Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-11
HUNTING A BAD MAN.
Two Hundred People With Shotguns
After a Cowboy Bandit.
LYNCHING MAY BE THE OUTCOME.
A Peaceful Long Island Hamlet at the
Mercy of Robber,
CLAD LIKE A DIME NOVEL VILLAIN

TELEGRAM TO DlSPATChs1
IsLIP, L. l., July 1O.-Nearly 900 men,
armed with shotguns, rifles and revolvers,
secured the woods north of this place to-day
and searched Sections swamp, mile and
half away, for Tom Richardson, cowboy,
robber and bandit. Two caves have been
discovered, cunningly constructed, in the
sandy scrub oak land between here and
Brentwood, in which he has concealed the
booty of numerous robberies, anoin one Of
which, it is supposed, he meant to cage his
wife after he succeeded in abducting her
forcibly from her fathers home, where she
fled for refuge months ago.
For ten days the country people have
been looking for him with guns, meaning to
shoot him down on sight. He has been seen
four or five times. His brother, a sup
posedly reputable young man in town, is
now under arrest, accused of completely.
The town authorities are trying to suppress
all reports of the affair until Richardson is
arrested. The two Richardson's were born
near here. Tom is about 80 years old.
James is about 90 The family moved away
some years ago, but the young men returned.
James went into a store, and Tom made off
to Texas, where he lived an adventurous
life, being by turns cowboy and Mexican
scout.
Like q Dime Novel Hero.
This at least was the story he told when
he returned somewhat over a year ago,
wearing picturesque clothes, long hair, and
sombrero. He cut quite figure in Islip.
He was erect, well built and good looking.
He had dainty black mustache and wonder
fully keen black eyes. He astonished the
town folks by his Workmanship. He took
well with the girls, and he married
the pretty daughter of Police Justice
VALLEY, of Bay Shore, very soon after his
arrival. Then he was made constable, and
he was on duty nights in Islip, earning a
tagers, whose places he guarded, but he got
frightfully into debt and he treated his
wife so badly that she ran home away from
him four months after marriage.
About eight months ago he found it was
a good deal more comfortable for him out Of
1slip than in it. Justice Waller kicked
him out of the house. 1t is said that then
he swore vengeance and that he would have
his wife in spite of any obstacle He dis
appeared. and the people thought he left
the country. Last winter there began in
lslip, Brentwood and neighboring towns a
succession of robberies and thefts which
worried the community greatly. They were
generally of similar nature, and seemed
as often to be provoked by hunger as by
greed Of gain.
A General Thieving Raid.
Ex-Supervisor Walls cowhouse, for in
stance, was broken open one night and an
Alderney, which he valued at $500, was
found with her throat cut in the morning.
Her two hind quarters had been cut off and
removed. The rest of the carcass remained.
Last month the summer residence
of William NJ. Van Anden, of
the Brooklyn Eagle, was broken into
and quantity Of clothing, bedclothes, china
and some articles of silver were taken. A
leather travelling bag was found in the
house afterward containing an outfit of
finely finished burglars tools. A large
number of fine chickens were stolen from
the Peck place at Brentwood, and similar
depredations were reported in the country
all around,
These thefts aroused the people greatly.
Rewards had been offered for the arrest of
the thieves by the wealthy people who had
country homes near IslIp One reward
named 81 200, and in all 81, ,750 was coming
to whoever should capture the thief A
week ago last Thursday two men discovered
the lair of the robber in the woods, and
later the man himself was seen. Some of
the stolen property was found in the robbers
cave, but the fellow himself kept out of
sight.
The depredations continued, and still
Richardson eluded capture, for the expedi-
tion of to-day was carefully organized but
without success. AS the whole country
side means business, the search will likely
be kept up until the robber is taken, and
harsh measures may be taken in his case