Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-08-10
Very Smart Horse Thieves.
TWO BOYS GO INTO THE BUSINESS
ON LARGE SCALE.

TWO BOYS GO INTO THE BUSINESS
ON A LARGE SCALE.
CHICAGO, July 29.-The police
have succeeded in capturing six
teen-year-Old robber whose achieve
ments IN the horse.stealing line are
unparalleled in this part of the
country. His name he gives as
Edward Brown, and he says be
came here from Kendall county,
Texas, about June 6. Brown came
in with a car load of Texas ponies,
and Then bis friends had sold their
stock and returned home he formed
the acquaintance OF Charles Crane,
aged 10, also halling from Texas.
Brown soon proposed that they go
into the horse. stealing business on
large scale, being convinced that
it would be very profitable.
A business partnership was form
ed between the two Texans and a
barn was rented on the west side
that would hold about twenty
horses. Nightly forages were be-
gun and were successful. The boys
hired five men as grooms, bought
hay by the ton, and oats by the
car load. In less than twenty -four
hours after they started IN business
they had stolen five horses and
sold three of them for a liberal
price.
The boldness of their plans was
remarkable. They would hitch
two stolen horses to a stolen car
rage and drive along Michigan
avenue until they saw a team
which suited them. To see a good
horse meant ownership for them,
for they would follow it home, and
in all probability secure it that
night. Every few days the two
Texans would 60 out into the
suburbs to look for good horses
They stole them from Hyde Park,
Grand Crossing, South Chicago
Englewood, and other suburbs
west and south. Their stable be
came full of valuable horses, and
citizens began to frequent the
stables for the purpose of buying
stock. The business prospered ex
ceedingly, and the young mer
blossomed out in radiant ralment
All this time complaints were com
ing in to the police thick and fast
but they could not find the thieves
July -, however, was a fata
day for the adventures. They
stole a horse and buggy from 9
north side citizen, and drove to :
blacksmith shop near by to have
some slight repairs made. While
waiting one of them stole thu
blacksmith's watch and was soor
accused of the theft. Both drew
revolvers and compelled the black
smith to apologize for the charge
As soon as the boys had left th'
smith complained at the Lake View
police station, giving a good de
scription of the fellows. A de
tective was detailed on the case
He was about to give up the seaTci
in the early part of last week
when suddenly he saw the boy
driving west on Nashing boule
ward. He secured a horse, follow
ed them to their barn, and shadow
ed the place for three or four days
as he could not believe that thel
alone could have been guilty 0
such a gigantic scheme of hors'
stealing as was before his eyes.
Crane became suspicious OF tn
espionage and fed, but Brown wal
arrested. On his person was tounC
94OO in cash. Twenty-Five horsei
and eighteen stolen vehicles hav'
already been turned up. and NOR
are coming in every day. Th'
horses are uniformly fine and th'
vehicles range from a dog cart to
four.in.hand. Brown confessed
everything to Capt. Villiers. Th'
stolen property is being restored t
the proper owners as fast as 1t cal
be secured and identified.