New-York tribune., 1903-01-11
FARMERS VIGILANCE COMMITTEE.
uoyR0E cOUNTY MEN PROTECT THEIR PROPER7Y-HOW
HORSE THIEVES HAVE BEEN CA UGH7-RECENT
ROBBERY AROUSES ACTION.
AROUSES

nort The first president was Charles Brigham.
and his assistants were his brothers. Orvile' or
o. P, he was more widely known; Milton ana
John. The idea gained popularity On account OIL
a series of bold barn robberies, which threw the
Ridge Road landhoders into a panic. 1t was de-
termined to make the organization legal, so con-
stitution drawn up, officers elected and papers
of incorporation fled The first article OF the con-
stit,rtion has been quoted The second provides
for the officers. who are the usuaI ones In nufoer
and duties Besides these are five directors FOR
each town represented by twenty-five members, or
on a basis of one for every five members. Ihese
directors in each town appoint ten 'expressmen
TO serve for one year each, until their success
sors are appointed. These 'expressmen OF
riders" as they are generally called. are
intrusted with pursuing the thieves. says Articie
w of the constitutions
+bieyes and on being Informed that any member
has had horse or tb or oeaee fae oT
orders directions necessary and t he sba shd
on duty be determined BY the etc bene ana ad Pada
;ted u Nv the directors and said expressmen shall
be subject fine Of $40 for neglect OF snen nby,
unless prevented by SICKNESS or o'hef feaSo''"'i'
excuse.
Such is the duty of these Monroe minute men OF
the year 1902, and briskly do they jump to morse
when occasion calls. Naturally, being the younger
men of the association, they rather relish than
dislike the exciting pursuit OF fleeing thieves
through the moonlight nights over the level ridge
with the chance of an occasional brush with tne
more desperate rufians. The most notorious ana
widely known thief that the association ever mad
dealings with was Seymour Bullock, ana the most
nersistent and troublesome was man named
Rocco The former captured after a pursuit
of many months through two States; the iatter
got Auburn SIS the conclusion to career which
for thoroughness and pertinacity in depreciation
has been equalIed by few ''rustlers" of the West
borders.
One of the famous riders" Of his day was Cap
tain Charles A. Webster. now superintendent OF
the Monroe County peniteltiary- He and John
brigham caught Bullock in Indiana, and the man
~ or !. is still told around the fires in Parma
on winter nights Along in 1874 the Ridge farmers
had been losing horses with regularity wnich
had aroused them to the last pitch OF disgust
when one night after a hot chase through TWO
..0--nsbins the riders captured the thief He was
+oken hack To the home OF one of the Brighams
and put in the snokehouse to be Kept SAFE unui
morning stalWart "exp-essman was ie1t on
guard with instructions TO shoot him down In case
he made any attempt TO escape AFTER an hour tne
prisoner began conversation with his guard. he
said his name was Seymour Bullock and that ne
came of good family down near Albany ne
was smooth. easy talker, and possessed a tuho
OF anecdotes. which he retaiied through the aoor
After time the relations between MIN anu ms
taller became more intimate. and at the exact
psychic moment he expressed a desire 10 smoke
''You fellows took away my tobacco and pipe
when you searched me-" he said with sigh. which
the soft hearted guard could hear through the
door panks.
1--WE got a pipe In my pocket" said the jaiier
land / don't harm In letting you have IT.
It'I be burned long time before you git another
So saying, he unlocked the door and passed In
through the narrow crack his pipe and pouch The
nrIsoner took it with many emphatic thanks and
apparently filled the pipe carefully Then lie SAID
IN a matter of fact way.
NOW TN be all right IL you'll give match"
letting go his grip of the door handle the nm
s.sneotius guard began 70 tumble In his pockets
In fash Bullock hurled open the door, isaped