Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-20
FRIENDS SAVED THEM.
The Sheriff of Fayette County Talks
of the Cooley Gang.
NO REWARD Is OFFERED FOR THEM.
The Sheriff Says He Has Jurisdiction Over
but One of Them.
THEIR LEADER is A MORAL COWARD

Sheriff George Mccormick, of Fayette
county, was in Pittsburg yesterday. He
brought to the penitentiary two prisoners.
citizens of Fayette county to the
Pittsburg police for aid in sup
pressing the notorious Cooley gang the
Sheriff said: The Cooleys are dangerous,
desperate men, and while we have at
tempted under all circumstances to enforce
the law, we have been positively unable to
overtake or capture the outlaws or
course, L have no authority to
take but one of them until the
courts demand them. The one who
escaped jail, however, have made many
atsenpts to recapture, but If he is still in
our county he is rarely if ever seen with
the others. We are not afraid to take the
Cooleys, but thev have manv advantages
over us that they do not have over the
Pittsburg detectives, who are now and have
been up there. They know me and all my
deputies. and we cannot approach their
haunts without their knowledge.
Citizens Keep the Outlaws Posted.
cit seems singular, but it is a fact, that
many of the citizens of the Southern end of
our county are in sympathy with the
Cooleys, and when one of my deputies is
seen in the neighborhood the alarm is
sounded and the outlaws disappear as COM
pletely as if they had never existed. I do
not know who employed the Pittsburg
detectives, but do know that for years
many of the citizens of the county have been
robbed and plundered by the gang,
and 1 am not surprised at the steps they
are taking. In my judgment a liberal re-
ward should be offered for the taking of
that gang, and my word for it, they would
be taken promptly. The Cooleys are not
the most dangerous of the gang. L look
upon Jack Ramsey as the most daring of
the party. Yet there are two or three
others who would fight to a finish before
they would submit to arrest"
Have you personally ever attempted to
arrest any of the gang?"
One Was Caught and Escaped.
eyes, certainly. 1 have spent good
deal of time looking after them, but as l
say have been unable to get near them.
We did take one of the Cooley brothers
without any fight and without any effort,
but since his escape from the old prison We
have never been able to locate him. /
sometimes think he has gone over to Vir-
glnla where his party joins him OCCASION
ally.
''The Cooleys and their associates have al
ways been rough customers, the Sheriff
went on. 'I have known them all person.
ally since they were mere boys, and they
have always lived by stealing. They
subject themselves to all kinds of
exposure and they are as hardy as Indians.
Frank Cooley their leader is a moral
coward and if he could be gotten alone he
could be taken by anybody. His will is
supreme with his gang however, they will
fight and kill at his command. His followers
have the greatest confidence in him and they
60 and come just as he orders 1t
is safe to say that not one of the gang has
done days work in their lives, and if we
can get them it would certainly relieve |
many of the citizens up there although |
many of the same citizens would go out # |
their way to prevent the arrest Of the high
waymen."