The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-01-01
{ e JOE pISRERRY.
4 Thief OF Revolutionary Days. Who
LOST His Enrs for JoIsInE.

MERRY JOE DISeERRY.
4 Thief Of revolutionary Days, Who
Lost His Ears for Joking.
About the close of the revolutionary
war a notorious character named Joe
Disberry lived about Selinsgrove and
Sunbury. on the Susquehanna. Whence
he came is unknown. but he is sup
posed to have been of Connecticut
origin. He is reputed to have been
possessed of great physical strength
and powers of endurance; could excel
in running and jumping. and in thiev-
ing and lying had no equal along the
river. He was of a humorous disposi-
ton also, and frequently INDUCED in
amusing pranks while engaged in ply
ing his %avocation. 1t is reIated of him
that on more than n occasion he was
known slyly to enter the kitchen Of q
family when all were in bed, start up
the fire and cook himself a meal and
leisurely eat It. If discovered he relied
on his swiftness of foot to escape.
Finally his thefts became so numerous
that the whole neighborhood arose
against him, and he IVES arrested and
confined in the rrIde Jail at Sunbury.
But as 1t was not very secure he es-
capped. and Sheriff Antics offered a re.
ward for his apprehension. Joe took
refuge on the Isle of Que, and con-
cealed himself In a dense thicket. He
might have eluded pursuit but for his
tnordinate love for perpetrating jokes.
While lying in his place of cnncealment
near the road which crossed the island,
Joe heard the footsteps of a horse, and,
slyly peeping from his covert. dlsccv-
cred the sherif's wife approaching on
horseback on her way to S~clinsgrove.
Quickly stepping into the roadh he pulled
off his hat, made a polite bow, and as
quickly disappeared In the bushes.
The astonished lady, who knew him,
hurried on to Selinsgrove and gave
the alarm. A party headed by George
Kremer (afterward a member of con-
gress), was hurriedly 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 (for September
term, 1880 shows that he was convicted
Of felony, and the following sentence
was imposed:
Judgment: That the said Joseph
Disberry receive 80 lashes between the
hours of eight and nine o'clock to-mor-
row; to stand in the pillory one hour;
to have his ears cut off and nailed to
the post; to return the property stolen,
OF the value thereof; remain in prison
three months; pay a fine of ESQ to the
honorable, the president of this state,
for the support of the government, and
stand convicted until fine, fees, etc, are
paid"
This remarkable sentence shows the
estimate that was put on Joe as a Grim
inal. The whipping post and piIlory
stood In the public square in Sunbury,
and the spot can still be pointed out,
Col. Henry Antes, the sheriff, directed
the whipping. If he did not do 1t him
self. There Is no record to show who
did the ~ear-cropping, but as the sur
gical operation fell to the sheriff, it is
presumed that he did. Among the 12
men who composed the jury wore sew
eral noted Indian fighters and revolu-
~tionary soldiers. Peter Hosterman,
4OACAddus was dCIfG as q hIlIlldHdus
and had command at one time of a COM
peny to repel Indian attacks. Adam
and Michael Grove were famous as In
dian scouts, and were engaged in sew
eral bloody encounters with the saw
ages. This severe sentence did not
cure Joe Of his thieving p~ropensities,
for the quarter sessions docket for Au-
gust term. 1898, shows that he was ar
raigned and tried on three indictments
for robbing the houses of Philip Bower.
Peter Jones and Isaiah Willitts. and
convicted on each. Hon. Jacob Rush,
president Judge Of the judicial district,
was on the bench, and imposed the fol-
lowing sentence:
"That the prisoner, Joseph Disberry,
forfeit all and singular his goods and
chattels, land and tenements, to and for
the use Of the commonwealth. and un-
dergo a servitude 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 SEN
fenced him on the two other indict-
seven years each, and continued
"That the defendant be conveyed to the
goal and penitentiary house of Phila-
delphia to undergo the servitude afore-
said for the term of 81 years. And that
the said Joseph Disberry be kept for
the space Of two years in the solitary
cell out of the term of 81 years."
When the sentence was being deliv-
cred Joe was an attentive listener. and
when the last "seven" was pronounced
he broke in with the remark: "Why,
three times seven are 21!"
caused the audience to smile.
Joe was brought 10 this city and served
his long sentence, which expired in I
1919. He returned to his old haunts
about Sunbury and Se~linsgrove an old
man. but as merry as ever. His long
and frequent punishment failed to
make an honest man of him, and he '
continued to pilfer wherever an oppor-
offered. The date of his death is
unknown, but it Is said that he went ,
night to a mill in Union county to
-four, and, falling through a
hatchway. sustained injuries which :
killed Observation-Disclosures Times. -,