Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-11-11
JOLLY JOE DISBERRY
CAREER or A THIEF OF Revolu-
TlONARY TIMES.

Gated, His Ears Cut or and Imprlson-
ment For VI Years Imposed Upon Him.
About tho close of the Revolutionary
war n notorious character named Joo
Disherry lived about Solinsgrovo and
Sunhury, ON the Susquehanna, Whence
he came is unknown, but he is supposed
to have been of Connecticut origin. He
is rcputed to have been possessed of
great physical strength and powers OF
endurance, could excel in running and
jumping, and in thieving and lying had
no equal along tho river He was Of
humorous disposition also and fro.
quently in6ulgod III amusing pranks
while engaged IN plying his avocation,
1t is related of him that ON moro than
one occasion no was known slyly TO CHI
ter tho kitchen OF family when all
were in bed, start up tho fire and cook
himself meal and loisuroly eat it, IL
| discovered, no rolled On his swifnpss OF
foot to escape Finally his thofts ho.
came so numerous that tho whole neigh
| borhood arose against him. and no was
arrested and confined in tho rude Jail at
| Sunhury, but rs il was not very secure
he escaped and ShowU Antics oIforod u
reward for his apprehension, loo took
refuge ON tho isle of Quo aud concealed
| himself in dense thieket llo might
have eludcd pursuit hut for his mordi-
nate love for pcrpetrating jokes While
lying in his place ot concealmont near
tho road which crossed tho island Joo
heard the footsteps OF n horse and, slyly
pecping from his covert, discovered tho
shoritf's wife approaching on horseback
on her way to Selinsgrovc Quickly
stepping into tho road. he pulled off his
hat, made polite how aud as quickly
Disappeared In tho bushes. Tho aston.
ished Indy who knew him, hurried on
to Selinsgrovo and gave tho alarm.
A party headed by George KRONER,
afterward member of congress, was
hurriedly mado up and went In pursuit
of the refugee Howas captured and re'
turned to the custody Of Sheriff Antics
ut tho Jail in Sunbury, Ac was tried
and convicted, aud his sentence IL Quo
Of tho strangcst found In tho annals OF
criminal history IN Pennsylvania The
quarter sessions docket, still preserved
among tho court records ut Sunbury
(for September term, 1884, shows that
no was convicted OF felony, and tho fol.
lowing sentence was imposed:
| Judgment - that tho said Joseph
Disberry receive 30 lashos between the
hours of and 0 o'clock tomorrow; to
stand In tho pillory ono hour; TO have
his ears cut of and nailed to the post;
to return tho property stolen or tho
value thereof; remain In prison three
months pay n fine Of c30 to tho honor.
able tho president Of this state for tho
support Of tho government and stand
convicted until fine. fees, etc, arc
paid"
This remarkable sentence shows tho
estimate that was put on Joo M n orin-
final Tho whipping post and pillory
stood In tho public square IN Sudbury.
and tho spot can still DO pointed out.
Colonel Henry Antos, tho sheriff, di.
rected tho whipping II no did not do 1t
himself There is no record to show
who did tho ear cropping, but as tho
surgical operation fell To tho sheriff 1t
Is presumed that he did Among tho IL
men who composed tho jury were SOW
ernl noted Indian lighters and lscyolu.
tionnry soldiers, Potter llostorman, fore.
man, was active M n militinman nnu
had command ut ono time OF company
TO rcpel Indian attacks Adam and MI
chael Grove were famous rs Indian
scouts aud were engaged IN several
bloody encounters with tho savngoa
This severe sentence did not euro .loo OF
his thleying propeusities, tor the quar-.
ter SESSIONS docket for August term,
1893, shows that he WAS arraiRned aud
tried ON three indictments Cor robbing
the houses Of Philip Bower. Peter Jones
and Isaiah Willitts and convicted on
each The Hon Jacob Rush, president
1udgo OF tho Judicial district was OH
tho bench aud imposed the following
sentence =
THAT tho prisoner, Joseph bisborry,l
forfeit all and singular his goods and
chattels, land and tenemcnts, b and
for the use OF the commonwealth. and
undergo q soryitudc 81 seven years for
the burglary committed In tho house Of,
Philip Bower, aud DO committed 20 tho
house OF correction. pay tho costs OF
prosecution, etc The court then sen.
fenced him on the two other indictments,
seven years each, and continued. THAT
the defendant BIO conveyed TO tho Jail
and penitentiary house OF Philadelphia
to undergo the servitude aforesaid for
the term Of FL years And that the said
Joseph Disbcrry be kept for the space
Of two years IN tho solitary cell out OF
the term OF 81 years.
When the sentence was being do
livered Joe was IN attentive listener,
and when the Inst ''seven" was pro-
nounced he broke in with the remark.
Why, judge, three times seven are
21r which caused the audience to
smile. Joe was brought to this city and
served his long sentence, which expired
In 1919 He returned TO his old haunts
about Sunbury and Selinsgroye an old
man. but as merry as ever His long
n - NN