Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-28
A BAND OF HORSE THIEVES
EXTENDING FROM MAINE
TO INDIANA.
CLINTON, POTTER AND OTHER COUNTIES
INCLUDED IN THE TERRITORY or THE
THIEvING GANG.

There is very romantic history
connected with VIM. O. Simonds, an
applicant from Crawford county for
executive clcmency at the recent meet.
ing OF the Board of Pardons The pris.
oner himself gives it, and the truth Of
much Of it has been verified to such an
extent that Judge Church, who impos.
ed three years sentence on Simonds
for horse stealing, has departed from
bis usual custom, and in letter to the
Board earnestly appeals for favora.
BILE consideration Of the case in the in.
tcrests of public justice. The Judge
says, referring to the prisoners docu
ment "I am satisfied from evidence
furnished me that Simonds has this
valuable information and will faith.
fully impart such as he may not al
ready have done"
now HIS STORY is REGARDED.
s. s. Mcdowell, prominently identi
fed with q horse thief detective asso
citation, and to whom Simonds has ad
dressed his statement, considers him
truthful. He says Simonds has dis
closed secrets and hiding places of Q
formidable gang Of thieves and genera
marauding plundcrers, who have in
tested this and other sections of the
State tor many years. ! have acted
on his statement, and on evidence thus
obtained have heen able TO bring to
justice parties charged with theft and
to find places whore horse thieves had
rendezvoused. The Board of Pardons
is holding the case Of Simonds under
advisement, and at the next meeting
IL will doubtless recommend his par
don in accordance with its usual Gus
tom of respecting the wishes Of the
presiding Judge.
STORY OF THE CONVICT.
Simonds states that the II. W. NJ
II. II. and c. C. Union has a large
membership thoroughly organized, ex.
tending from Augusta, Ne, TO Central
Indiana, and spread through New
York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Their
two main routes through this State
embrace the counties of Potter, Clin.
ton, Clearfeld, Jefferson, Armstrong,
Butler and Lawrence in the southern,
and Mercer, Crawford and Erie, branch.
ing into Venango, Forest and Warren
in their northern. There are three
main rendezvous in Pennsylvania
namely, in Potter, Jefferson and For
est counties. Aside from these main
dens they have transient stopping
places or way stations every thirty
or forty miles from Name to Georgia.
1t was organized in 1867, and grew
out OF the Loomis gang in Central New
York Ho explains his knowledge of
the gang by saying that, being born
and reared in Oneida county, n Y,
he joined at the age of sixteen the
1l7th New York volunteers, served
about three years and was honorably
discharged in September, 1865. He
held for more than a year salesman's
position in the store OF Messrs. Brad
ley 4 Welty, cloth importers, White
street, New York. Rclinqulshing this
employment because his health re-
quired an open air life, he became as
sistant TO n noted horse trainer, and
finally set up in that business on his
own account. While at Rome, N. Y,
he was applied to by a Mr.. LOOMS to
undertake to conquer valuable, but
wholly vicious horse. They agreed
upon the terms, and Looms took him
to large farm fourteen miles distant,
where he was to stay for several days
handling the horse.
THE DISCOVERY.
Ct.a,..a /. oteo. .ls.A C......l. II