HOWARD, KS – Quite an excitement was created in our city last Wednesday, over the capture by Sheriff Burchfield, of three horse thieves in the northwest part of the county. The circumstances as we gathered them at the preliminary examination are about as follows: On the 26th of May, a man giving his name as O.P. Harsh, of Reno county, Kansas,a boy aged 18 years, by the name of M.J. Culver, whose parents live on Salt creek, Chautauqua county, and an orphan boy about 15 years old, by the name of Ed Green, who came from Reno county, stole three ponies from an Osage Indian, named Tuckaway Gunn, who lives on Mission creek, about twelve miles from the nation line, south of Peru, and started, as they say, for Wichita, passing through this city on Tuesday afternoon. They were followed to this place by Jacob Coffman, superintendent of the Osage tribe, and John Howden, or Peru, and a warrant was issued here for them, by A. Dodd, Esq., and placed in the hands of Sheriff Burchfield, who in company with Coffman and Howden, and John McBee of this city, started Tuesday night in pursuit of the thieves, and succeeded in overhauling them on John Thompson’s place, in the northwest part of the county, just as they were eating breakfast, about daylight on Wednesday morning. No resistance was made, and they were arrested and brought to this city, where they passed a preliminary examination before Justice Dodd, about 11 o’clock each one pleading guilty to the charge against him. After the examination the three thieves were turned over to superintendent Coffman and Mr. Howdon, who started with them for Fort Smith, where they will be tried at the next term of the United States District Court. The youngest boy seemed calm during the whole proceedings, but Culver and Harsh both seemed frightened and were inclined to flinch from the scrutinizing gaze of those who gathered to ace “the horse thieves”. We have since been informed of their being allowed to go where they pleased, after reaching Chautauqua county, the men having them in charge being told their authority was not sufficient. The Howard Courant, Howard, Kansas. Wednesday, June 6, 1877. (c) Transcribed by Darren McMannis for the Kansas County of Genealogical Societies, Inc.
