Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-06
THEY STOLE STOCK.
TROUBLESOME NORTHEAST MIS-
SOURI, GANG RUN DOWN.
RICH FARMERS IMPLICATED.
SENT EMPLOYEES OUT TO STEAL CAT
TIE AND HOGS.
Worked for Years Without Detection,
and Their SteaIinEs Aggregate
Tens of Thousands of Dol
Inrs-TwO Arrests and
More to Follow.

Hamilton. Mo-, Dec. 5.-(Special) Pearl
White was arrested yesterday in the east
ern part of this county on the charge of
grand larceny. This is the second arrest
made since. the sitting of the grand jury
last month. when the operations Of the
gang of stock thieves who have been rob-
binG farmers and stockmen OF this ana
adjoining counties were thoroughly III
vestiSated and the stealings all laid Eare.
james Yearly. another member of the
gang, is also under arrest for completely
in these numerous robberies.
The revelations thus far concerning the
operation of the gang. Of which White and
Yearly are alleged to be members. shows
the most gigantic scheme of stealing ever
known in this section of the state. From
confessions and evidence secured. it seems
that this gang has been operating success
fully for several years and in that time
the members have stolen and converted
into money tens of thousands of dollars
worth of stock. So smoothly and quietly
anG successfully have these thieves worked
that they We're never suspected until last
August, when, by chance, they were de-
ttCtcd.
While the officials, who have been work
ing on these cases for months, and the
the leading facts have become known.
There were nearly n dozen men concerned
in these wholesale robberies, some of whom
are wealthy and held in high esteem.
These parties leased large timber tracts
and fenced them or leased timber pastures.
These were chosen in remote and out OF the
way parts of the country. The men who
did the stealing Were either actually or os-
tensibly in the employ of some well-to-do
or wealthy member of the gang. The fact
that considerable stock was handled ex-
cited no suspicion as these wealthy men
were buying or selling more or less stock,
and the men in their employ, handling,
driving and marketing stock. were not sus-
pected for the same reasons. This furnished
the gang good cloak to work under. These
leased and purchased pastures, etc, were
fences for the gang whose base Of oper-
atoms was in the southern part of the
county.
Farmers. stock raisers and feeders have
missed stock of all kinds for years. but
as the animals were usually stolen in the
spring or summer time and spirited away to
some secluded wood pasture. discovery of
the theft was usually delayed and no trace
of the stolen animals ever secured. Large
feeders would not miss stolen stock until
the pens We're emptied at marketing time.
BY that time the stolen property had been
made away with.
The presence of so formidable successful
and dangerous a gang was not known un-
til few months ago. Last spring c. b.
Ciders of Cowgirl, was thrown into Jail
at Kingston for some petty offense. There
was considerable spitework in his case. He
cleared himself This angered him SO that
he gave away" the stock thieves when he
got out. About the same time. two Of the
gang were detected in stealing six steers
from James Mackey, a prominent farmer
and stockman living fifteen miles southeast
of here Pearl White and Clem Freels,
negro were recognized late one night the
early part of last August, they drove
Mr.. Mackey'S cattle to one of their
fences" Warrants were sworn out. but
these two. with other members Of the
gang, fled.
A month later. Pearl White was cap
tured in Central Kansas and brought back
and lodged in Jail at Kingston. the county
seat. Shortly afterwards. he made a con-
fession This furnished the officers infor-
nation to work upon. The six weeks prior
to the convening of the grand jury, in
November, was well improved, SO that
when the investigation came the opera
tions of the gang became fully known.
When Yearly was arrested there ap-
peared six prominent attorneys 0hree of
whom are the best criminal lawyers in
Northern Missouri. to defend him before
n justice of the peace at his preliminary
hearing. where examination was waived.
As Yearly is colored man of limited
means. these attorneys were doubtless
employed by someone else. 1t is reported
that the wealthy members of the gang
coming to the relief of the others.
Bail also was furnished in large amount
for the negro wh=n needed
Yearly was arrested for stealing six
large hogs from the feed yard of Anson
Salisbury. now of Breckenridge, but who
lived. four years ago. when his hogs were
stolen by Yearly and others, on his large
farm twelve miles southeast of here. Sew
erai neiShbors of Mr.. Salisbury. who were
heavy feeders also. suffered losses of cat
tie and hogs.
During the warmer months. this gang
confined their efforts to stealing stock
When winter came on and stock was kept
in smaller inclosureS and the leaves hav-
ing fallen made detection easier. the gang
worked another graft Since disclosures
began to come out. it has been learned
that certain members of the gang looted
more than dozen sInokehouses in the
eastern part of the county one night last
winter Several bussies and spring waS-
ons were used by the thieves, who went
spring wagons. taking as much rs 600
pounds of meat at two different places.
These spring wagons and buGgies met a
Two horse farm wagon out on the high
way. where the stolen meat was trans
1erreG. The miscellaneous driving of sew
eral bussies and spring wagons on the
roads in that section that night made
tracking up the thieves impossible by the
robbed farmers the next day.
These thefts remained unsolvod until re-
Gently when one of the thieves told how
the meat was taken TO Chillicothe and
other towns and sold
Nothing since the days of the civil war
mas mas stirred up the people in this county
like these stock thieves cases When
the cases come up for trial nearly one
iourth OF the people of this county will
be personally interested. while large num-
pers IN adjoining counties. who have suf-
fered by reason of this gang will be in
tsrested tf:st. also. The March term of the
circuit court at Kingston promises TO be a
stirring one. More arrests will follow Of
men now under Indictment, one of whom
Is probably the wealthiest man in this
section of the state.
STEALS FOR HER SWEETHEART