The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-07
HOLD EXPLOITS or JOSEPH HARE
: Noted Highvayman Who Operated
Near Philadelphia Half q Century
From the Philadelphia Times.


Ago.
From the Philadelphia Times
A paragraph going the rounds of the
newspapers briefly referring to the daring
exploits of Joseph Hare, brings to the
mind several incidents closely identified
with the career Of this noted highway
man. Hare was a man of exceedingly
fine physique, Weighing about 200 pounds,
tail, erect and as agile as a cat. He was
an unerring shot. and was endowed with
a courage and cunning that served him
well in his nocturnal perambulations on
the road; yet while, pistol in hand, his
Stand and deliver!' always had the de-
sired effect, it was his boast that he
never was constrained to have recourse
to physical argument or to shed one drop
Of human blood in persuading his victims
to deliver" He was generous and kind
to those who befriended him. He robbed
the rich to give to the. poor, and it was
his policy 10 never distress a man Of
moderate circumstances, no matter how
stringent his own purse might be. He was
a reckless spendthrift for, after draw
ing his personal check on some luckless
individual on sight, he would lose II all
at the gaming table or distribute it where
he thought it would do the most good.
He was a genius in the matter of dis
guises and so remarkably clever was he
in maSquerading as an old man or
stranger from some distant part of the
country, that he would walk fearlessly
into bar-rooms where the people were dis
CuSsing his exploits and listen to their
comments without ever betraying the least
sign OF nervousness or curiosity. The de-
tective was not quite so conspicuous in
those days. The law was lax in many
cases, and the facilities for communca-
ton not so expeditions or accurate as in
these modern times, and il was, in q
measure, these facts which emboldened
him to act with less discretion and pur-
sue course of reckless daring, which, az
this DAY, would be recognized as abso-
lutely foolhardy. He has been known 10
rob a man on the road at night, and the
next day, completely disguised walk into
a town with impunity to hear the details
of his exploit recounted by the people,
magnifled always by the addition of dra-
matte finale, at which he would laugh
most heartily.
In 1881 he operated in New Jersey. In
the latter part of that year he crossed
the Delaware and took to the road"
out in Darby. He chose this section in
the country because, at that time il
was comparatively o vast Wilderness the
dense forests affording him security from
the law and giving him better advantages
to exact toll from the large number of
drovers whom he knew generally Travelled
that way, and who also invariably carried
large sums OF money about their persons.
After a time when the law began to weave
its net too close about him, he disap-
| peared suddenly from Pennsylvania and
as mysteriously appeared in Delaware, in
the early part Of 1882. Hare's Corner,
seven miles from Wilmington, takes its
diverge in as many different directions
and under the shelter of an apparently
| interminable forest the place presented
many advantages for the rendezvous Of
a road agent
Even to this day many people believe
| that Hare buried vast sums of money in
| the woods about Hare's Corner, and &C.
| casiOnally so on prospecting tours, dig
ging in the most available spots, but
| their efforts never were rewarded with
success. David Finlay, who some years
! ago kept a blacksmith shop al Hare's
/ Corner, while digging a cellar found an
/ old flintlock pistol, with the initials u
/ H." rudely carved on the wooden stock
! and further search about the excavation
| brought TO light a few pieces Of silver,
| which served to intensity the excitement
| and not only strengthened the belief that
| Hare left behind him a great deal of
| money, but revived many wild tales and
! extravagant stories of his daredevil es-
one dark and stormy night a man
named Wilkinson was riding along the
/ road in the direction of New Castle The
/ drive was beginning TO tell on the ami
/ NAL, as Wilkinson had come a long dis
| lance. As ne turned the forks of the
/ road at Hare's Corner he was suddenly
! confronted by a man, who, pistol in hand
commanded him to halt. Wilkinson
| drew rein so quickly mat il threw the
! horse back on its launches and nearly
| unseated his rider. Wilkinson drew SO
4 from his pocket and handed il over,