National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-23
"TnE sHENANDoAHs."
Connecticut Town Cursed with Gang Of
Boy Bandits.

STANFORD, CoNS., Sept. 1.-The existence
OF an organized band Of boy bandits has been
discovered here through the arrest and con
lesion Of two ofthoir number Theboys are Of
all ages between o and II years They have a
regular code Of laws and penalties for the
violation ofthcm.
They call themselves "The Shenandoah
gsng, tile derived from some OF the novels
OF the war they have been reading, aud no
namos are mentioned when amembe Is spoken
o.. Each boy Is known only by his number
me leader and organizer Is known as "Shenau-
d0ah No. J, ;" aud his assistant Is dubbed "Tro-
jan" Other sObriquets are given the remain.
der such as scar Eyc" white Eagle"
Hank, ," and "Old sleuih" but officially they
are addressed only by their numbers.
Nos 52 and 81 have been arrested, the former
for stealing toilet soaps from r. X. Duzcn-
| bcrry's dry goods store, which he subsequently,
traded of for 2 collection of novels, the titles
Of two Of which were "Wild Eyed sue; q
| Romance ofthe New York Slums. D" aud "Mop.
! Faced Moses, the Aboitionist," while "No
| 81 stole nickle-platcd, ivory handled six.
| barrclled revolver Rom the ladies Relief
| Corps fair. The were urraigmcd before Judge
Keller In the bnough court, and from the
| plauccs OF sympathy shot nj them from bevy
| OF dirty lads Is the audience, u was evident
| That many OF the shenandoah" followers
wcrO In the court room
Neither of these boys was known TO the
| people in the center OF the borough. They
were about II years of age, ragged and dirty,
anu maintained close monopoly over the
legal spittoons. One of them, O'Ncill, became
terrified on tho cross-qucstoning, and gave
away the secret of the existence Of the society,
but he would not dlyulgc the real name OF
ShenandOall, No; l. and, indeed, It Is doubt.
| ful If he knew, He took or u brass badge that
was concealed under his coat and banded II
over to the honorablecourt. He said that each
member on Initiation is furnished with brass
| badge, on which his number ~ engraved. Tho
badges were furnished by an cmploye Of the
| Yale u Towne Manufacturing company, who
| was understood to have surrrptitiously made
them at the works of the company.
The entire band are under the orders Of
| shenandoah, No. l." who Is supposed 10 DO
one Dennis Cogswcll or Coggc.hall, a tramp,
| who drifted down this way from New York
/ two or three years ago. The den of the
porter, who was first compelled 20 swear
eternal secrecy by his guide. An old oyster
shanty was found on woody ledge two miles
southwest of Stamford, on the shore of Long
furnished only with board tables benches,
aud u rusty old stove. IN the rear was u pile
Of beer bottles. The. single apartment was
| lighted with two or three powerful kerosene
lamps. which werc'stocn from Norfolk, and
the walls of the room were papercd with sen.
sntionnl woOdcuts Of every description. A
half dozen tough.looking youths were loung.
ing about the place, smoking swearing and
securing pistols aud dirk knives. The tables
were Uttered with plumber of MI sorts and
with pipes tobacco, playing cards, and flash
DOOka WIN eucn tlllyh as 'NNpltll MA, the
Bloody BulldOzer of He'll Gato;" Temple Bill
fthc Red River Canon" aud odd Sol single
Eye, tho Indian Slayer 1.-THE james
Brothers." "rhe Ford Brother" "Billy Leroy,
the Colorado Bandit" and others
one of the youngsters brought out chart Of
the head Of Long Island Sound, which had
been stolen from yacht moored of stamford.
With this they proposed, when they procured
Il suitable boat, to extend their expeditions to
long Island shore in search of booty The
hoycl was perfect arsenal of odd shaped
knives, case knives, bowics and shoe knives,
stuck croSswise In straps of leather around the
room. One of the gang said that they had not
become fuAy equipped rs yet, hut he hoped
the time was not fur distant when every man
of them would e'ernled with pistol. There
was no plumber about IN h0asc save tn
corpses OF half dozen chickens and pile o
fall apples. All the plumber taken 10y tn
gang Is usually at once converted into none
and turned over to mo. 1, who il Is said,
thereby enabled to spend much Of his time IL
New York dives.
Tho operations of the gang have been chief
confined heretofore Ia petty thicving but III
assault on Il l3-ycar old Irish girl one nigh
about week ago Is charged against three o
the older members OF the gang. The trial o
the two captured ones has been postponed
with n view to the arrest and conviction o
the leader.