CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-12-22
HAD PENCHAMT
FOR CHICKEN.
How Chickadee Raided the
Poultry Houses of Ranchers.

FOuitIy 1OuScS OI N1nCuehb.
| Apropos OF the organization Of a pet
stock association here last week the
story Of "Chickadee's" success as poul-
try thief here few years ago will not
be uninteresting to our readers. par
ticularly to those engaged in the
tchicken business.
During the fall of 1898, or there
sbouts, people living in the suburbs of
Canon City were much annoyed by the
raids upon their poultry houses by
skillful thief who left no evidence be-
hind that would lead to his identity.
Many efforts were made to capture
him but for long time to no purpose,
and it seemed that nearly every
chicken in the community was des-
tined to find its way TO market through
the agency of this unknown midnight
marauder. who had more than once
demonstrated his capacity to outwit
those who were endeavoring to bring
him to justice.
| No man is shrewder than an entire
community when it il once aroused.
and in course of time "Chickndee" fell
into the hands of the law and was con-
vicied and sentenced to the peniten-
tiary for term OF four years, which
he served, receiving his dismissal from
that institution some twelve or fifteen
months ago. 1t was while in prison
that he was given the name of Chick
adee, I" and as il was so appropriate it
10 still applied To him by those unfa-
miliar with his family cognomen-
His methods Of doing business were
unique, and were carried on with a
conscientiousness of detail that indi-
Gated q genius for his chosen calling
in which he shone with the lustre of a
Napoleon or an Alexander. He never
raided two poultry houses on the same
side of the river on consecutive nights.
but devoted his attention alternately
to Lincoln Park and Fruitmere, which
accounts in some measure for his elud-
ing the officers go long.
He was invariably successful in his
raids, sometimes carrying OF more than
a hundred chickens in a single night
He always bled his quarry as soon as il
was caught in order to present first
class carcass TO the dealer when it was
offered for sale, this bleeding operation
sometimes requiring half the night.
He was deliberate and methodical
about everything that he did, and that
it did not lead TO his undoing is re-
markable.
He travelled in a wagon, and it was a
poor nights business when he did not
have load pf dead poultry to haul of
to Colorado Springs or Pueblo in the
morning He drove the same team for
long time and that fact led to his
arrest in the end, as one OF the horses
was without a shoe on one of his hind
feet, which enabled ''Chickadee's" pur-
suers to follow him TO Colorado
Springs where he was arrested ,hsgrante
delictu. rs the lawyers say.
Some chickens which had been stolen
here were identified by the owners and
"Chickadee" confessed his crime. He
had the dead chickens in bath tub and
wAs in the act OF scalding them prepara-
tory to divesting them of their feathers
when taken into custody. Chick
adec" had fine house in Colorado
Springs which he had, presumably,
made from the profits on the business
which he had conducted SO indus
triously.
We've received the 25c Haviland