The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1897-08-19
JOE DISBERRY,
SelinsgrOve, the Home Of a
Remarkable Thief in Rev
OlutiOnary Times.
From philadelphia Times. AUG. 4, ,so,

FROM Philadelphia Times, Aug. II. 1897.
An old-time newspaper man. now a resident
OF "ill'amsport and who conccas himself un-
DER the non de plume OF "JOhn OF Lancaster" In
oruer TO Keep my hand in" has forwarded for
your Information the facts concerning one OF
whom he says that $50 far as l know, In the
annals OF Pennsylvania history, he was the
most remarkable thief who figures I'm the ON.
clal records OF the Commonwealth" This Is
the tale he wishes you to hear, and It Is all veri
Ned by oficlal data.
About the close OF the revolutionary war a no.
torlous character named Joe Disberry lived
ABOUT Sellnsgrove and sunbury, on the Susque.
| mamma. Whence he came Is unknown, bu. he Is
| supposed to have been OF Connecticut origin,
| iels reputed to have been possessed OF great
| physlcai strength aud powers OF endurance {;
could excel In running and jumping. and In
thie'ng and lying had no equal along the river
lie was OF a humorous disposition also, and fire..
quently indulged In amusing pranks while en-
gagged In plying his avocation. IL is related OF
him that on more than one occasion he WAS
known to slvly enter tho kitchen OF a family
|
himself meal and leisurely cat It. II discover
90 ne relied on his swiftness OF foot to escape
Finally his thefts became 80 numerous that the
Whole neighborhood arose against him, and he
was arrested and confined In the rude Jail at
sunDury. But as II was not very secure he es.
capped. and Sherin Antes offered reward for
his apprehension. Joe took refuge on the isle
OF Que.' and concealed himself In dense thick
OF. He might have cluded pursuit but for his
inordinate love for perpetrating Jokes. While
lying In his place Of conceaiment near the road.
which crossed tho island. .Ioe heard the foot.
steps OF horse, and slyly peepng from his COW
ert discovered the Sherif's wife approaching on
horseback on her way to Selinsgrove. Quickly
stepping Into the road he pulled OF his hat,
made polite bow. and as quickly disappeared
In the bushes. The astOnished lady. who knew
him. hurried on to Selinsgrovs and gave the
alarm party headed by George Kremer (at.
terwards member OF Congrcss) was hurrieGIy
made up and went In pursuit OF the refugee. He
was captured and returned TO the custody OF
sheriff Antes at the Jail In sunbury. He was
tried and convicted and his sentence Is one OF
the strangest found In the annals OF criminal
history In Pennsylvania The Quarter Sessions
docket, still preserved among the court records
at sunbury uor September term. 1880 shows
that he was convicted OF felony. and the follow.
Ing sentence was imposed:
Judgment: That the said Joseph Disberry
| receive thirty nine lashes between the hours OF
eight and nine o'clock tomorrow to stand I'm
the pllOry one hour: to have his ears cut on and
nailed to the post; 10 return the property stol.
en-. or the value thereof: remain In prison three
months; pay 1ne OF $40 to the honorable, the
PRESIDENT OF this state for the support OF the
government. and stand convicted untl nne.
fees, &c. are paid.
| This remarkable sentence shows the estimate
that was put on Joe as u criminal The whip
ping post and pilory stood Ia the public square
In Sunbury, and the spot can still be pointed
out. Colonel Henry Antes. the Sheriff, directcd
the whipping, ifhe did not do IL himself. There
IL no record to show who did the ear cropping
but as the surgical operation fell to the Sheriff.
itis presumed that he did. Among the twelve
men who composed the jury were several noted
Indian lighters and revolutionary soldiers. Pet
er liosterman, foreman. was active as a militia.
man, and had command at one time OF u COM
pany to repel Indian attacks. Adam and Mich.
ae Grove were famous as Indian scouts, and
were engaged IN several bloody encounters with
the savages. This severe sentence did not cure
Joe OF his thievlng propensitles. for the Quarter
Sessions docket for August term. 1898. shows
that he was arraigned and tried on three In
dictmerts for robbing the houses Of Philip Bow.
or, Peter Jones and Isaiah Wllltts, and convict
cd On each Hon. Jacob Rush. President Judge
OF the Judicial district, was on the bench, and
Imposed the following sentence
"That the prisoner, Joseph Disberry forfeit
all and singular his goods and chattels, land
and tenements, to and for the use OF the Com
mOnwealtl,. and undergo u servltude OF seven
years for the burglary committed In the house OF
Philip Bower, and be committed to the House
OF Correction, pay the costs OF prosecution etc -
The Court then sentenced him on the two other
Indictments seven years each. and continued /:
THAT the defendant be conveyed TO the goal
and penitentiary house Of the city OF Philadel-
pha to undergo the servltude Aforesaid for the
term Of twenty-one years. And that the said
Joseph Disberry be kept for the space OF two
years In the solitary cell out OF the term OF
| twenty -One years."
| when the sentence was being delivered Joe
was an attentive listener, and when the last
"seven" was pronounced he broke In with this
remark "Why. Judge. three times seven are
twenty -onew which caused the audience TO
smile. Joe was brought to this city and served
his long sentence. which expired In 1919. lie re-
turned TO his old haun;s about Sunbury and Sc
insgrove an old man. but as merry as ever. His
long and frequent punishments failed to make
an honest man Of him. and he continued to pill
fer wherever an opportunity offered. The date
Of his death is unknown, but II Is said that he
went one night to mill In Union county to
steal flour. and falling through a hatchway sus-
tanned injuries which ilnally.killsd him.
I. F. Bilger of New Berlin was in
A l. i