The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-24
Bible Agent Thought TO Be Re-
sponslbIs for Missing Horses.
ROBBERlES THAT PUZZLED
Venerable Methodist Church Wsrka WAs
Accepted Hospitality, 0rganiz,d sabbath
Schools and Stole Horses.

Lancaster Pa. Oct. "a remarka-
BILE story OF a series OF crimes commit
ted under the guise OF religion has been
brought 10 light by the arrest and In
carceration In the Lancaster county Jail
OF A. G. Glasgow, who had been looked
upon as a highly respected resident Of
Millersville
Travelling through the country selling
Bibles he would stop at a farmhouse
for few days lodging Soon after his
departure the farmers best horse would
be missing.
A horse was stolen from George De
Haven of New Holland. and a buggy
from Martin Hammond, neighSor,
about a month ago Detectives learned
that one A. c. Glasgow OF Millersville.
had sold a team to ]. Y. Gemmill at
Red Lion. York county This clue led to
Glasgows arrest on a Sunday as he
was leaving the Methodist Sunday
school at Millersvile with his two
daughters.
CONSERVATION spread among the MEM
bers OF the school. as he was taken In
lars OF the church and sunday school,
and It was not until some days later that
tbty would believe him guilty
Glasgow was a book and Bible agent,
travelling through this and adjoining
counties and occasionally organizing a
Sunday school a side issue.
How GAME WAS PLAYED.
He would generally stop at farmers
house in preference to hotel. and would
always make a good impression. He
evinced great interest in the welfare OF
the family he was visiting. and would in
duce them to take him around the neigh
borhood
He always made IL a point TO attend
the church where the family worshipped.
After selling a number OF Bibles he left
At the same time would go one or two
teams
So numerous were the robberies that
the farmers began to think the famous
Welsh Mountain gang of thieves was
again at work.
After his arrest Glasgow made a state
ment TO District Attorney Croft, in which
he admitted that he had been dealing In
horses, but all OF them. he declared, he
had purchased from a Lancaster horse
dealer named John Kline. an individual
whom the local olice have been unable
to find. His statement is regarded by
the district attorney as virtual confess
sion of guilt.
HAD MANY HORSES.
Kline. Glasgow said, met him occa-
sionally in this city and always had a
horse or two to SELL Glasgow purchased
them and then drove them TO another
town, where he. would sell them at a good
figure. Glasgow says he bought eight
horses from the mysterious John Kline.
These animals were stolen in this and
Lebanon counties, and all but one have
been recovered.
An interesting story is told OF how
Glasgow succeeded In disposing OF two
horses in Chester county which he had
stolen from two farmers at Vogonville,
this county He represented himself
there as a harnessmaker and horse
dealer. He found a purchaser for the
horses in Elwood Webster OF Hopewell.
near oxford, but before the latter would
pay for them he insisted that Glasgow
Identify himself.
Here the latter used his reputation as q
Sunday school worker to help him
through He went to oxford and re-
turned with James Wilson, a prominent
resident OF that place. whose daughter
was a school teacher In East Hempfield
township, this county, and attended the
Bible class taught by Glasgow.
Through this Identification he disposed
OF his horses for several hundred dol
lars. One OF the horses has since been
recovered.
Two valuable horses were stolen from
III. O. Longnecker at Annville, Lebanon
county last June. Glasgow spent several
weeks with the Longnecker family while
he was selling Bibles. He attended the
church in the neighborhood and made a
favorable impression. Farmer Long
necker was kind enGvgh to drive TO the
next town so that he could sell his books.
The horses used on the trip were stolen
HE'S FROM TENNESSEE.
In nearly every instance Glasgow dis
posed OF the horses to keepers of livery
stables, 10 whom he would represent him.
self as a horse dealer. One OF the horses
changed ownership several times after IL
left Glasgow's possession. and II was
finally recovered at Winston, ~. c.
Others we're recovered ut Port Deposit
and Belair. Ind. At the latter place Gias-
gov sold a horse to G.. A. McGraw.
keeper OF n livery stable. to whom he rep
resented himself as a tree agent. He
said he had been discharged by the COM
pany for which he was travelling and
had no further use for the team.
Glasgow is about IS years old and came
originally from Nashville. Tenn. Ten
years ago he made his appearance I'm
Quarryvile. While he was there several
horses were stolen. Shortly sfterward
he moved 20 Rohrerstown. where he took
great interest In religious Affairs and
was instrumental I'm organizing a Sunday
school. the Bible class OF which ne tn,eht
for several years
Four years ago he went 10 MiIlersvi,ls