http://newtownreliance.org/images/HorseThieves2.jpg
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@...> wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Yifu" <yifuxero@> wrote: > > > > 1890, Unknown photographer, Museum Syndicate > > > > http://www.museumsyndicate.com/images/6/51283.jpg > > > > PIONEER PROTECTION FROM HORSE THIEVES. > BY JAMES E. PARKER. > > At a meeting of the citizens of Douglas township, at the Red School > House, Clay county, Iowa, on the 15th day of November, A. D. 1870, for the > purpose of organizing a society for the mutual protection of its members from > the depredations of horse thieves, the following business was done, to-wit: > On motion Samuel Mills was chosen temporary president, and J. J. Duroe > temporary secretary. > The above words quoted from the minutes of the society, as kept by its > secretary, J. J. Duroe, illustrate the spirit with which the Sioux Rapids > Vigilance Committee was formed. At this time the country about Sioux Rapids > in the southern part of Clay and northern part of Buena Vista counties was > sparsely settled. Communication was very slow, and it was seldom that the > stolen property was ever recovered, and still less often that the thief was > apprehended. The settlers who were, with but few exceptions, poor, could ill > afford to bear the loss of a horse. > In the fall of 1870 several horses were stolen in the community, of > which no trace could be found. The people were thoroughly aroused, and for > their own protection, decided to take matters into their own hands. After > discussing the question among themselves a call was issued for a meeting at > the Red School House, November 15,1870. J. J. Duroe and Samuel Mills were two > of the prime leaders of this movement. At this meeting Samuel Mills was > elected president of the society, David Watts, vice president, Peter Dubois, > treasurer, and J. J. Duroe, secretary. A committee consisting of Samuel > Mills, J. J. Duroe, and David Watts was chosen to draft a constitution and > by-laws and report at the next meeting, after which the society adjourned. On > November 29th, at 6 p. m., the society met pursuant to adjournment, and the > committee on by-laws made the following report, which was unanimously adopted: > WHEREAS, Several horses have been stolen in this vicinity; and, whereas, > it is very difficult to reclaim the stolen property or to arrest the thief; > therefore we, the undersigned citizens of Clay and Buena Vista counties do > hereby agree to unite in a mutual society to protect ourselves from the > depredations of horse thieves; and we do further agree to be governed by the > following laws, with such amendments as may be hereafter made by the society. > ARTICLE 1. The officers of this society shall be a president, whose duty > shall be to preside at the meetings of the society, call special meetings > whenever he may think best, and give all orders for the reclaiming of any > stolen horse or the capture of the thief. A vice president who shall perform > the duties of the president whenever that officer shall be absent or unable > to serve. A treasurer who shall hold, account for, and pay out on the order > of the president, countersigned by the secretary, all the funds of the > society. A secretary whose duty it shall be to record all the proceedings of > the society and countersign the president's orders on the treasurer. > ARTICLE 2. The terms of each officer shall expire whenever the majority > of the society shall require a change of officers. > ARTICLE 3. No person shall be admitted a member without first paying one > dollar to the treasurer. > ARTICLE 4. Each member shall obey all orders of the president. > ARTICLE 5. It shall be the duty of every one, as ordered by the > president, to go at any distance not exceeding fifty miles, at his own > expense, in search of a stolen horse or to catch a thief. > ARTICLE 6. If any person shall go more than fifty miles in search of a > stolen horse or to catch a thief he shall be allowed a reasonable > compensation for his extra service. > ARTICLE 7. The officers shall be elected by the members of the society > and shall be elected by the majority. > ARTICLE 8. It shall be the duty of each member to keep a written > description of all his horses, and he shall deliver to the president as soon > as any horse shall be stolen a minute description of such horse. > ARTICLE 9. The word horse shall be construed to mean horse, mule or ass. > ARTICLE 10. If the owner does not within ninety days receive his stolen > horse the society shall pay him two-thirds of the value of his horse. > ARTICLE 11. The president shall appoint three disinterested persons to > appraise the value of the lost horse, whose duty it shall be to report the > true value of such horse to the society. > ARTICLE 12. The president shall not offer as reward for the recovery of > any stolen horse and capture of any thief more than fifty dollars. > ARTICLE 13. The constitution may be amended at any regular meeting by a > majority vote of the society. > ARTICLE 14. If a stolen horse is recovered at any time after ninety days > it shall be the property of the society unless the owner shall within ten > days after the recovery, pay to the treasurer all money he may have received > from the society in accordance with Article 10. > ARTICLE 15. Any member refusing or neglecting to obey the orders of the > president, or refusing or neglecting to pay the treasurer the amounts that > shall be assessed to him by the society, shall be expelled and not admitted > thereafter. > ARTICLE 16. Annual meetings shall be held on the last Saturday of > October of each year. Those who signed their names to the by-laws as charter > members were Samuel Mills, Ephriam Sands, J. P. Mills, W. J. Cinzier, Samuel > M. Mills, David Watts, Peter Dubois, Jesse E. Mills, John Jones, Robert > Jones, J. J. Duroe. > There being a large number living in Buena Vista county who wished to > join, the next meeting was held at Sioux Rapids, November 5th, at which time > the following were received as members: Abner Bell, T. G. Thomas, John > Fancher, David Halkney, David Evens, W. R. Thomas, Gilbert, Halverson & Co., > Thomas Evens, Francis Kidman, Stephen Dubois, John Watts, J. E. Francis. > At this meeting a rule was adopted that "every horse of this society > shall be branded on the left shoulder with a figure 3." > As soon as the society was organized hundreds of handbills were printed > and scattered broadcast over the country. On these bills were printed in > large letters "'Horse Thieves, Beware!" Then followed a short statement to > the effect that a society had been organized with the avowed purpose of > ridding the country of horse thieves, which was signed by the officers and > members of the committee. The notices had the desired effect. The horse > thieves took warning, and for several years not a single horse was stolen in > the community. The society continued to hold meetings and publish notices > from time to time to let every one know that it was in working order; but as > the years went by and no horses were stolen, and the community became more > settled, interest began to wane. No notices or bills had been published for > some time when suddenly in the fall of 1879 two or three horses became > missing, among the losers being O. G. Tabor who never discovered a trace of > his lost property. > Immediately all was excitement again. In response to a call from the > president a meeting was held at the post office in Sioux Rapids, October 4, > 1879, at one o'clock p. m. G. W. Struble was elected vice president, and John > Halverson, treasurer, to fill vacancies. David Tillet, O. G. Tabor, G. W. > Struble, and Knudt Stennison were admitted as members; and for the benefit of > those who wished to join before the next meeting, "The treasurer was > instructed to receive members into the society on their payment to him of the > required admission fee of one dollar; provided persons so admitted shall be > subject to a majority vote of the society for confirmation or rejection." A > motion was carried that the society be known and called the "Sioux Rapids > Vigilance Committee," with its headquarters located at G. W. Struble's hotel > at Sioux Rapids. A hundred handbills were ordered printed and the country > again posted with notices. At the next meeting J. M. Hoskins, Chas. Cuthbert > and S. Olney, Sr., were received into membership. > These were the last members admitted to the society, and although its > organization was kept up for some time afterward, its history as an active > force may well be said to have ended with the winter of 1879-80. The object > for which it had been organized had been accomplished. During its whole > history not one of its members lost a horse, nor was it ever called upon to > bring a thief to justice. And what justice the captured thief would have been > brought to is well expressed by the words of one of its members: "We never > had occasion to hunt down a thief after we organized, but if we had captured > one we all knew what would have happened to him. He would never have stolen > another horse!" > > http://iagenweb.org/history/annals/1903-AprB.htm >
