The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-26
THE HORSE THIEF.
FINE ART OF GETTING OFF WITH
PORTABLE PROPERTY.
Good Animals Tempt the EyilIy In
cIined-GOOd stories of stealing.

They Used to Hang for 1.-THE Way
Good Animals Tempt the EviIIy In
cIinetl-GoOd stories of stealing.
From the London Spectator.
Among the crop of law court stories re-
vlved in connection with the cases in
which the late Sir Frank Lockwood was
engaged, was one of DEMONSTRATING, in
which the judge and prisoner discussed
the social aspects of this offense. Fifty
years ago." remarked the judge, you
would have been hanged for this" 'Then
perhaps fifty years later it won't be
crime at ALL" was the prisoners rejoinder
1t is just possible that the suggestion
may come true, though not on the lines of
evolution suggested by the Yorkshire horse
thief. Already the bicycle offers the same
temptations which induce one particular
and well-known form of DEMONSTRATING, in
which the thief is seized with a sudden
of property which is zone better than
portable property, inasmuch as it will
carry him far from the scene of his crime.
But apart from this paroxysmal form,
professional and organized demonstrating
is as common now as seventy years ago,
when the stage coachman used to aid the
Bow street runners by looking out for
stolen horses, which they passed when
driving their coaches. On the whole 1t is
more common than dog-stealing, because
there is a greater demand for the class
of horses usually stolen, and these are
purchased by buyers not nice in inquir>
ing how they were come by.
Still, 1t is rather a surprise to hear of a
man of siXty-one who has spent thirty
years of his life in gaol for demonstrating
only. This was the record of a man con-
victed four years ago and sentenced to
three years penal servitude. He usually
stole valuable horses, and was believed to
have means of disposipg of them at a good
price. The animal which led to his last
conviction was valued at f40, and was stol-
en- from a field near Stanmore. When
recovered it was well disguised, with tail
clipped and name "hogged," so it was most
unlikely to be recognized. II is most I'M
wise to leave out at night in any field
within short distance of London horses
of the class which can be put into light
carts and gigs, unless the gates are soidly
fastened and the fences wired. The follow
ing is a typical case: A stableman and
laborer were indicted for having stolen
horse, the property of baker. The baker
used to turn his horse out in a field at
Tottenham, and one morning found that it
had disappeared. The baker went to the
cattle market next day, possibly to buy
another horse, but probably thinking that
his own might be on sale there He saw it
being driven there, was introduced to the
soi-distant owner bought it for four
pounds, took a receipt for il, and then
handed over the horse and it's vendor to
the police. The result was the man who
sold 1T, and the stable boy, who had only
been requested to fetch" the horse, were
found guilty. The frequency of this kind of
| DEMONSTRATING round London may be
| judged by any one who will read the no.
| tees of horses lost, stolen or strayed.
posted at the police stations.
The attraction of an ownerless horse and
cart to sailors on leave is obvious, espe-
cially when the animal is standing invlt-
ingly in the street, apparently only need
ing driver. This explains the occasional
| appearance of sailors under the rather SEN
sational charge of Stealing horse and
trap" But the story told by a seaman
not a mono wars man who was con
vicetd at the Preston sessions paints the
horse in the light of tempter, and himself
as the victim. The prisoners account of
the transaction was couched in even bet
ter narrative form than the report which
we transcribe, which ran as follows:
night was fine and the dew falling. Pass
ing through Garstang I came across the
| mare, and as il seemed to be going the
same way with myself we logged along
together I called at the farm
house and asked IL they knew the owner
but they did not, and l borrowed a piece
of sacking and a bucket of water and
bathed its back. which was sore, and pro-
| ceeded, after being advised to turn the an
imal adrift. When / came to two lane
ends ] tried to drive the animal away but
It knew who had treated IL well, and fol-
lowed me. Had ] wanted to steal horse
could have stoeu a horse, gig and a
splendid set of harness two miles lower
down the road" Yorkshire has always
been noted for the interest of it's popula-
ton in horses.
The following para graph, which appear
ed IN a London paper, is somewhat re-
markable; The mystery of the disappear
ance of Mr. Craig's mare 'Noiseless was
solved Saturday by her recovery from a
livery stable in Leeds. The missing stable
lad has not been caught. Saturday morn
ing a person, believed to be him. offered
the mare for sale for g. The possible pur-
chaser having viewed her, promised 20
buy II the seller would call again for the
money but the latter appears to have
grown suspicious and was not seen again
The police being informed teegraphed to
the trainer. who at once sent over his
head lad. and the mare was Identified
The theft was effected on Wednesday
night after 10 o'clock, and within twenty
four hours the animal was in Leeds fifty
niles off. She is none the worse. how
ever, except that she has been underfed"
The fascination which horse-stealing ex-
ercises on the Imagination of small bows
might be Illustrated by numbers of recent
Instances; but judging by the ages Of the
prisoners in some cases. they do not seem
10 grow ont OF the habit when they np-
proach years Of discretion. The juvenile