The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-19
L0OMIS'S FAMILY HISTORY.
THE FARM HOUSE THAT OVERLOOKED
AND TERRORIzED THE VILLEY
or the CIIENINGO.

Eight Counties In the Empire State whose In-
habitants Feared Gang OF Thieves-Un-
seen Influences Shielding the Gang from
Witnesses suborned aud Com
platnt. Never Called to Trial-rhe Gtrls Of |
Family Attired Men aud Passing |
Counterfeit Money-A District Attorney |
Robbed OF the Counterfeits TINT lie Held |
for EvIdence-A Narration not OF Italian |
BrigandaEe, but OF Life In New York.
Isaiah Belfeld, thirty-three years old, has |
been acquitted Of the charge OF numbering Mrs. |
Phebe Crandall in Brookfeld. Madison County. |
N. Y. thirteen years ago The testimony proved |
that Beheld was member OF the famous
Loomis gang twelve years ago the terror OF
Oneida and Madison counties. The history OF
the Loomis family has never been written. For
over sixty years they set the law at defiance. and
were at last uprooted only by the strong arm OF
avgilance committee. report OF the Priaon
Association. made to the Legislature in 1865
says that the family have grown rich by thiev-
ing Their children are educated in the best
and most expensive seminaries. They dress
genteely their manners are polished and they
appear 10 good advantage in society. They rule
the counties Of Oneida Oswego. OtseRo Madi-
son. Chenango. Schoharie. Delaware and Sui
livan with a rod Of iron. They have numer-
Gus wel-trained confederates in all these coun-
ties who are ready by day or night. at q
moments warning. to ride of in any direc-
ton for the sake Of plunder or for the
conceament or protection OF associates who
are in danger Of falling into the meshes OF the
law These men have been indicted times with
out number in the above-named counties.
but none of them have ever been convicted. nor
have any Of them been in Jail for a longer time
than was sufficient for "A bondsman TO arrive at
prison. There are farmers. apparently re-
spectacle who belong to the gang and share in
Whapavar ho Ia tad cnbufap.
tial farmers come forward and sign the bonds
without regard to the amount OF the penalty.
Tho family exert a great political influence
and are always ready to reward their friends
and punish their enemies both at the primary
conventions and at the polls. Although they have
been repeatedly indicted. the number Of their
Indictments bears but a small ratio to the num-
Der OF their depredatons. 1t usually happens
that any one who is particularly active In bring
ing any Of the gang to Justice has his barn or
dwelling burned. or his horses are missing
from the stable. or his sheep or cattle
from the pasture These things have been
done so often that cautious men are care
ful how they intermeddle by seeking to bring
the members OF the gang TO justice. II aman
30 intermeddlng happens to have mortgage
on his property. II is very soon foreclosed. IL
he has political aspirations. tho usands OF un-
seen obstacles interpose to prevent the fulfill
ment OF his hopes. II he Is a trader his custom
falls off, Ifhe is a physician malpractice is i'm
puted to him. or other stories are circulated to
his discredit. and atlength matters come to such
pass that his only recourse is to quit the
county. All who make themselves conspicuous
as opponents Of the family are in some way
made TO feel the effect Of a thousand blightng
and malign influences which paralyze their en-
,ergies and blast their hopes OF success. Al
erted against the gang. they have been
IN the habit Of using its energies with
great effect, against those who stood in
their path. We are told with great circumstan-
TALLY. by men worthy OF confidence, Of numer;
ious Instances In which. under their skilful
manipuiations the iorms Of law were used to
punish innocence and shield robbery.
THE MAN PROM VERMONT.
Such was the report made to the Legislature;
II is borne out by facts and incidents gathered
by the writer from the farmers Of Madison and
Oneida counties. Though the gang is scattered
10 the four winds, the terror sown by its acts re-
mains. and IL is diflcult to gather the material
necessary for a history. know nothing
e@ from boThood nc SH9 naa
my house and they have never molested me.
They were good. ,whoe-souled fellows. and II
you want TO get their pedigree you must 20 TO
some other man" OF a score or more OF old
residents not more than three were willing that
others ' were controlled bg a fear OF retaliation
on tho part Of stray members Of the gang.
George Washington Loomis. father OF this
noted family. came to Oneida County in 1902.
he settled IN Sangersheld Township. near the
0lhOlsOn county line. lie WIS muscular anu
about 5 feet 10 inches hign. He was 25 years
old and weighed $50 pounds Loomis is said
10 have been driven from Vermont for horse
stealing. His record in Oneida and Madison
counties bears out the imputation. He bought
9S5 acres of land covering the highest knob in
built a substantial farmhouse on the side Of a
hill overlooking the Chenango Valley. The
Chenango River. at that point a mere brook
fiod ;1vi speck!sd ir.ai, wetercd laigc cedar
swamp that choked the valley below the man
s9. TRs ms swami SWAMP S much space sps in the am
other plunder were hidden in 1t, and II was a
never-iailing avenue Of escape when the gang
were hard pressed by constables. II has never
been cleared up. and extends from Sangersheld
Centre, Oneida County, to Hubbardsville Madi-
son County. distance OF nine miles. II has an
average OF II mile in width. The cedars are SO
thick aud tmpenetrable that not more than ten
men in the county can traverse 1t with conf
dence.
Two sisters and two brothers. Walter and
Willard. iooowed George W. Loomis to Oneida
County. The brothers were al first quartered
on the farm. One Of the sisters married DR.
Preston. a reputable physician OF Sangersteld
Prentss. dealer In counterfeit money. They
were intelligenl girls and had strong family
attachment When he came TO Oneida County
Loomis was reputed to be worth several thou
tied and the Inhabitants regarded him ms n val
liable acquisition. He was well educated
smart, and industrious, and good farmer. he
drove nne horses, and raised the best stock u
became popular and his advice was sought bJ
his neighbors.
THE MOTHER OF THE LOOMS FAMILY.
One Mallett u Frenchman. lived few milei
from the Loomis farm, An officer in the French
revolutionary army, he had embezzed money
belonging TO the state, and fed 10 this country
His wife was dead. but he had a daughter
hhoda. "a beautiful and accomplished girl. She
taught school, and was the belle OF the bal
room. She had fiery temper. One day the
Sheriff oi the County tried to crawl into Nal.
let's window to arrest him for debt. Rhode
disputed his passage. and finally knocked hin
over with iire shovel LOOMS saw the Who'll,
transaction, and openly expressed his admira
tion. The sheriff asked him for aid. and wai
overwhelmed with Ilbes. % A girl that will fgh
for her father will fight for her husband" h'
said. I'm going to marry that girl" He die
30, and none too soon; Tor in 1912 her fathel
was convicted Of perjury and sent TO State
prison. Before this, however LOOMS himsel
had had narrow escape from similar fate
Thecountry WAS flooded with counterfeit money
aud it was rumored that his house was the ren
dezyous of the counterleiters. In 1910 Loomis
his brother Willard his sisters husband Prem
tss, and two uals. Howard and Reynolds wer'
arrested. charged with passing counterfeit
money Al but Loomis were Indicted, apc
landed in state prison. LOomis had passed !
bad $40 bill on Capt. Leonard; He ESCAPED
puulshment by buying. up the Captain before
Itt tTv tfp in 4Qaf9