Friday, November 15, 2013

Cortland County Highwaymen, and Young Burglars' Description


The Cortland News, Friday, June 19, 1885.

Burglars at Etna.

   Last Thursday night burglars entered the store of E. E. Ellis, in Etna, and took a quantity of jewelry, consisting of gents' sleeve buttons, watch chains and scarf pins, also a small sum of money in change. An attempt was made to discover the burglars, and three tramps were suspected. They were traced as far as Cortland, when all track of them was lost.

   Tuesday morning Mr. Ellis came to Cortland and placed the matter in the hands of deputy sheriff Van Hoesen, who sent out postal cards offering $25.00 reward for their arrest.

   A description of the miscreants is as follows:

   One of the parties was about 5 feet 9 or 10 inches tall, had on dark or black suit of clothes, blue flannel shirt, had a small mustache, light complexion, small nose and good size eyes, and was about 22 or 23 years old. The second one a trifle smaller, long nose, a little yellow complexion, dark clothes, and had on a gray shirt, was about 12 years old, had no whiskers. The youngest one was about 16 years old, small, dark complexion, and had on a gray sack coat. One of them will have on a pair of Congress shoes, size 9, imitation lace. Although the officers are using every endeavor to find them, they have up to this writing, been unsuccessful.

 

Highwaymen.

   Saturday night last about ten o'clock Will Hollenbeck, who resides on Union street, in this village, and travels for Crouse & Co., a grocery firm of Syracuse, started to drive from Truxton to this place. While between Truxton and East Homer, a couple of young men drove past him, and wanted to run horses with him. Mr. Hollenbeck made no reply and the two drove on, but in a short time, however, they stopped their horse and allowed him to pass them when they again started their horse on a run and dared him to run with them.

   This kind of maneuvering they kept up for a half dozen times and until near Graham's brick yard this side of the County alms house, where they again stopped their horse and got out, one of them holding Mr. Hollenbeck's horse by the head, while the other one attempted to fleece him out of twenty-five dollars by claiming that Hollenbeck had struck him with a whip while they were driving past.

   Mr. H. tried to explain to them that he had done no such thing land tried to get away from his assailants. The man that was talking with him then tried to get into the wagon saying that if Hollenbeck wouldn't settle he would take it out of his hide.

   A general fight then ensued during which Hollenbeck received some ugly blows about the head blackening one of his eyes and otherwise disfiguring his face.

   While the melee was in progress several teams passed and Hollenbeck cried lustily for help, to which the occupants of the passing wagons paid no attention. After continuing the uneven fight for some time Mr. Hollenbeck cried "hold" and another parley ensued, and to get away from them Hollenbeck compromised the matter by giving them two dollars and sixty cents in cash and a box of cigars, when they drove on and allowed him to make his way home as best he could, his wagon having been overturned, harness broken, and the horse somewhat injured during the struggle. While the fight was in progress the two men told Hollenbeck that they lived in Homer and worked in Brockway's shop.

   Monday morning the matter was placed in the hands of the officers, and Tuesday [they] arrested Dan Kernan, an employee in Wickwire's shop, in this place, and Ed. Riley,  who lives just north of the fair grounds, between here and Homer.

   Kernan confessed the whole business after his arrest. The culprits were taken before Justice Bouton. And gave bail for their appearance. Riley has borne a hard reputation around this place for some time and he probably is the instigator of the affair, Kernan, having heretofore been considered an upright and straightforward young man. Whisky was at the bottom of it.

 

Burnell, Contortion Skater.

   This sensational artist, who is to appear here with the shows of Van Amburgh, Charles Reiche & Brothers, at Cortland Wednesday, July 8, is highly spoken of by the Attleborough Chronicle:

   "Prof. George Burnell, of Springfield, Mass., the only great trick and contortionist skater in the world, appeared at the North Attleboro skating rink Tuesday evening. Only a fortunate few were present to see this wonderful exhibition. It completely eclipsed anything in the skating line ever seen here. Dressed in a spangled suit of tights, he performed all the tricks of a professional contortionist with ease and grace, turning handsprings forward and backward, pirouetting, etc. His last trick will give some idea of his abilities. He placed two chairs in the middle of the room, placed one foot in each and then leaned backward and picked up in his teeth a handkerchief that lay between them on the floor, and then resumed the perpendicular. The applause was terrific and Prof. Burnell was recalled."

   Our readers should keep in mind the fact that the admission to the Van Amburgh show is but twenty-five cents.

 

WATER.

   Persons desiring a supply of Water introduced to their premises are hereby notified that they must call at the office of the company in the Schermerhorn Block, sign the application book and obtain a permit.
CORTLAND WATER CO.

 

[Filler.]

   To-morrow will be the anniversary of the accession of Queen Victoria. She will then have reigned 48 years—a period that has been exceeded only by three of England's kings, viz., Henry III., who reigned 56 years; Edward III who reigned 50 years and George III., whose reign lasted for nearly 60 years. The Queen is also the oldest reigning European monarch with three exceptions— The Emperor of Germany, who is 88 years of age; the King of Netherlands, 68 years, the King of Denmark, 67 years.

 

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CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   The Cortland Water Co. have leased the rooms recently occupied by C. S. Strowbridge over the National Bank of Cortland. They have an advertisement elsewhere.

   Forty-two thousand California trout were received here Monday night from the State hatcheries at Caledonia, and were distributed throughout the streams in the county by our local sportsmen on Tuesday.

   The Cortland branch of the Order of Iron Hall has paid out in benefits to the members, since its organization last November, $325.

   In Judge A. P. Smith's yard on West Court street is a magnolia tree in full bloom. There have been in all this season over one hundred blossoms and buds on the tree, and it is not yet through blooming, The blossoms are larger by a considerable than those of the Callas lily, a pure white and throw out a fragrance that pervades the whole neighborhood. The Judge bought the tree about five or six years ago and set it out in his front yard, little thinking that it could stand the vigor of a northern winter. Nevertheless it has continued to flourish amid sunshine and storms, heat and cold, and this is the third year which it has blossomed.

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