Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-13
THE C00LEYS GONE.
A Price of $1,000 on the Heads of
the Leaders Scares Them OF.
ONE OF THE GANG Is CAPTURED
Both Pennsylvania and West Virginia Too
Hot for the Outlaws.
THE TALE0F AMAN WHO WAS HELD UP
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE D1spArcH.l

/ ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArCH.l
UNIoNTowN, Feb 1.-THE celebrated
Cooley gang is no more, the members, ac-
cording to the best reports, being scattered
all along the State line or in West Virginia,
while the exact whereabouts of the prinei-
pals is unknown, except perhaps to their
followers. The Sheriff of Preston county,
w. Va, has become weary of the depreda-
tions and outlawrv credited to the Cooley
gang. they having moved their base of opera
tIons lately over into his bailiwick.
Yesterday, at the head of posse. the
Sheriff started for a locality near the State
line, where he was informed the gang had
been located Arriving at the place lone
member, William Turner, held the fort,
and, overawed by superior force, Turner
surrendered witEour a struggle. To-day he
was brought here and lodged in Jail, but
through his attorney he secured a writ of
habeas corpus and is now out on bail.
Samul Magic, of this place, going on his
bond.
Turner is a conspicuous member of the
gang, and has figured prominently in several
exploits during the past year.
Some of Turner's Exploits.
He, with number of others, it is said,
several months ago, beat and robbed old
man Lowe near Haydentown. Lowe de-
clared he could positively identify Turner,
but the latter escaped arrest until to-day,
though his name has been mentioned fire.
quentTy in connection with depredations
along the State line and in West Virginia.
He is considered one of the most able
bodied men in the State, and has come off
victorious in many a rough-and-tumble.
Several years ago he had fight with two
blacksmiths in Greene county, and though
shot six times in different places, he ''done
up" his men.
The capture of Turner has brought out the
fact that there is not a man in this district
who has seen Frank Cooley, Jack Cooley or
any prominent member of the Cooley gang
for several days, and it is authoritatively
stated tonight that the Cooleys have fed
the county for good. 1t is not known where
they have gone, but they are not likely to
enter West Virginia again owing to the
feeling there against them.
A Price on the Heads of the Gang.
The cause of their abrubt departure is be-
lieved to be a price which has finally been
placed upon the heads of the notorious
Frank and Jack Cooley. The County Com
missioners have at last offered a reward of
$3.50 for the delivery to the sheriff of the
body Of Frank Cooley, and $3.50 for the ar
rest and conviction of Jack Cooley, for at
tempting to burn the Custer schoolhouse in
Georges township. The school directors of
the township, also, offer areward of $3.50 for
the arrest of either of the outlaws, or $500
for both, thus making 81, 900 in all. Word
that big sum of money had been offered
for them reached the outlaws some days
ago, and to-day a citizen of Smithfeld came
to town and told of how he was held up for
the papers circulating the reward.
"Jack Cooley and Tasker' Tate," said he,
"paid our town visit couple of nights
ago They announced that they had come
to see about the reward offered for the
Cooleys, and picked up copies of the papers.
When the reward was read to them, Jack
remarked that 81 900 was pile of money to
offer for two men"
Thought to Have Fled the Country.
He volunteered the further information
that the detectives who captured them in
the mountains would be daisies. After eat
ing lunch they departed for the mount
aims. Tate is the man credited with shoot
ing and killing Tasker in the mountains
several years ago, hence his nickname of
''Tasker Tate"
Notwithstanding the bluffs made by the
outlaws, it is believed they have fled the
country, as it is known that several officers
who have had private commissions out in
their old stamping grounds have come back