Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07

what is more he point, he made hi
peace with Frat And the other boys
"Blood," be SAd, "be thicker than vel
water, an believe the boys do mean we'll
even If they be little quick with theil
guns"
From that time on Frank Cooley and hi
| comrades were welcomed to the pateyna
roof, and they visited the homestead at fire.
quent intervals.
Served Term In Jail
After the escape of Jack Cooley and the
sudden change Of front on the part of his
interesting sire, Frank Cooley and his com
rades contented themselves for q long time by
simply living off the farmers in the vicin.
ity In fact 1t was not until the fall oi
1884 that they again attracted general at
tention. At the September session of that
year one James Monteith charged Frank
and Dick Cooley with assault and battery
and attempt to discharge firearms at an.
other person. The two boys were captured
at their fathers house and taken to Union
town for trial. They were tried and found
guilty. On September they were SEN
fenced to pay fine of $25 and costs. This
they refused to do and they went to Jail
and served their time.
More than year later another member
of the Cooley family, William Cooley by
name, was prosecuted tor assault on q
woman named Sallis E. Hibbs At the
same court and on the same day, Oliver B.
Cooley, another brother, had hearing for
surety Of the peace on oath Of Miss Rachel
M Davis
Both these cases were settled and then
William and Oliver Joined the ganL The
outlaws wintered In the mountains, and
aside from stealing chickens and food from
the neighboring farmhouses, committed no
depredations However, when the spring
flowers bloomed again the gang settled down
to serious work In March, 1885, Frank
and Dick Cooley were charged with assault
and battery by farmer, James M. Bowel.
Tho brothers eluded arrest, but Bowel
pushed tho charge before the grand jury,
and the indictment Is still pending against
Frank and Dick. A few weeks later q
woman named Mintie Mccullough and a
man named John Rhodes entered criminal
action against Jack and William Cooley,
charging them with aggravated assault, but
the cases were compromised,
Later on in December, 1886, Dick Cooley
was indicted for entering building for the
purpose of committing felony and re-
ceiying stolen goods. The agents of the
law put in two solid weeks in a vain
attempt to capture Dick on this charge.
Decided to Try Burglary.
It was during the fall and winter of 1889
that Frank Cooley resolved to extend the
field Of operations and increase the business
Of the gang. He had tired Of robbing hen
roosts and "holdiDg up" small boys, and
decided that nothing short of out and out
burglary would satisfy his thirst for ex-
citement and replenish the treasury Of the
band. After taking a mental inventory of
the neighborhood, Frank made up his mind
that a nocturnal visit to the home
Of Miss Mollie Ross would prove
both profitable and exciting. This Miss
Ross was a maiden lady of sixty or there
abouts. She was living alone in an out of
the way neighborhood some three or four
miles from Fairchance village. The lady
tion of being exceedingly close in money
matters Frank Cooley had been told that
there were several thousands of dollars
stored away in the Ross homestead. On a
certain Saturday night in February Cooley
and his fellow-outlaws loaded their guns
and started for the Ross farm. They
arrived at the farmhouse shortly before
midnight. The front door was barred, but
the gang effected an entrance BY smashing
in window. Miss Ross had been lite
long victim of rheumatism, and on the
night in question she was in bed unable to
move hand or foot Cooley and his men
burst into the room. Frank made his way
to the side Of the bed and in gruff voice
ordered Miss Ross to hand over all her
money.
Torturing Feeble O:d Woman.
The lady refused. Then Cooley and Jack
Ramsey drew their revolvers and politely
informed Miss Mollie that it was a uues-
,f al hor at h..
or her life. Miss Ross never weakened.
She told the outlaws that she would never
give up her money. Finding that threats
were useless Frank ordered his companions
to seat the victim in chair and bind her.
The brutal command was quickly obeyed
'Bare her feet and hand me a candle"
growied the ruffian as he removed his coat
and rolled up his shirt sleeves Jack Ram
sey handed tallow candle to Frank. The
latter struck match and ignited the wick.
Then lie put the Pickering fame to the soles
of the woman's naked feet There was the
smell of burning flesh. For full two
minutes he held the flames close to the
flesh. The woman must have suffered I'M
told agony, but aside from a half-sup-
pressed groan she gave no sign.
"Now, old girl muttered Cooley, will
you tell us where you have got the stuff hid
den?'
But Mollie Ross was adamantine. Four
times did the blistering breath of the lighted
candle burn her flesh, but never once did
she falter. At last Frank swore, a tre-
oath, and struck Mollie full in the
face with his cleDched fist. Then he turned
to his companions and ordered them to search
the house from cellar to roof, while be
stood guard over the helpless woman, A
half hour later the fruits of that seach were
piled upon the bed. There was more than
1000 in bank notes and a heap of small sill
yer pieces. Cooley put this money into his
pocket and after warning Miss Ross to hold
her tongue led his men to their mountain
retreat.
Convicted, but Broke Jail.
Naturally when the details of this hor-
rible outrage leaked out there was q tire.
mendous sensation. A warrant was sworn
be was captured and brought to Uniontown.
He was tried at the March term of the
court on the double charge of robbery and
bodily torture. He made weak defense
and was convicted Of the charge and re-
manded to Jail to await sentence His mo-
ton for new trial was promptly denied
and day was set for his sentence. But he
broke Jail and escaped before sentence had
been pronounced. He has been at large
aver since.
Miss Ross is an incurable cripple from
the injuries received on the night of the as
'ault
In June, 1889, the Quarter Sessions docket
shows: Commonwealth against Frank
Cooley and others, larceny; Jesse Stewart
prosecutor; defendants found guilty"
They did not turn up for sentence, and q
process is still out for them. At the De-
'ember sessions, 1890, Calvert Sliger ap-
,eared in court as prosecutor against Bert |
Cooley charging him with assauit and hat. |