Horses were at once pre-
pared and the pursuit commenced by
the men who intended to thresh grain.
Below New. Columbia the thieves
found that they were hotly pursued,
when they abandoned their stolen
booty in the road and took TO the
woods. The horses, wagon and clover
seed were secured by the pursuing
party, who returned with the property
TO Spring Garden mill. As the horses
were very much exhausted from be-
ing over-driven, they left the seed with
Mr.. Showers to tighten the load. II
the thieves had had two hours more
time they could have reached the store
of Mr.. Datesman, who would have
purchased hc booty without asking
any questions, as he wanted cloverseed
badly.