The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-05-14

divided between the four border States in
the Missouri Valley as follows.
Horses reported stolen in Kansas. :.-....-l57
q" 4" Missouri. 40
" Iowa......... 50
Nebra.ka.. 81
Totat...... ...................39o
This number only includes those reported
stolen and advertised by their owners and
whose cards and descriptions reached The
Kansas City police station.
1t il presumable that this estimate does
not cover more than one half Of the num-
her Of horses stolen during the last eight
months in the Missouri Valley AMI ad-
jacen, country. Not more than half Of
these persons losing horses by theft CD to
the trouble Of having cards or handbills
printed describing the stolen property
amp Offering reward. Hence il is not
unreasonable to estimate the Losses
a, double the number reported. Or say
$4,000 lost BY theft IN the four States
bordering upon the Missouri river.
CONFESSION OF A HORsE-rHIEF.
4 few days ago released convic. named
Harry Lawrence, who has just served out
two years term in the pinitentiaIy for
horse. stealing, returned to Kansas
City. Harry il native Of Clinton county,
and although not more than twenty-five or
three years Of age. boasts Of stealing not
less than seven horses before he went to
the pen. He speaks Of his exploits.
With the gustO and relish Of an old SOL
der telling the incidents of an old battle
III. describes the modus opsrandi OF
taking a pair Of black horses from q
stable ON Walnut street about four
years ago, and recites the details OF
two other horse-s,ea!i"gs operation in
this city with a cool. careless nonchalence
quite surprising. From him some interest
ing facts were learned relative to the mode
Of disposing Of stolen property. He said ::
.'Our organic alton Was not very large when
I wen, into it, but it continued to grow
year after wear At first We had no agents
north Of ST. Joseph or sonth Of Fort Scott,
but now We extend from Sioux City To Gal
weston and from the Black Hills to the Rio
Grande. l was only in the pen sbont a
year and hall, hut in that time the BUSH
ness has grown to great proportions"
HOW THE BUSINESS Is CARRIED on.
Lawrence in conversation gave some in
teresting details Of varions horse stealing
affairs he had been engaged m, and while
he zealou-ly RETAINED from giving the
names Of his companions, he did not hesi-
tate 20 tell of his own m;sdeeds. The IA
vorite mode Of running out hor.es IL thus
described: Two Of the gang enter settle
n,ent where there are cool horses and hire
themselves out "a farm hands and 60 To
work. After working awhile tn y leave the
neighborhood or go tn work for parties
owning good horses. By this means they
learn the habits Of the owners, location OF
the coveted horses. Within . few days
after they leave place or neishborhood
a raid il nude upon the stable, and the
coveted horse disappears. The thieves sell
dom run their stock to towns or
stations where railroad or telegraph
lines can reach them. They run their
stock over lines that are seldom travelled.
and as the gang is very Large, the same me"
seldom 20 more than one or two stages BE-
fore changing horses, and return to the
neighb,rhoUd of the theft to take notes and
spread false reports to mislead pursuit.
Lawrence relates one instance Of one horse
stolen in Fremont county, Iowa, passing
through nineteen hands, all Of them MEM
hers Of the gang, before il vas sold in Sher-
man, Texss. In some places in Western
Missouri, Arkansas and Iowa, and in East
ern Kansas. there are farms kept open for
the especial benefit Of the gang. These are
generally in quiet, remote districts, far
from the main roads, and where homes can
he fed, doctored and disguised for q safe
sale.
HORSE rHlEvIN6 PROFITABLE.
Notwithstanding the seal with which
Western farmers endeavor 10 euppress this
vice, the number Of horse thieves IL con-
stantly on the increase. Ut the Isl horaes
stolen in Kansas. more than one hundred
were stolen BY boys under 3 years Of age.
OF the 40 hOrses stolen within the last eight
months in Western Missouri, more than two
thirds Of the number we're stolen BY young
men. Buti~hile young men do the steal
ing, older men do the cpncealing and the
trading. The records Of the past year show
that more than half Of the horse thieves
caught in this region we're men OF mature
age. Farmers and Others who have Lost
valuable horses in this region Of country,
are many of them blameable With criminal
neglect. They seldom give proper de-
scription Of the stolen horses to the officials.
Not one farmer out Of dosen know ho~ 70
describe Lost horse, and few offer reward
large enough to justify pursuit or capture.
A liberal estimate Of the number Of stolen
horses rscoyered in this region is one out Of
Two. With . good detective force, and .
thorough organization among the farmers,
horse stealing would become dangerous, IN
profitable, and 20 cease.-Ka~sas City Timss
EVERYBODY
xoes to Sichers' for ice cream
md straWberries.
For Rent.
The brick store room Of 10 Ease Main
treet. Apply TO
i-6d3s FL HoSDax2