The morning times., 1896-11-19

Farmers Of Montgomery county, Nary
iand, have been suffering from the depre-
dati"ns OF an organized gang of cattle
tnieves Tor the past month, and yesterday
The ring leader, a colored man, named
Preston Brown, was taken into custody
by Detective McDevltt or this city
The thieves Were weIl-urganized and
succeeded in running off a great deal OF
valuable stock before their operationB
were interief.1 wi.D. Inef plan was To
steal the cattle during the night and drive
them to the city before morning They
Would then be taken to the stock yards
and Sold to butchers.
Farmers and stock dealers In the uppef
partof esufreredconsiderably
from the operations or the gang, and the,
money loss will reach large figure.
Tne thieving finally became so extensive
that Some action became necessary, and
as the Montgomery county officials ap-
peared unable to catch the marauders, De-
tecuve McDevitt was called ip. ON last
Wednesday four head of valuable cattle
We're stolen from Mr.. Asa n. stabler, of
Montgomery county. Mr.. StabIer lives near
SpencerSiile, and owns an extensive farm.
he has herd OF very fine steers and the
tnieves succeeded in entering his barn
during the night and getting away with
iour OF the largest and most valuable ami
mails.
SINohID n II
On Monday Mr.. Mortimer Stabler,
relative OF the farmer, came to the city
and engaged Detective McDevitt to work
up the case. Mr.. McDeyitt learned that
three colCred men had been seen driving
cattle down the Seventh street read in the
direction OF the city, and the animals an
swered the description OF those stolen
from Mr.. Stabler. Inquiry developed
the fact that the men had attempted TO
dispose Of the cattle to a number OF farmers
on their way to town, but as they could noe
satisfactorily account for the manner
in which they had purchased them, they
were unable TO effect a sale.
Mr.. McDeviu visited the Union Stock
Yards at Bennington Tuesday and discovered
that colored man, giving the name OF
Brown, had sold four head OF cattle to a
buyer from West Virginia Tie buyer
proved to be Mr.. William C. Rieley Of
Charleston, and he purchased the stock from
Brown, who represented himself as an
agent OF Charles Davis, a stock dealer
Brown told Mr.. Rieley a plausible story
concerning the cattle and the buyer had
no suspicion that the animals Were stol sn
The price paid was S137 go and Mr.
Rieley gave Brown his check for that
amount, made payable to the order of
Charles Davis 1t was through his efforts
to cash this check that Browns capture
Was made possible and the gang broken
up. After disposing of the cattle to Mr..
Rieley the colored man came To this city
and tried atseveral places to obtain money
on the check. Finding this was impossible,
as he could not be identified, he returned
to the stock yards and asked clerk in the
office to advance him part of the money
The clerk refused and Brown returned once
more To town and induced a friend to tele.
phone to the stock yards, using the name
of well-snown cattle broker, TO the effect
4 ry-n ~ 10.
| the check was good.
CHECK GAVE HIM AWAY.
This ruse also failed, and for a time
! the man was at loss how to obtain the
| money He finally went to a clothing store
| and purchased suit of clothes, giving
the check in payment. Meanwhile, Mr..
| Rieley had attempted to sell the cattle to
! a butcher, who informed him that a col.
| ored man had offered the same animals for
sale earlier in the day but the butcher had
| refused to buy, as he was afraid they were
stolen. Mr.. Rleley then became suspicious
that all was not right and telegraphed he
| bank at Charleston, W. Va, to stop nav.
| nent on the check.
Inis was dunr and the paper returned
| to the clothing dealer marked "paymenr
| stopped" He in turn handed it back to
Brown. Yesterday Detective McDevitt
| learned thar btON,n nau IeUu. iI,-l 20 Aiont-
| SoIuery county.
i The detective went to Caiesville, ham
| let about fourteen miles from the CITY,
| and met the colored man and several com
| panions on the road near The village.
He recognized Brown from a description
| furnished by Mr.. Rieley and placed him
| under arrest. The colored man denied
| his identity and resisted but was finally
| taken before Squire Murphy and com
| Initted.
| He was turned over to Constable Brown
who took him to Rockville anu placed him
| in iail.
The laws of Maryland are particularly
| severe on cattle thieve, and should Brown
| be convicted he is liable to Il long term In
| the penitentiary. Considerable relief is
| felt by the farmers when they learned Of
! the mans capture. and it is thought now
| that the ring leader is under arrest that
| the gang will cease operations.