The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-06-29
Ralding a Chicken Thief's Ranch.


crowd was gathered in the Office of
Squire Taylor, to witness the exam.
lination of a case of wholesale
poultry thieving. The parties ar
raigned for examination were q no
torious gang located near somewhat
famous "Red Pump" about a mile
and half north of Rising Sun. The
parties are Joseph Williams, Ann
Williams, his reputed wife and her
son a lad of II named William
McMullen.
Joseph Coats, a resident of Lam
caster county, had forty chickens
disappear one night about the 18th
inst. and suspecting a certain party
who does not bear the best reputa.
ton for honesty, sued out search
warrant but an investigation of the
premises Of the suspected party
discovered nothing to connect him
with the larceny of the chickens.
A clue, however, was obtained,
which pointed to the Red Pump, and
accompanied by his daughter, Mr..
Coats drove down to the place, when
10 the first object that met hisveyes
as be refined up at the yard, was one
of his chicken boxes or coops with
his name stenciled on it. Miss Coats
was not long in identifying number
Of the missing chickens, and Mrs.
Williams was charged with having
stolen property in her custody. No
men we're visible, and she told Mr..
Coats to take any chickens which he
thought were his, which he did.
The news spread like wild fire and
Mr.. Coats neighbors demanded that.
he should have the thieves arrested,
as the parties had long been suspect
ed of stealing everything they could
lay hands on. and were believed to
be the purloiners of the hundreds of
fowls that have been stolen in all the
country within miles in all directions
around the sRed Pump Mr.. Coats
accordingly came to Rising Sun and
made complaint on Monday morning
before Justice of the Peace, /. R.
Taylor, and constable Saml. J. Nor.
rison who was joined by Pennsyl-
vania constable proceeded to the
ranch to apprehend the parties. Mrs.
Williams and two children were at
the house but no menwere visible.
She said they were not at home, but
the officers proceeded to make
search and soon found Joseph Will.
liams and Mrs. Williams son, VIM.
McMullin, lying on bed in the sec
ond story and the two were soon
under arrest. r
= The neighborhood being aroused,
there had gathered on the premises o
large crowd, and search began for
stolen goods by those who had lost.
A large chicken enclosure was sur
rounded by wire netting where over
300 fowls of various kinds, sizes and
ages were confined. Josiah Reynolds
had lost recently As chicks and Is
guineas, mostly small we, understood.
He took the precaution to carry
along with him the old hen that had
brooded the guineas and small
chicks, and setting her down in the
yard she commenced "cluckings for
her little ones, which recognizing
their mothers voice came focking
round her. Jacob5Swayne had lost
AZ chickens of improved breeds
Wyandotts, Langshans, Leghorns,
etc, which he at once recognized,
and recovered 38 of them. Leonard
Harris had lost turkey which, was
marked with clipped wing which he
found in the yard. Ephraim Lynch
recovered an axe and hand saw which
had been stolen from his place. Jon.
athan Reynolds found sledge ham.
mer that had left his premises some
time previous. Thomas Lee discov.
cred a cross.cut saw between the
plastering and weather. boarding of
the house which he established
prior claim to. Other neighbors were
gathering in and discovering stolen
property which they recognized.
The house was fairly stored with
stolen goods of various kinds, mostly
farm implements and tools, among
which were axes, picks, mattocks.
The supply of hatchets was
immense, there being about two
dozen lying round. A lot of moving
machine knives was also q part of