Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-05-08
ANOTHER HORSE THIEF
Gets Away with one of John Rays Horses,
but Speedily Comes to Grief and will go
TO Prison.

Gets Away with one of John Rays Horses,
but Speedily Comes to Grief and will go
to Prison.
Another horse thief piled his craft at
John RAYS last Friday forenoon, and speed
lily came to grief The man is supposed to
have come to Brattleboro the night before,
spending the night at the Bliss House. In
the vicinity of 9 o'clock, Friday morning,
he appeared at the Brooks House where he
registered as II. &. Clark, and said he should
be there to dinner. Soon after this he
showed up at Burke's stable with tishpole
in his hand. and OvercOat Oh his arm, ask
ing the hostler where's BurkeY in
way to indicate that he was on terms OF
personal acquaintance with the liveryman.
On being told that Mr.. Burke had gone
away, the man, in an otf-hand way, ordered
team to be sent around to the Brooks
House. and wanted "a good one as he
was going fishing and must he back at
o'clock Mr. Coombs informed him. how
ever that his orders were not to let teams
to strangers. From there the thief went to
Whites stable. telling different story to
the effect that he had been doing business
in town, had little time left AMI wanted
to improve it by taking a fishing trip. Mr.
White also insisted on references, and the
man then went to Mr.. Rays. engaging him
in plausible conversation, and asking his
advice about good place to go fishing.
The end of il was that the fellow concluded
he would 90 to Marlboro south pond, got
his team and started. He went only so far
toward Marlboro. however rs the corner
of Western avenue and Union street. for
he turned down the latter street, and struck
bee line for Guilforl. Bernardston. Green
field, and Springfield. bringing up in the
last named city the same night. with the
horse badly tired ont. Mr. Ray had. how
ever in the mean time given the alarm, the
man was suspected by the Springfield Of
ficers. and when he called at the stable for
his horse the next morning he was arrested
AMI Mr.. RAY was notified. Going to Spring
field Saturday afternoon. accompanied by
George Wilcutt, who hitched up the team,
Mr. Ray identified the thief and secured his
property.
II proved that only the Wednesday before
he had stolen a team from Frank Rafferty,
Of Gardner. driving il to the same stable in
Springfield. and going from there to Hart
ford, where, report says, he traded the
horse for gold watch and SO in money.
From Hartford he must have come directly
to BrattleborO. and had evidently started
course be held for trial i'm Massachusetts,.
When taken before the district court at
Athol on Monday it appeared that he had
several aliases. Frank Howard and II. b.
Kline among them. but he refused to give
any account of himself. lie was held i'm
$1,000 bail and is now in Jail. Mr. Ray
informed him on leaving Springfield that
when they got through with him i'm Massa-
chusetts he should have job for him in
Vermont. and lit wouldn't be fishing.
either
The mans arrest was accomplished
through the agency of The Horse Owners
National Protective association to which
the liyerymen of this section generally be-
long and which does effective work i'm pro-
tectng its members against loss by thieves
Whenever horse is stolen every member
is promptly notified and whoever secures
the thief gets reward of 500. As show
ing to what extent the thieves ply their
calling it is of interest to notice that since
March the Brattleboro members have re-
ceived notices of seven stolen horses, one
from Boston, one from New Bedford, Mass.
one from Leominster, Mass, one from Man
chester. y. H.. the one in Gardner Mr.
Rays. and on Wednesday of this week one
from Nashua. y. II. How many of them
have been recovered is not known.