The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-09-19
HAS BANQUETS TO
KEEP FUNDS DOWN
Anti-Horse Stealing Society
of WalpOle Has Little
to Do
MAY TRY TO CATCH
AUTOMOBILE THIEVES
Organized More Than Century Ago -
Secretary Recommends that Society
Take Up Some Live Issue - Annual
Banquets Since 1902.

Even though the object of the Wal,
pole IN. h Society for Bringing to JUS
tice Horse Thieves and Pilferers is fast
becoming a dead issue, owing to the
passing of the horses in favor of auto
mobiles, the society is a live one, even
though it is 106 years old.
When the society was formed. more
/ than a 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 $1,000 mark.
There are now grandchildren. great
grandchildren and even great-great-
grandchildren of some of the founders Of
me society members of it at the present
time.
stop Thief" Its Motto.
Stop Thief was the motto adopted
lU6 years ago by the WaIpole Detecting
society, which Is now known as the
morse thieves and PilfererS. At the
time OF Its organization in 1916 there
We're Sh members, and today there are
i-o. During the course of years there
haYe beep more than 600 different mem
While it cannot be said that no horse
thief has visited the town since its or
ganization, the society has had much
weight with the professional horse thief
ana ne has not practiced his art in Wal
pole as much as in other places.
At a recent meeting of the society the
secretary, Charles II. Barnes. brought
TO, the attention of the members that
Nheh the men associated themselves to-
sether a century ago for the purpose of
catching horse thieves. the stealing of
EorSeS was quite a common occurrence
Inc object for which the society was
formed has ceased TO exist. as the steal
ing OF horses i'm this section of the coun-
try Is now very rare.
lie felt that society without an OBJ
Ject was dead society and that some
thing might be added To the work that
would be Of more benefit to the mem
oers and the town of WaIpOle. He rec
commended that banquetS be held and
mat a committee be appointed to recon-
mend some live issue for the society
Il may be possible that the society now
turns to bringing to justice automobile
thieves and pilfeTers.
Hen ROOsts Included
The call of the first meeting of the
| society was as follows:
we, the subscribers. agree to asso-
cate ourselves into Il society for the
purpose OF catching horse thieves and
recovering horses that may be stolen
from the town of WalpoIe. and to he
governed by such rules and regulations
as may be agreed upon by the maiority
OF the subscribers at the meeting of
them TO be holden at Asher Southworth's
on Saturday, the 18th inst. mt 1 o'clock
2. IN. Walpole, Sept, Z. 1916"
HE call was signed by S6 subscribers.
J9Slah Bellows was chosen moderator.
Abet Bellows clerk. 4 committee was
appointed to secure subscribers and an
gIher to form constitution and bylaws.
Inc constitution was adopted Oct. L.
1910, and the Walpole Detecting society
continued under that name until 1871,
Wheh IL was changed to the Walpole
Soclety Tor Detecting and Furnishing
Horse Thieves. and Pilferers and PIun-
dereFs of Gardens and Fruit Orchards. "
On June 26, 1885, the society was in
corporated by an act of the legislature
ehder the name of the Walpole Society
Tor Brlnging to Justice Horse Thieves
ana pllfererS. In 1880 two additional
arlicIeS were added TO the constitution.
authorizing the bringing to justice of
rlIIefers of hen rooSts and clothes lines
Inc membership fee originally was 81.
,Shd 1t remained at that figure until
1888, when it was raised to SO, but the
next year it was reduced to 81
Il 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
MS Oldest male heir, or in default there
OF to his oldest female heir.
In 1876 it was voted to have the pro
ceedlngs of the meeting published, and
again IN 1878 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 cOnyicting the
person who stole a horse from Josiah
Bellows, Sd, and voted that each mem
Der be assessed 30 cents for. the purpose
OF defraylng the expenses.
More than the Horse Was Worth.
The following appears in the records
Of 1871:
''Peterboro. Jan. g, 1871. 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 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 a commission
of 81.
For many years following 1867 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 1898 the society failed to hold its
annual meeting at the regular time. and
a justice was petitioned to call a meet
ing. This meeting was held April %, !
officers were elected and the society
started on its way again rejoicing.
The society has given banquet nearly |
every, year since 1902. with speaking
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