Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-20
BEATS JESSE JAMES.
Western Brigandage in Its Palmiest
Days Utterly Ouidone by
THE NOTORIOUS COOLEY GANG.
Farmers So Terrorized That Few Depreda-
tions Become Known.
OFFICERS AND DETECTIVES C0WED

rsrEcIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.1
UNIoNTowN, Dec. 19.-Southern Fay
cite county citizens are being terrorized
and robbed almost nightly, and the motor
ious Cooley gang are the principal perpe-
traitors. Last night the smokehouse of
James Mccormick, of near Smithfeld, was
broken into and its contents, the meat Of
five hogs just butchered, were carried
away. The night before ten barrels of ap-
pies were stolen from neighbor's orchard,
and the same night two other farmers each
lost from 10 to Is barrels of corn.
Notices were posted near the scenes of
the robberies, notifying the owners that if
any effort was made to have the
'svisitors'' arrested the houses of
such owners would be burned
over their heads. Farmers live in mortal
terror of the gang, not one of them having
the courage to make an information against
the gang, although they have positive evil
dence that they are the guilty parties.
A farmer of Georges township was in
town this afternoon, and upon being prom
ised by THE DISPATCH correspondent that
his name would not be used, gave the fol-
loving information:
The Statement Of One Who Knows
There are e5 members of the Cooley gang,
and they are organized as completely as
was Jesse James band. I am positive Of
this, for 1 talked to one of their number only
yesterday. He had just returned from a
scout through Preston county, W. Va, and
told me that was a poor locality for their bus
mess, and that he was nearly starved.
Ho hod I,ac fo n
get something to eat. He told me that
Pittsburg detective had been in the neigh
borhood all last week, trying to learn the
movements of the gang; and that on Satur-
day night the detective went into Jack
Cooley's cabin and asked for something to
in. supposinG him to be some unfortunate
fellow, and gave him a good supper.
About o'clock Frank Cooley, the leader Of
the gang, came in, and at once spotted" the
detective, telling him that he knew who he
was and what he was after, and the sooner
he made tracks for Pittsburg the better it
sneaking around here by this time to-mor-
row he would "put daylight through him
quicker than creased lightning"
Detectives and the Sheriff Steer Clear.
The detective left and has not been seen
or heard of since. The fellow says Sheriff
Mccormick knows better than to attempt to
arrest them again, for they have given him
warning that if he does he will be killed.
"Why," he said, 1--WE are so well organized
that If Sheriff Mccormick comes within five
miles of our headquarters we would know
it at once. We have this business down fine,
and wa propose to keep it SO until q smarter
and more nervy set of officers tackle us than
have showed up yet, and o larger number,
too. We are so well organized that it would
take n posse of men ten to one of our number
to capture us, and then we believe they
could not succeed"
The farmer said member of the Cooleys'
gang often stopped apd talked to farmers as
they passed along the road and discussed
their exploits in a iocular manner. The
farmers would reply in the same vein in
order not to incur the enmity of the band
eff they are satisfied that you are friendly
disposed toward them the farmer contin-
ued, 'they will not molest you, unless it be
to take ham, some chickens or crock of
butter; but if they ever believe you to be
their enemy, look out. They will poison
your stock, kill your dogs and get revenge
in any way they can. Hundreds of their
depredations have never reached the ears of
the public because the victims are afraid
to tell of them for fear of greater venge-
ance"