The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-19

OF the boys in front shouted that the negro was
escaping. Two girls had come out OF the house.
with n black man between them. and were
crossing the road toward the barnyard, Keith
ran after them. and the girls blew out his Ian.
tern. His posse closed around the trio, and II
was n long time before the constable found
match and relighted his lantcrn. Then he dis
covered that the girls were escQrtng n strange
negro. Salem meanwhile had slipped out of a
side window. and was safe in the swamp.
THE BIO SEARCH
The first clearly authenticated legal scrape
involving tho boys was in September. l64l
Allen Abbey had country dance in Brookheld
Grove and Wash. got crowd OF hop Dickers To-
gsethsr And drove oyer The wagon on body poo was was
without tickets. insisted on dancing and wound
up with a bloody fight. Several heads, were
broken, and Abbcy was nearly Killed. WASH.
was indicted for an assault. with intent 70 XIII.
| and brought before James W Nye. then County
Judge. and. afterward, United states Senator
| from Nevada Nye admitted him to bail and
repeatedly postponed the trial Soon afterward
| old Dan Douglas OF Sangersneld Centre had
Wash. indicted for stealing saddle and bride.
Things became so hot that Wash. was forced 10
skip his bail. and put for California. =,
| What is known Ms " the Big Search occurred
| in lS49. Burgarics were Of nightly occurrence.
Clothes lines were robbed. farmers lost their
Tep ptSs SsH ss an1 n4fs bSSae
| aroused. and accused the Loomises OF the
| theus. large crowd drove up to the house In
| sleighs. and made n thorough search OF the
| premises. They found great store OF goods.
Including log chains, umbrellas. whiilietrees.
| neck yokes. buffalo robes. and an almost incon-
ceivabe variety OF articles. Square holes COW
cred with boards. and filled with stolen goods
were discovered in the hay NOV. Much OF the
| property wns taken to Watervlle and identified.
| A guard was left in the house, but was fright
| ened by tho brothers who fastened them in
| room. and spent the night In burning and
| destroying the goods that remained. Some Of
the family were arrested. but tconyiction seemed
| impossible. While all were satisfied that they
were family OF thieves. no one could identify
the one who stole the goods. Tangible cyl
dence agai nst William was unearthed. and he
served a short time In jail. All the others es-
ea%Rsdih r0mo,rod in Col,,orria sevoro, voors
| At one time 1t was reported that he had been
hanged by a vigilance committee. In his
absence old Douglas die and Abbey iroze TO
death. 80 that II was an impoSsibili!y to convict @
California before the death Of his father. His
return is said to have been accelerated by a
dispute with ono Burns oyer some pasture
Are YOU axed :" asked Burns.
An set. said Burns. let's go out and set
They drew their revolvers and went out On
the way Wash. tried to settle the dispute by
slight one. but wash's treacnery told upon the
community They gave chase with rope. lie
escaped into n canon and was followed by a
| friend ON horseback. Wash. rode the pony over
two hundred miles pursued by Burns's com
rades. II is even asserted that they tracked him
THE wYoART MARE
While Wash. was gone William was indicted
for stealing what was known as the Wygari
mare. She was bred on farm near, Verona
The evidence against William seemed conelu-
sve. He was seen with the mare. and the ami.
NAL was found on the Loomis farm. Wygari
and the best Judges OF horses in the county fully
identified her. The Loomises pretended an and
bought her OF one Bush The people, however
were confident that there could be no mistake
For once one OF the gang was caught dead e
rights" Or. Preston. his uncle said: " Bill
} i've often told you thered be ap end to your
h@5 gHS ansMersa .sss I've got
books at home to tell exactly where the Wygar
On the day OF the trial the real wygart mar,
ran up the lane leading to the Wygart barn
yard. She was brought to Morrlsyille. where
taken from the Loomis farm so closely that hel
owner could not detect the difference. She hac
really been stolen by some OF the gang and rut
down into Pennsylvania Grove Loomis recov
cred her in time to prevent his brothers con
| yiction.
Soon after wash.'s return from California
negro was killed upon the homestead Al
Irishmen employed by the Loomses dlsem
bOweled him with q scythe. Tho family sait
that II was an accident and Coroner's lurl
agreed with them. Many, however. believe tha
the negro was killed because ho had a glil
! tongue and excited suspicion 10y his remarks.
The constable who gave the gang the mos
trouble. and finally destroyed them. was james
L. Filkins. a blacksmith He saws that he frs
became acquainted with the Loomises In 1876
, He was then FL years old. and worked Tor = %
; seph Avery a wagonmRker Of Brookneld. Th'
father OF the family was one OF Avery's custom
! ers. and Filkins shod many horse for the ol,
, man. Filkins describes him as a genial ole
J fellow. who was always Joking with young folk
. and twitting them Of their love affairs. In tn,
fall his pockets were nlled with fruit. WHICH b
! Loomis" says Filkins. " at Laban Albys hotel
, Ably was a s eolorod man; w. He d1nned Wash ,S
day. He kept his word. About this time re
! charge Of passing a counterfeit bill on a ped
der. Tho peddler swore positively To- both bills
but through some hocrs pocus englneered p
I would train witness in manufactured ovi
dence until he actually made him believe tina
| he was telling the truth.
= coRNELA's OPERATIONS.
I Filkins worked at his trade until 1856. Il
3 | March, 1858, he was elected Town Constable q
1 Brookheld. Madison County. The whole coun
a try was overawed by me LO6mlsIane, and YER
few officers tried to serve warrants against tn IN
o | The new constable began an active campaign
2 He tel some amusing stories about their do
Q and the boys were at "A ball IN Brookheld. Som
l OF the rural bellies missed their muffs and mad
2 | afterward found in the Loomis mansion and
I was understood that Cornella had entered tn
q dressing room at the ball drawn them over he
a The old man Loomis died Feb. 20. 1856 age
II years. and the boys were left TO their own re-
4 | sources In 1887 stranger called on Russo
5 Crumb Of North Brookiieli. and said he ha
l. heard that Crumb had II yoke Of cnttle to sci
o Crumb showed the steers and asked tl60 70
8 them. The stranger paid the money. closed IN
: bargain and drove OIL the cattle. Crumb say
}. he had an etemin9le appearance and HI
the next day Crumb tried 10 bank the money d
Waterville. The cashier threw out all but tw
dollars. asserting that twas counterfeit Crum
= returned home. tracked the cattle to the Loomi
II farm. and found them grazing in "A meadow
J. The boys said they had given n stranger sl6
= for them, Crumb replevned the oxen, but IN
;. boys gave bonds and retained them. Throug
, some chicanery the case never came to trla
! and Crumb lost the animals. Ono Of tho gan
afterward said that the stranger who bought th
!. cattle from Crumb was Cornelia Loomis dress
u ed in mems clothing. II Is said that II WAS NJ
"a unusual for the girls 10 array themselves i
u male attire and travel the country. passin
g counterfeit bills. The case Of Crumb incense
q many residents OF the county. but no effort I
u assist him in regaining his steers was mad'
= Generally the family WAS on the best Of term
! with thor neighbors. a man in moderate eli
Il cumstances bought small farm near then
= He called upon them. said no was n poor ma
u with small quantity OF stock, and hoped thi
= he could squeeze through life without trOubl
= with his neighbors. Wash. assured him TN
o thoy would look out for his interests. Not Ion
= afterward the man lost his best horse. He r.
y minded Wash. OF his promise Wash. sad thi
q he knew nothing about his horse but that
u possible he would find him. Some one Of IN
:. gang had stolen the animal without Wash.
y knowledge. ran him Off to Canada. ard sol
o him. 1t cost Wash nearly 1900 to regain an
n return the horse. Another neighbor friendl
o TO the Loomises missed Il bran new harness