The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1878-01-30

they had shared their home with
the river rats which swarm in this
vicinity. The proceeds of a multi
tude of robberies were brought to
light, the captain Of the band, a
desperate robber about twelve years
old, being sent to the Reform
School, from which he escaped in
less than a week and, although it
is known that he has organized
another gang which has planned
and carried out number of sue
cessful robberies. so far the officers
have been unable to lay hands on
him or to find where he makes his
head quarters. Jim Brady, Dan
Skelley, Portuguese Mike; French
Pete and italian Joe are fair types
Of the desperate class who, as river
thieves and masked robbers, have
made their names a terror to the
towns and villages along the river.
It is just two years ago this
month that a gentleman and his
family were seated at their table, 2
little way above the village Of Has
tings, enjoying their evening meal.
Fhe building was a beautiful cot
tage, only short distance from
the river bank, and the interior
was furnished with that exquisite
taste which denotes refinement as
well as wealth. A bright fire sent a
cheerful glow into the room, and
the family chatted and laughed, for
all was happiness and joy within
that pleasant household, which no
cloud OF shadow seemed to mar.
The young wife had just handed
her husband cup Of tea, which he
was in the act Of raising to his lips,
when a face masked with cover
ing Of black Grape was rudely
thrust in tie door. Mrs. Faulkner
screamed and swooned, but Mr..
Faulkner, thinking it was only the
practical joke Of some friends,
rushed forward to re,assure his
wife; his illusion, however, was
quickly dispelled, for one Of the
robbers struck him a blow on the
head with the butt of a pistol which
fractured his skull and left him on
the floor for dead. The different
members of the family we're secure.
ly bound and the house was thor
oughly ransacked, everything that
was easily portable being carried
of. The saddest portion of the
story is yet to be told. MI. Faulk
ner fingered for weeks, recovering
consciousness long enough to tell
the dreadful story and then died.
His wife became a ra7ing maniac,
never having recovered from the
shock. Their two children are
worse than orphans, and this is all
that remains Of thathappy home on
the Hudson.
Five men we're engaged in the
robbery, and of the five only one
remains (Jim Brady, and he is in
States Prison) Dan Skelley was
killed by the chief mate of the
"Ocean King" while trying to
break into her cabin at night. Por,
tuguese Mike was killed by a watch
man close to Martins stores year
ago this month. French Pete was
drowned while trying to escape
from the police, and italian Joe,
the last Of the gang, died in Belle
vue Hospital, having been des-
perately cut by a fellow country
man in murderous aAray on Bax-
ter street. Fhe death of the two
river pirates at Bay Ridge, who
kidnapped Charley Ross, is still
fresh on the record. Plenty, how
ever, still remain. You can find
them, at night, down in the cellars
Of Greenwich and Washington
streets, through Cherry and Water
streets, and over on the river streets
of Brooklyn. Their lights have
been under a bushel for the past
few weeks, because the Excise Com
missioners. un6er the decision Of
the new Excise Law, have made
them close their dens. A dance
house without whisky is a very
lame affair, and for the time being
the soaker's society have Grape on
their hats, mourning for the good
old times when red eye was only
three cents a drink, and Excise laws
were unknown.
The work Of publication still