Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-15
A HORSE THEE GANG.
Romantic Story of an oath bound
criminal Organization Extending
sThranoI. ScvaruU States.

criminal Organization Extending
Through Several States.
A dispatch from Harrisburg Pa, says
there ia very romantic history connected
with William @. Smonds, one of the ap-
plicants for Executive clemency at the re-
cent meeting of the Board Of Pardons.
The prisoner himself gives 1t. and the truth
of much has been verified to such an ex-
tent that Judge Church, who imposed a
three years sentence on Smonds for horse
stealing, has departed from his usual Gus
tom, and in letter to the BOARD earnestly
appeals for favorable consideration of
the case in this interests OF public justice.
The Judge says referring to the prisoners
document :-"I am satisfied from evidence
furnished me that Smonds has .his valua-
BILE information and will faithfully impart
such as he may not already have done"
4. s. McDow,l II, prominently identified
with a horse thief detective association,
and to whom Simonds has addressed his
statement, considers him truthful. He
says :-"Simonds has disclosed secrets and
hiding places Of formidable gang of
thieves and general marauding plunderers
who have infested this and other sections
of the State for many years. have acted
on his statement, and on evidence thus
obtained have been able to bring to
Justice parties charged with theft and to
find places where horse thieves had rem
dezvoused."
The Board of Pardons is holding the
case of Simonds under advisement and at
the next meeting, it will doubtless, recon-
mend his pardon in accordance with its
usual custom OF respecting the wishes Of
the presiding judge.
Simonds states that the II. W. M. II. II.
and O. o. Union has a large membership
thoroughly organized, extending from
Augusta, Me-, to Central Indiana and
spreading through New York, Pennsyl.
vania and Ohio. Their two main routes
through this State embrace the counties of
Potter, Clinton, Clearfield, jefferson.
Armstrong, Butler and Lawrence in their
southern and Mercer, Crawford and Erie,
branching into Venango, Forrest and
Warren in their northern There are
three main rendezvous in Pennsylvania
namely, in Potter, Jefferson and Forrest
counties, aside from those main dens they
have transient stopping places or way
stations every thirty or forty miles from
Maine to Georgia. 1t was organized in
1867, and grew out of the Loomis gang in
Central New York. He explains his
knowledge of the gang by saying that,
being born and reared in Oneida county,
N. Y. he joined at the age OF 1G the 117th
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. Bradley Il Welty,
cloth importers, White street, New York.
Relinquishing this employment because
his health required an open air life, he
became assistant to noted horse-t trainer,
and finally set up in that business on his
own account. While at Rome N. Y, he
was applied to by Mr.. Loomis to under
take to conquer valuable, but wholly
vicious horse. They agreed upon the
terms. and Loomis took him to large
arm IA miles distant, where he was to
ftay for several days handling the horse.
Strange noises which Simonds heard at
night tempted his curiosity. Letting
himself out by window he spied upon
the operations Of the gang of thieves iu
whose rendezvous he was housed Finally
he was discovered, seized and threatened
with death il he would not Join the organ
ization and take their oaths of secrecy and
fidelity. In order to save his life he a,
length promised silence and was allowed
to go free, except that he was obliged tt
report every two weeks for 81,
months at the house of William
Loomis. This promise he claims he
faithfully kept Years ago one of tn,
leaders of the gang began system oil
persecution and annoyance aRains
Simonds, which he now claims has full,
absolved him from further obligations tt
screen tue marauders. They have sough
to criminate him as thief and twice triet
to kill him. He has, in return, for year
been gathering and treasuring up informa
tion against them, which he now propose
to give to the Pennsylvania authorities
with his own services, for the detection
punishment and breaking up the gang /
the Board of Pardons grant him hi
freedom. He acknowledges that, driver
to desperation by adverse circumstatce
! he appropriated funds intrusted to hin
and became criminal. Since his incar
, ceration he has received from the hors
thief gang assurances they would procur
i his release on condition that he shoult
become a member of their organization
and threats that if he divulges anythin
against them he will be bounded by ther
, to the death.