The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-03-26


Any professional thieves gang Il, America
would be glad to have him win tDem. ~.
though very young man, ne mas stolen, US
they express 1t in New gfork,. M W. u u
money; but never were any Oh HlS iup-
berries done with any violence anu ne
liz not d man who would go into any
robbery where violence was lobe USED.
He first became known in New York
TO his companions through Coursean,
being brought there by an old professional
sneak-thief named Walter Sheridan, Baltl.
morean, who is now serving a ten-years>
sentence IN Sing Sing prison, N. l., having
been convicted by the Pinkertons Tor pass
ing S250,O00 of forged Buffalo, New York
and Erie, and New York Central Railroad
securities. In bis time Sheridan was known
as the King of Sneak Thieves. and IN one
Of his trips through the country with MS
gang he ran across in some way HoYan ana
Coursean. who were mere boys. discover
ing these persons possessed OF great I've,
he conceived the idea that he could make
use OF them by training them up to his line
of business, and for number OF years what
was known as the sSheridan Sneak Party
were very successful in robbing banks and
private bankers. When Sheridan went into
the forgery business, Hoyan and Corrsean
concluded to remain ut their own trade, and
then separated from Sheridan. Since that
time Collrsean and Hovan have always
worked together. Where one went the other
went, anG they, were inseparable, until the
strong arm OF the law seized on to Horace
Hovan ior sneak robbery committed on
the Odd-Nellows' Bank in pittsburgh,
Pa, where some $4,000 in bonds, United
States currency, and securities were
stolen. For this offence Hovan, WHO was
then unGer the name or Hampton, was
retired to the Western penitentiary or Penn
sylvania FOR the term OF four years. After
tie expiration of his sentence he returped
10 New York and found Coursean, who i'm
mediately took him into the gang he was
working with, and they became companions
rs before, travelling throughout the coun-
try committing such robberies. In the sum-
mer of 1876 the gang was composed Of Ho-
van, Coursean, n man known az "Blg
Rice" Billy Henderson alias " Snatchem,"
and Billy Moore. In July OF that year
they were at Halifax, n. s., and while
Barnum,s circus was passing along
the main street OF Halifax a part
of this gang had run ahead OF the process
sion and concealed themselves in the eel
lar OF the Bank Of Nova Scotia, and as the
band which was leading the procession
came in the neighborhood of the bank all
the bank-clerks, including the paying-teler,
left their desks, and, locking the door be-
hind them, went out TO see the procession.
Hoyan aud s..Snatchem were left conceal
ed III the bank. It cost the bank $4,000 in
gold to witness the show, for the moment
the door WIS locked Snatchenl "snatched
this amount OF money. They then con-
ccaed themselves in the cellar again until
the door WIS opened, when thev passed out
OF the bank, gave their money to their con-
federates in the street. and all hands scpa-
rated with the intention OF going to New
York and dividing the spoils. All succeeded
in getting safely away excepting "L!tte
Horace" aud SnatclIem," who were ar
rested by the Halifax police on the train
about ten miles from Halifax. They were
brought pack, committed by magistrate,
ard were twice tried by iuries, who failed
to agree or Il verdict, for the reason that
none OF the money was found on them and
10 one had seen them enter or scaye the
bank With the stolen money their friends
employed eminent counsel to defend them
in Halifax. who finally secured their release
after about SIX months imprisonment.
On the 31st OF October 1872, q robbery
Of like Kiad was committed by the same
parties at the Southern Express Company's
office in Richmond. The sum OF $500 was
stolen from the receiving clerks desk while
that officer was at the front dooI-looking 1t q
circus procession. II this case, as in the one
at Halifax, no one saw them enter or leave
the office, ard they were not arrested. This
is only few OF the many like robberies
this man has been engaged in.
George Courscan alias "Little George"
alias J. II. Cornish, is about twenty-eight
years old. five feet seven inches high, light
complexion, FULL light silky beard, and light
blue eyes. He is deiicate-lookiny, OF fine
appearance. well educated, and OF good adj
dress. He Is known among his companions
in New orh az "The Diplomat" having n
very remarkably pleasant voice, easy, fluent
expression, and attractive manner. The
history OF Courscan is in substance the his
tory of Hovan. They have been like broth
ers. He Is Boston boy, and is well con-
nected throughout Massachusetts,.
Charlotte Dougherty alias Carrie
Abrams, alias Mrs. G. Burton, is an Eng
lish woman. about forty years old, rather
below medium size, Wcll-formcd, with
rather pleasant expression OF countenance,
light hair and eyes. She is the wife OF Bill
DouchertJ, a noted English burglar, who
came to this country about thirty years ago,
and in his time was 1t the top OF the ladder
20 a professional hank-burglar. He was
very successful, and about seven years ago
engaged Others of his gang in the robbery
OF the Grafton Bank, OF Grafton, Mass.
This bank was burglarized at night, the
safes blown open, and q large amount OF
money and securities stolen. The burglar
succeeded in getting away safely, but
after lapse OF few months one OF
Doughertv's companions was arrested for
another bank burglary committed IN New
Hampshire, and to save himself from im-
prisonment on this charge he gave upto the
authorities his companions in the Grafton
Bank robbery. Among those arrested was
Dougherty, who, with two others OF his
companions, was tried, convicted, and SEN
fenced to twenty years imprisonment each
in the penitentiary at CharlestoWn, Mass,
where he is still confined. Since his arrest
and conviction his wife has, by every means
in her power, endeaYored to cause his re-
lease through pardon and attempted rescue.
On one occasion former companion named
Davy Jones, now serving term OF ten
years in the Maryland penitentiary for
burglary committed in Baltimore, and
who had been arrested and convicted
with Dougherty on the Grafton Bank
robbery, and sentenced to twenty years, but
who had escaped, endeayored to rescue
Doueherty, but the plan was not successful.
since that time she has been living in New
York. where she is known to be an expert
picIpocket and professional shop-lifter,
and occasionally went into the business OF
bu7inc stolen goods. She is well-known,