San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-10-24

the success lib horse thieves won before
the war. They were the dread and the
scourgo Of the farmer and the villager. They
we're better organized than any other class of
criminals, and not only stole with nerve, but
with system. In 1855 there was n gang with
headquarters in Ohio, which numbered at
east fifty members, and which had agents in
almost every state in the Union. Ihave seen
legal documents TO prove that horses stolen in
New Hampshire found their way to Georgia,
and that horses stolen in kontucky were
traced to points in Maine 1t was no hap
hazard business Spies were sent out to To-
cate horses, and then men followed to steal
them. When a horse was taken he Yves sent
to a certain agent, a farmer or livery man,
kept 8 certain length of time, disguised, II
necessary, and then forwarded to second
agent still further away. In this manner he
was passed out Of the state md hundreds of
miles beyond, and not one was recovered
where five were successfully run of. While
the crims was made a very reiious one under
the law Of almost every state, 1t was never
looked upon by participants as being any
thing com ,arsd to burglary, Highway rob
berry or arson. This accounts for TIVE fact
that men who were honest in all else we're
caught passing along stolen horses.
Tho years lS57-S were tie psl1ny days Of
the hot'.e thief. In 1858 general movement
was made against the fraternity all over the
country, breaking up and scattering organ
izations, and the beginning of the war fin
ished the business. Except in the far west,
the horse thief now acts independently and
alone, and it is rare that one gets safely off
with lis prize. During the two years have
named my father had farm In central In
diana was Is years old, and my health
was 80 poor that could do no work. Be-
tween 1886 and 1887 We lost six horses by
thieves, not one Of which was recovered. One
day a sheriff who was Oh the trail of thief
visited our place and gave me some pointers,
and no was no sooner gone than | began to
plan and schcre We had at that time seven
good hor.ca, and among them was span of
grays which had taken state fair premium.
The sheriff snid no would have to stable them
in bedroom in the house to keep them, and
the impending peril set my wits to work
Father h.d a large mercantile business in the
village threo miles away and the farm WAS
in my charge all day. We had good barns
and the best Of locks, and we also had
couple Of watch dogs, but our horses had
been stolen just tho same Indeed, when the
best dog. TIE stable door was double locked,
but he had used skeleton keys.
On the third day after the sherifr's visit
couple of strangers drove up in buggy. One
of them came in and introduced himself as
the agent of Cincinnati lightning rod
company, and asked the privilege of inspect
ing the rods which had been put on the horse
barn tho year before He said they were his
companyS RODS, but did not seem to be prop
erly affixed. This was one day i'll May, ard
the span Of grays were in the stable. Tho
strangers seemed honest and straight, but the
sheriff had warned me to look out for oil
corners, and therefore had my eyes open.
lie not only looked at the rods, but he i'll
spotted the staples and examined the doors
and locks Several things occurred to satisfy
ne that he had come to spy out the situa-
ton, ard after the pair had driven away
began preparations for visitor. There was
what might be called a vestiuule to the
stables. AS you opened the door there was
SPACE Of about nine by twelve feet before yOu
reached the first stall. l got a piece Of green
E:ekory elk feet long, and shaved it down to
TIE size of an AK handle. One end was
,lsned into a hole bored in grit of
the stable, and by means of O piece Of
Clothe-ine drew the other end back until
the wool would stand no more. In front Of
this bow or sweep rugged cord running
across tiro roetlbuie. 1t ran up a partition
sad then down 10 the end Of the sweep where
rugged catch. When the trap was set tie
cord was about four feet inside the door and
;,croes the way 10 the Stalls. The cord ran
scrcps knee high, and moderate pressure
against is pulled down the catch and let the
bow spring back This bow was arranged at
a height Of five feet from the floor, and after
a few experiments l was satisfied that it
would work all right. From the end of The
bow, as it was bent back, ran q string over
the bon house and pig pen to my chamber
wibSew, 80 Fset swCy. l there fastened il -
< boil, sii ring Of the bell would mean
oAst the bow hal been sprung. The hired
IAN slspt nsST by, and both OF us Ead .Ec-
ar2k Ny iGbor, Who drove home eac@.
NIGHT, was quito taken with the invention,
and w&s 10 turn out with us at the alarm.
Fog pG!sts paseel without all alarm. OIN
tie ia night it weS dark and rainy, ana
~: 10 sure that somebody would come that
"a not undress. Neither did tie hired man.
We sat reading, VIXEN, at 4 quarter to II, the
Ie" buddesly wang and lifted us ont Of our
rhGirs. We seized our guns, RAN down and
woke fstkor, and lighted the lantern, and
in fur OF Ave minutes the three OF us were
at the barn. The stable door was wide open,
and on the ground outside lay the boy OF n
1aaa. Es had picked the locks and entered,
aid lie had struck tie cord anil sprung the
sweep. 1t had caught his throat. and he was
So dead rs q herring. lie was man of
sLoRt 80, we'll dressed, and had $50 in lis
E&lIot From letters found on him there was
Eo doubt that he was one OF the agents of an
Orgsnizei gang Indsed there were two OF