The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-02

| NOVEL CASE OF CRIME STEALING cATTLE'Bf
| WHOLESALE AND BrTcHERING THEM IN AN
| UNDERGROUND SLAUGHTER 'HoCSE--CAPruRE
! or THE ROBBERS.
SCRANTON, PA. January 2s.-At Rockville.
| short distance from this city, cave has just
| been discovered by Chief OF Police Boice. in
| which the business Of butchering stolen cat
| tie has been carried on for several months
past by two desptradoes named Benjamin
Daily and John Roland. For some time past
cow-stealiDg has been a common crime in this
pcisbborhood, and just before the Christmas
holidays several valuable animals disappear
cd rather mys!criously. Barns were broken
into at night and cattle carried Off with inn
punity, and still no trsce Of the robbers
could be Obtained. Among those who
lost in this way were J.. {. Lynde,
secretary of the Lackawanna Iron and Coal
Company. and Simon Ward, on old gentle.
man living on the compauy's farm at Duo.
more. from whom two valuable Attorneys
were stolen on the 23d Of December last.
On the afternoon Of the day following
Horace Shirer purchased two fresh hides
from butcher in the Fourth Ward, who
said they were lett with him for sale. Upon
examining the hides closely Mr.. Shirer was
struck by their close resemblance to the
-ilderneys he had so often admired
10 Mr.. Wards stable, and having
heard Of their being stolen, he sent for
Mr. Ward, vino identified them at once.
Warrants were then issued for the arrest
Of Daily and Roland, but before they could
he executed DAILY was caught and imprisoned
on another charge OF cow-stealing and kill
iug preferred against him by n farmer Of
| Lackawauna. Meanwhile the police kept
sharp lookout f>r bis confederate, who had
| several narrow escapes. On one occasion he
| Ieapci from thrcestory window just as
! ChicC Of Police Boicc was about 10 catch
! hul, ana disappeared. He was captured at
! last. however. and after preliminary hear
! ing yesterday was committed TO prison.
Tie scene Of the operations OF this deS-
! pprate pair is The most remarkable feature OF
! the attire atlalr. It Is situated at Pcckyillc,
! a <par,eiy, populated suburb Of this City,
| where. several mouths ago, they rented an
old ab ,n.ioncl aw-mill bcncuth which they
| constructed huge pit, where they have car
| rjrG on trtr hutchcling business. TO this
! >ublccrnnean >)aughter-house. they conveyed
| the stolen cattle and prepared them for the
market. II offered the very best advantages
! for the business, being completely hidden
| from public gezn, and never resortcd to only
la. The dead of night. II was dis
(
| on Tuesday, when he was watching
| in the neighborhood OF Roland's boarding.
! house for some Of his couiederates. Shortly
latter y O'Clock the officer saw Dau with
| lantern emerge stealthilv from the boarding
| house and cross piece OF waste ground. He
followed at safe distance, aud after going
about IL quarter Of a mile was as!onshed to
see tie mun with the light suddenly disap.
pear into tee earth. He stood in complete
amusement for time, and finally concluded
| 10 20 TO the spot where he saw the light van.
| i>h Gu drawing close to ii q faint. flicker
n@ li-ht was emitted from what appeared to
be cave. aud the officer, guided BY it and
drawing his revolver, slowly descended a
seize, Of steps Iudely made in the side OF the
pit.
| On going down be was startled by the ap.
pearance as we'll as by the uuwbolesome odor
Of this underground slaughtcr-house. An
astonishcd rustic, with pitchfork in hand,
stood amid heap Of hides revealed III the
dim light Of the lamp, and regarded The mid.
night intruder with wonder aud dlsmly.
lie vas alone. and surrendered very easily
when told by the officer that he was wanted
as witness IN an important case 1t Scranton.
| The weird scene that met the officers gaZe in
the robbers, cave surpassed anJ tbing be ever
read Of or experienced before, he says, and
it seemed like some cAarnei-houSe ia which
the crime OF murder would as readily be
committed as that OF butcherlng stolen cattle.
| The community here find Il good deal Of relief
III the fact that the robbers have been caught.