The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-07-01
AN OATH-B0UND GANG
or Psnnsylveula Outlaws to be
Tried In This State.
ASSlILNNTS OF SHERIFF SHAW,
or PrciItou County, aud sompthIng
at ThaIr HIasory-Ths naad oi llob-
bOrs an or.Shopt OF the Famous
Cooley Gang, Of Fayotto' County, Pa,
Their oaroor-Tho Story OF tho.
shooting OF tho shOrIn Recalled.


Special Dbpatsh TO he MAIiigtactr
KlSawoop, W. Va, June SO.-FOur
ousIaws will be tried hero tomorrow
for the shooting Of Sheriff Leroy Shaw,
OF this county, on the night Of April IS.
They are "Budp smitley. Bill Smiley,
brothers, Archy Patterson and Hank"
Harvey, all from Faystte county, Pa.
These boys. for they are all young iel'
lows, have career that is blRckened
with many crimes. They belong to
regularly organized band Of robbers,
and their chief is Bill Turner, who was
a leader Of the famous Cooley gang that
terrorlzed the people Of Fayette county,
Pa, Tor several years with their deeds
OF laWlessness and cruelty. The Cooley
gang was broken up in 1891 by the ar.
rest OF nearly ali Of the baud, all
OF whom, except Turner. are serving
out their sentences In tho pelltSntiary.
Turner was released in 1893 and re-
turned 10 Fayette county where he i'm.
mediately organized another band OF
law.hreaksrA This band, with Turner
at it's head. soon became as notorious as
tho Cooley gang, aud people lived in
dread OF their nightly VisitatiQns, They
robbed stores and dwelling houses, ex'
torled money from lone women by
burning their feet and other means OF
torture. The band operated on the
highways and "hold up" many persons,
often obtaining large sums OF money.
They plundered fRrm.houses and even
robbed granRries and milk.houses, not
forgetting to steal meat and rob chicken
coops. In fact, 1t would take many
pages to toll Of their crimes and ad.
ventpres. Tho baud had their hiding
place in a cave, at tue bottom Of deep
rayine, not far from Dunbar.
The band has a set oi by'lRws, which
they had adopted aud all signed. Their
organisation was called tho wander.
ing Star Order" aud the oath admins.
tered TO the members was terrible and
prescribed awful punishment for those
who should violate the rules. Bill lur-
ner was called the ''chip" and Pattor.
con was the ''grRnd scribe" The by
laws were found upon Patterson when
they were searched In the jail hero,
The cause Of their being on trial here,
for the shooting Of an officer. makes an
interesting story, which briefly 10 as fol-
lows; The band had robbed jewelry.
store about April Il, 1t Dunbar They
secured nearly $500 In valuabie@ Tho
officers organized very determined
band OF special deputies and started In
pursuit OF the robbers. They were
found 10 an old furnace, and fired upon
the officers. Over 100 shots were ex.
changed, but the outlaws escaped into
the dense forest by lodging from rock
to rock. Their eIcape was 60 narrow
that they concluded 10 diSbnnd Tor
time Turner was 10 ronSin in hiding
and watch tho stolen treasure hidden In
the cave. The other four went
to BrownSvillc aud on the night
OF April 10, stole four very
iinO horses from thore aud started
for the West Virginia border. They
were hotly pursued into West Virginia,
and whom near Cheat river they sue.
ceedsd In eladin2 the olIieeFa Word
was sent to the sheriff here who start0d
to hunt the thieves. Tho sheriff took
four deputies and started on foot, lat0
10 the evening OF April IS, to cut oil tho
band, az they approached this town. rs
this was the courBo they had taken.
When the officers and thieves net, q
severe battle took place. which resulted
In tho woundlng Of Sheriff Shaw, very
seriously. "BHd" Smiley vas al.o
badly hurt and one OF tho stolen horses
killed, At the time, and in fact for
over week, tho sheriff was thought 70
DO mortally wounded. The bulloi took
elect In his right brOast, and produced
very ugly and dangerous wound.
The deputies succeeded In securing the
four outlaws, and brought them on to
town, where they have boon carefully
guarded in the county Jail evas since,
The horses stolen werO valued at
about 81, 200. Ono was valued at $500,
aud was fno animal which had been
sired by General Giants Arabian stall
lion. Tho boys were armed to the teeth.
Each carried two reYolvors aud q dan.
gorous looking knife. KnuckleS were
found upon them, slung shots, aud al.
most Overy kind Of weapon. Thoy had
plenty OF ammunition, sot OF burglar
tools aud variety OF instruments for
their spdclal uses,
Tho trial is exciting q great deal Of In.
,cruSt, and will bs largely attended.
The boys possessed flvo worry fine gold
watches, which havo not rs yet been
identified Rs stolen goods. Those
watches thoy pRwnOd, and with tho
money, hired a lawyer, Mr. T.. ].
CrogAn wifi represent tho outlaws, and
tho prosecuting attorney. Mr.. d. NJ.
Wotrlng, will be assistod by Mr. N J.,
FortnOy. also Of Kingwood. A number
OF witnesses will bo hero from l'NyOttO
county, Oi well rs q number oil interest.
ed visitor.