The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-09-18
BLOOMSBURY. PA. THURSDAY. sEPTEMBER1S, 1902
IN TnE OL0TOHEs OF TIE LAW.
The Gang Of Horse Thieves Which Has Been
Operating in the Vicinity Of Numedia
for Some Time Past Has Been
Apprehended.

fering from the almost weekly
depredations of a gang of horse
thieves. Shortly after the second
visitation Of the gang the farmers
banded themselves together for
mutual protection. A fund was
raised for the purpose of employing
detectives to run down the guilty
parties. Detectives were secured,
plans were laid, and everybody
was instructed to keep a close
watch on every suspicious looking
character that might invade the
neighborhood, either by day or
night For a few days the vigil
would be strict, then the farmers
would grow careless and the next
morning they would awake to find
another favorite charger missing.
All efforts to catch, or even get on
track of the gang were futile, until
OH Tuesday of last week, when
Abraham Berger, of Mt. Carmel,
and Mike Sabus, evidently the ring
leaders Of the outfit, were arrested
by Mt. Carmel authorities at
Shamokin Dam. 1t appears that
on Wednesday preceding the arrest
Berger and Sabus drove into
Aristes, small village near Cen
tralia, in Columbia County. The
horse they drove was very lame
and was otherwise injured. DR..
Kaufman, a veterinary surgeon, of
Ashland, was called to see the
animal. That night the two men
lett, but came back the next morn
ing with another animal. This
aroused the suspicion Of DR.. Kauff-
man, and he closely questioned the
two men, whereby he learned
enought to satisfy his mind that
they were horse thieves. From
several things that was said during
the interrogation DR.. Kaufman
surmised that the thieves, at least
for the present, had made their
headquarters at Shamokiu Dam.
Before he could notify the officers
Berger and Sabus skipped out,
leaving the two horses behind.
The next day DR.. Kaufman went
to Mt. Carmel where he notified
Chief of Police Morgan of what hat
happened. Early Monday morning
Chief Morgan and Constable Harr.
Waters, of that place, went t'
Shamokin Dam, but during th'
day they could not locate the met
they wanted. Being satisfied
however, that they were some
where in the community, they re
manned over night. Tuesda,
moaning early they saw the pal
making their way across the rive
from sunbury i'll a row boat, AM
afterwards arrested them at tn
Ferry House. Berger and his pa
were frightened badly and promise
to give the officers all of the horse
they had if they would leave ther
go.
Chief Morgan said he was onl
after the gray horse Of Willial
Rarig's, which had been stolen nea
Numidia. One of the two thieve
confessed that they had sold tt
) animal at Millersburg. The Officer
: then took the guilty pair to Mil
ersburg, where the stolen horse we
recovered. The pair were the
, placed in the lookup at Mt. Carme
Sheriff Daniel Knorr and e9
Sheriff William Black went to M
Carmel on Wednesday expectln
to bring the prisoners back and pV
y them in Jail here, but the author
: ties there would not give them l
-, until the animal for the theft
which they had been arrested, he
/, been seen and identified by i
u owner Mr.. Rarig, and the sher
i was obliged to return home emp
. handed. Later in the day M
}, Rarig went to Mt. Carmel al
q claimed the animal, after whic
! Chief of Police Morgan of tn
. town, assisted by constable toe
the prisoners to Locust townsh
o and turned them over to Constab
:, J. L. Stein, who brought them
e Bloomsbury and placed them
:, Jail. 1t is that when the Mou
'e Carmel officers and the prisone
e arrived at Numedia some wi
scenes were enacted. Feeling n
} high for while and lynching W
lie threatened. AS most of the the
d have been committed in Columt
er and Schuylkill Counties, the pr
oners will likely be tried in eth
OF those counties.
S, Berger has a record as a hoi