Middletown transcript., 1891-03-26
pEspERarE CHICKEN THIEVES.
BY USING A SHOT GUN THEY hEnn anp a
FARMER AWAY WHILE InH
HIS POULTRY HOUSE.

BY USING A SHOT GUN THEY KEEL "A
FARMER AWAY WHILE THEY hoo
HIS POULTRY HOUSE.
Saturday night shortly alter nine
o'clock Mr.. Gustavus Gibbs, Wno fe
sides a few miles from MidaietoWn'
heard a noise in the yard ana suppos-
ing that a horse was in trouble ralseo
a window to listen. Scarcely hao NC
made his appearance whena sno' was
fred at him by a negro "ho was
standing near the chicken house anu
Mr.. Gibbs Of course quickly Withdrew
Mr.. Isaac Gibbs who was asleep IN
another room heard the nrlng
and Immediately made preparations
to fire upon the audacious tnieves'
His gun was not in order anu nis
supply OF shot was low. Mr.. dipps
managed to get two shots a. .ne
negroes but they were not enec'lve
as the culprits occupied snei'ereu
position. When the second shot was
fred by Mr.. Gibbs the thieves ran out
in an open field, where they maoe
stand and commenced firing at the
house. Finding that they were no.
pursued and knowing that Mr.. Gioos'
ammunition was exhausted they re-
turned to the chicken house and
chopped off the boards with an axe
thus gaining an entrance. They Sc
cured what chickens they wanted ana
after informing Mr.. Gibbs if ne came
out of the house they would "nlow
hi out Of him. they leisurely pro-
ceeded away with the chickens.
The next morning Mr.. Gibbs secur-
ed the services of Constable Duhada-
way and began a search for the
thieves. Having recognized the voice
of one of the negroes they visited tne
house in which he lived and found
their man. He was charged with the
crime and closely questioned. When
he found he was in close place he
admitted that he was one OF the trio
and told who the other two were.
The name of the informer Is Joe
Griffith and the others are Jim
Williams and Ben Cork. Williams is
the fiend who did the shooting while
Cork took out the chickens. A short
article written by a gentleman who
is well acquainted with the reputa-
tion of this gang, gives their descrlp-
tion in way which should lead TO a
general breakins-up ofsuch outlawry.
Cork and Griffith are now in jail and
Williams will soon be captured. The
Constable is keeping sharp lookout for
him. He is very desperate character
and should be kept in Jail for the remaind-
er of his life. This is not the first case OF
the kind and it is hoped by the people OF
this community that the sentence OF the
Court will be the next thing to hanging, or
that if possible. Following is the article
above referred to:
An immense amount of stealing has been
going on in Appoquinimink hundred this
winter, and the desperadoes have the
audacity to visit houses even at an early
hour of the night, and in some cases they
have fired upon the people Of the house.
The last case was that of visiting the prem
ises of Mrs. Hannah Gibbs or Gustavus
Gibbs, where they dared Mr.. Gibbs to
come out and, it is said, fired upon him
when he made his appearance, and then
finished the robbery of the hen house at
their leisure.
There is small house on the Levels on
the farm occupied by George W. Knots
which has been for some years a house Of
bad repute, and seems to be the headquar-
ters of part of one gang of thieves. A
man by the name of George Henry was in
Jail last year, taken from this house, but
was acquitted of the charge by the hard
swearing of some blacks who were believ-
ed to have been accomplices in the crime.
In these cases an alibi is easily proved by
perjury. A few days ago another party
headed by certain Jim Williams who is
the present paramour of the woman of the
house, went, as above stated, to the house
of Mr.. Gibbs. Williams, it is feared, has
made good his escape, but two Of the party
have been caught, one Of them, another
noted thief named Joe Griffith, turning
States evidence. Mr.. Knots seems to
have some bad tenants, but he may not be
aware of it. He has not yet been suffer
er.