Hannibal (MO) Messenger, "Horse Thieves About," March 26, 1857

      Horse Thieves About.

   Elder THOS. M. ALLEN, living about 4 miles from Columbia, Boone county, Mo., had stolen from his premises, on Monday week last, seven of his best horses he owned; also, from his stable, on the same night, a fine horse belonging to Prof. MATTHEWS, of Columbia. The Columbia Democrat says no doubt that Quisenberry, the horse thief, recently sent to the penitentiary from Boone County, told the truth, when he said there was a regularly organized band of horse thieves from Iowa to Texas, of which he was one, and not the only one, by any means, in our midst. We hope some clue may be had, so that they can be arrested and brought to justice. At present, there is not an individual in this county, who feels secure in his property. This is, indeed, a very bad state of affairs and should stir our good citizens up to a doubling of their diligence to ferret out these rascals. We are also informed, that a negro man and boy are missing, belonging to a gentleman in the same neighborhood; whether they ran off, were persuaded off, or stolen, we cannot say at present; but inasmuch as they were missing about the time the horses were taken, the probability is, that they were decoyed off. There is, evidently, something wrong here, as well as elsewhere; and steps must be taken to remedy the evils.