Smyrna times., 1891-04-01
Desperate Chicken Thieves.
BY USING A SHOT GUN THEY KEEP A
FARMER AWAY WHILE THEY ROB
HIS POULTRY HOUSE.

saturday night shortly after nine
O'Clock Mr.. Gustavus Gibbs, who re-
sides few miles from Middletown,
heard noise in the yard and suppos-
ing that horse was in trouble raised
window to listen. Scarcely had he
made his appearance when a shot was
fired at him by negro who was stand
ing near the chicken house and Mr..
Gibbs of course withdrew. Mr.. Isaac
Gibbs who was asleep in another room
heard the firing and Immediately made
preparations to fire upon the audacious
thieves. His gun was not in order and
his supply of shot was low. Mr.. Gibbs
managed to get two shots at the neg
roes but they we not effective as the
eulprits occupied sheltered position.
When the second shot was fired by Mr..
Gibbs the thieves ran out in an open
field, where they made a stand and
commenced firing at the house. Find
ing that they were not pursued and
that Mr.. Gibbs ammunition was ex-
hausted they returned to the chicken
house and chopped off the boards with
an axe, thus gaining an entrance.
They secured what chickens they wan
ted and after informing Mr.. Gibbs ifhe
came out of the house they would
"blOw HI out of him." they leisurely
proceeded away with the chickens.
The next morning Mr.. Gibbs secured
the services of Constable Duhadaway
and began a search for the thieves.
Having recognized the voice of one of
the negroes they visited the house in
which he lived and found their man.
He was charged with the crime and
closely questioned. When he found
be 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 Will
liams and Ben Cork. Williams is the
fend who did the shooting while Cork
took out the chickens. A short article
written by gentleman who is well ac-
quainted with the reputation of this
gang, gives their description in a way
which should lead to a general break
ing up of such Outlawry.
Cork and Griffith are now in Jail and
Williams will soon be captured. The
Constable is keeping a sharp lookout
for him. He is a very desperate char
acter and should be kept in Jail for the
remainder of hislife. This is not the first
case of this kind and it is hoped by the
people of this community that the SEN
tenceO of the Court v ill be the next thing
to hanging, or that, if possible. Follow.
ing is the article above referred to
IAN immense amount of stealing has
been going on in Appoquinimink hun
dred this winter, and the desperadoes
have the audacity to visit houses even
at an early hour in the night, and in
some cases they have fred upon the
people of the house. The last case was
that of visiting the premises of Mrs.
Hannah Gibbs or Gustavus Gibbs,
where they dared Mr.. Gibbs to come
out and, it is said, fred upon him when
he made his appearance, and then fin
ished the robbery of the hen house az
their leisure.
There is a 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 headquarters 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 acquit-
ted of the charge by the hard swearing
of some blacks who were believed to
haYe been accomplices in the crime.
In these cases an alibi is easily proved
by perjury. A few days ago another
party headed by a certain Jim Will
liams 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 a
sufFarar - 6EiddLefo,vy, Tro1scr;yf