The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-02-04
Thieving From Farmers.

The amount OF produce stolen from
farmers of this country each year is as
toniShing. The merchant and the
banker keeps everything behind stour
locks aud bolts, and have an inventory
of their stock so they would know il
they wire robbed, but farmers are
neither protected by bolts or bars, nor,
do they know when robbed in a small
way. not having an inventory of their,
numerous articles OF produce. There i5
not one farm granary in the country,
out OF a hundred that is kept locked.1
and those that are locked may be pried
open bg a skillfnl hand in a few minutes
and after several bushels of grain ara
removed, the staples may be driven
back into their places again and the
granary has the same appearance as
before the theft occurred. There are
numerous people ia large cities who
live entirely upon produce stolen from
farmers. They become 50 bold by years
of experience that the drive out at night
to the granarie5 and chicken Toests in
circuit of twenty miles. with as much
confidence, and as little fears OF detec-
ton. as though the whole territory was
their personal property. 1hefts of
poultry most frequently occur. The
farmer about Rochester. \. Y. who
succeeds i'll raising and marketing his
turkeys aud other fowls without loss by
theft. considers himself remarkably for
tunate. 1t is difficult 10 imagine the
feelings of Ihose who have nursed a
flock of % OF 100 chickens and turkeys
through the perils of babyhood to full
development. and find as Thanksgiving
approaches that every fowl has been,
carried of by lhievlng vagabonds the
night previous.
Farmers are usually poorly protected.
and unable to combat with thieves in
case they discover them at their work
| remember ease where two men with
i wagon We're discovered loading wheat
in The wagon at the dead OF the night
from a farmers 9ranarv. The farmer
discovered them by the barking OF his
dog. and all hands were aroused to
rescue the property. and still the thieves
escaped with their plnnder. Farmers
are isolated and cannot depend upon
any one but themselves for help in case
OF robberieS.- Therefore. every farmer
should be protected by good double
barrelled shotgun. loaded with buck
shot ii nothing better can be provided
An order to halt given behind load OF
buckshot is always received with respect.
What chance has man just aroused
from slumbcr to battle successfully with
wide-awake thieves. who are armed and
desperate.
A lady near our fruit tarm, who has
had her chickens stolen successively for
three seasons, reports that she has invent
ed a burglar alarm for her chicken coop,
which consists Of noisy dog confined
in comfortable quarters in the hennerv-
She is confident that anv attempt to
molest the chickens viii be rendered
fruitless BY the barking Of the dog. A
good dog is certainly q good defense for
the farmer at night Usually such dogs
are confined where they cannot be of
much use A dog should have comfort
able quarters where he can be free to
roam about at his pleasure. Dogs have
q faculty of sleeping with both ears open.
and Of being able to scent the approach
OF the marauder al 4 great distance.
Captured burglars have stated that there
was nothing they feared more than a
barking dog, no matter how small. 1t
is not, therefore, necessary to have a
fierce dog, but small one, who will
bark incessantly at the approach of
| danger.