The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-12-11

| Ben. Sheridan has been living for some time
| Immediately In the rear of the Court House in
Jackson. He is man of family, and generally
| speaking, but little was known about him by
| our citizens, save that he was a quiet sort of
man, and good Democrat. But to some few of
our citizens he was known to have a somewhat
eventful history, and to one citizen at least
Mr.. Thomas Delay, the livery man--he was sus-
pected of being ENGAGED in making for himself
a criminal history. Several horses have been
stolen recently in adjoining counties. and Mr..
| Delay made note of the fact that when a horse
| was gone, Ben was generally gone too. Tom
called the attention of Sheriff Cher rngton-who
| is shrewd officer, and q lover of good horses
| to his suspicious, and they began to observe
Ben IS movements.
Mr.. James Hickey, living near California,
Pike County, but in Scioto County, had horse
stolen. Then Mr.. O. n. Robbins, of Pike County,
had fine horse stolen for which he offered fifty
| dollars rev ard, and the Commissioners of Pike
County offered liberal reward for the arrest of
the thief.
The Robbins horse was taken, we believe, on
a onday of certain week. On Tuesday or
Wednesday Mr.. Delay, hearing of the theft,
went to Ben. Sheridans house and inquired for
him, receiving the answer that he had left day
or two before for the direction of Ross County.
The Sheriff made like inquiries with like result
Then Delay told Robbins that Ben. had stolen
his horse. Delay and Sheriff Cherington theh
set to work to find the horses, and succeeding
in locating them at little place called Amanda,
in Fairfield County, in the possession of man
named Byers. Mr.. Robbins went up there and
identified his horse and telegraphed back of
his success. Sheriff Chertngton, Delay and Rob-
bins got on the train and went to Chillicothe.
From there Delay and Robbins went to Circle
vile and secured rig, driving to the roint
where the horses had been found. But the par
ties having possession of the horses removed
them SO that they were not found when the par
ties arrived. Meantime some notified an
officer of Scioto County of the finding of the
horses. in the hopes that that worthy would
step in and gobble the reward after the jackson
men had worked the case successfully. An Off
Ger from Scioto, in company with a chum, got
the Robbins horse, and lit out with him, having
also the Hickey horse, which had been stolen
in Sciofo County. Delay and Robbins pursued
toward Lancaster, but learning that they
had taken another direction, pursued TO
Kingston. Here the Scioto man got saloon
keeper TO hide his horses in stable back of his
saloon, instead of taking them to the livery sta
BILE. A citizen told Delay where they were, and
he went and got the Robbins horse, or had Rob-
bins do it, and took him to the livery stable. !
Here the Scioto fellows, with the saloon-keeper
sat their head, raided Tom, and demanded Rob- |
bins horse, but Toms name was Muldoon about |
IndI Iline, anu ne knew llIlle 100 mucn law
for the other fellows. In fact, Robbins could
have caused fun for the other fellows for con-
cealing his stolen horse. Sadly they took the
Hickey horse and started for Scoto County, |
while Mr.. Robbins mounted his horse and |
struck out for home. The other fellows were |
fishing for the reward, but failed to make the |
connection.
Enough was learned to warrant the officers
in arresting Ben. Sheridan as the thief. A tel
egram was sent to Sheriff Cherinetop, but he
away. His deputies held the telegram un-
til his arrival, when he began to look for sher-
idan, and found him at the residence of his
father-in-law, Mr.. James Richardson a few
miles in the country. He was arrested, and on
Friday was taken to Portsmouth. Delay and
Robbins left Jackson omThursday and got the
horse on Friday.
The Portsmouth officer was with Sheriff Cher
ington when he arrested Sheridan, but remain
ed out in the field. To VIM. B. Cherington and
Tom Delay belong the credit for running in this
desperate criminal.
Unless basely slandered, this man Sheridan
has very rough history. Those who have
known him most intimately declare that dur
ing the war he was a bounty jumper and desert
er, and bad fellow generally. He went to
Missouri after the war, and it is said that he
served a term there for passing counterfeit
money. He was also accused of engaging in
plot with couple of other men. to extort mon
ey from his father, by pretending that he was
under arrest for horse-stealfng. and asking the
old gentleman to buy off the officers.
This system of horse-stealing is certainly a
bold piece of work, when consider that the
man lives under the shadow of the jail, and
that the horses were disposed of in adjoining
counties, or counties close by. The Robbins
horse had been driven in a team, and was well