Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1922-09-22
HAS BANQUETS TO
KEEP FUNDS DOWN
Anti-Horse Stealing Society Has
Little to Do
Walpole Organization, Over Century Old,
May Try to Catch Automobile Thieves
--Banquets Since 1902.

-Banquets Since 1902.
Even though the object of the Wal.
pole On. H. Society for Bringing to JUS
tice Horse Thieves and pilferers is fast
becoming dead issue, owing to the
passing Of the horses in favor of auto
mobiles, the society is live one, even
though it is Jog years old
When the society was formed, more
than n century ago, horse thieves were
almost as numerous as automobile
thieves are today, and there was every
need for such society.
Since horses to be stolen have become
SO few, there has been little for the So
ciety to spend money for, and as the
laws of incorporation prevent its holding
more than $4,000, the members have
been enjoying annual banquets to keep
the funds below the $4,000 mark.
There are now grandchildren, great
grandchildren and even grcat-great-
grandchildren of some of the founders of
the society members of it at the present
time.
"Stop Thief" Its Motto.
stop Thief was the motto adopted
JOG years ago by the Walpole Detecting
society, which is now known as the
Walpolc Society for Bringing to Justice
Horse Thieves and Pilferers. AT the
time of its organization in 1916 there
were So members, and today there are
120. During the course of years there
have been more than 600 different mem
bers.
While it cannot be said that no horse
thief has visited the town since it's or
ganization. the society has had much
weight with the professional horse thief
md ha has not mott anI Ia npt, IN, nj
pole as much as in other places.
At a recent meeting of the society the
secretary. Charles III. Barnes, brought
to the attention of the members that
when the men associated themselves to-
gether a century ago for the purpose of
catching horse thieves. the stealing of
horses was quite common occurrence.
The object for which the society was
formed has ceased to exist, as the steal
ing of horses in this section of the cOun-
try is now very rare.
He felt that n society without an OBJ
ject was a dead society and that some
thing might be added to the work that
would be of more benefit to the mem
bers and the town of WalpOle. He rec
commended that bansuets be held and
that Il committee be appointed to recon-
mend some live issue for the society.
1t may be possible that the society now
turns to bringing to justice automobile
tHieNtS anu pllleTeTS.
Hen RoOsts Included
The call of the first meeting of the
society was as follows:
1--WE, the subscribers. agree to asso-
ciate ourselves into a society for the
purpose of catching horse thieves and
recovering horses that may be stolen
from the town of Walpole, and to be
governed by such rules and regulations
as may be agreed upon by the majority
.f h.. ,I.sx., H..
them to be holden at Asher Southworth's
on Saturday, the 18th inst, at 1 O'clocl:
p. m. Walpole, Sept. Z, 1916"
The call was signed by Sc subscribers
Josiah Bellows was chosen moderator,
Abel Bellows clerk. A committee was
appointed to secure subscribers and an
other to form a constitution and bylaws.
The constitution was adopted Oct. -,
1915, and the Walpole Detecting society
continued under that name until 1921
when it was changed to 'the Walpolc
Society for Detecting and Furnishing
Horse Thieves, and Pilferers and Plum
derers of Gardens and Fruit Orchards. :"
On June 26, 1885, the society was in
corporated by an act of the legislature
under the name of the Walpole Society
for Bringing to Justice Horse Thieves
and Pilferers. In 1880 two additional
articles were added to the constitution.
authorizing the bringing to justice of
The membership fee originally was 81,
and it remained at that figure until
1883, when it was raised to, SO, but the
next year it was reduced to 81
n peculiar record was voted upon. 1t
was that if any member paid 81 10 in
addition to what he had paid before. his
right in the society should descend to
his Oldest male heir, or in default there
of to his oldest female heir.
In 1876 1t was voted to have the pro-
ceedings of the meeting published, and
again in 1928 a similar vote was passed.
In 1880 it was voted that an agent be
appointed to attend court at Plymouth,
Mass, for the purpose of convcting the
person who stole Il horse from Josiah
Bellows, Sd, and voted that each mem
Der be assessed 80 cents for the purpose
of defrayinG the expenses.
More than the Horse Was Worth.
The following appears in the records
of 1911:
''Pcterboro, Jan. %, 1s41 Received
of the Thief Society of Walpole, ten dol
lars in full for. assisting in arresting
James Mccoy for stealing Mr.. Robin
sons horse. Signed William Carter"
In 1916 Il horse was stolen from Al
vim Martin. Search for the animal was
continued for six years and the society
expended more money than the value of
the horse, but neither the horse nor the
thief was ever found.
At the meeting in 1857 it was voted
that Charles Watkins be authorized TO
obtain new members and that he be al
lowed 10 per cent for his trouble. The
treasurer's report for that year showed
that Mr.. Watkins received commission
of ST.
For many years following 1857 moth
ing eventful occurred at the meetings
except the election of officers and the
instructing of the clerk to have the
usual number of hand bills printed and
distributed and the payment of the bills
incurred.
In 1893 the society failed to hold its
annual meeting at the regular time, and
justice was petitioned to call meet
ing. This meeting was held April 20
officers were elected and the society
started on its way again rejoicing.
The society has given a banquet nearly
every year since 1902, with speaking
and other forms of entertainment. In
1904 Gov. Samuel ID. Feker was the
guest Of the society. In 1915, for the
first time in the history of the society
ladies We're invited to the banquet and
an elaborate program was given.