Ste. Genevieve Herald 
Ste. Genevieve, Mo.
Saturday, August 26, 1882

Our readers have already partly learned the facts in the Joe SEYSSLER and Willie ABERNATHY case. The two boys were seen at St. Mary on the 1st inst. and the evening of the same day Joe was observed loitering near the pasture from which the animals (2 horses and 1 mule) were taken. Two saddles, the property of Frank BURNETT, were stolen at the same time. Deputed by the Sheriff, BERRY started with Frank BOGY on the 11th., on horseback to Carondelet. At Kimswick they found the mule. Proceeding to the police headquarters of Carondelet and St. Louis, they could get no information until they met John CLARY, one of whose employees had seen the thieves on the Str. "Bald Eagle", going up the river on the 10th. "Here Frank BOGY returned with our horses" -- we let BERRY tell his own story -- "and I, being out of funds, borrowed $10 from John Clary to be able to proceed in the search. On Monday I went to the Anchor Line Wharf and there found that two boxes of household goods, !
the property of Mrs. WEBSTER, had been shipped from Ste. Genevieve by Sam STANTON, had been transferred to the Northern Line Wharf and shipped to Clarksville, Pike Co., on the Mississippi river. I then took the 9 o'clock p.m. train at the Union Depot to Clarksville and upon my arrival there Joe and Willie were the first persons I set my eyes on. I went into a hotel and asked the landlord to assist me in arresting them; the landlord refused, but told me where to find the deputy sheriff. This official and myself made the arrest, we handcuffed Joe and searched both, finding upon Joe's person a revolver, a pocket knife and $11.60 in money, on Willie a pocket knife and $20 in money. They acknowledged the theft but said that WEBSTER had persuaded them, that he was the leader and had gone to Hannibal to rent a house; that they had sold the stolen mares to a Charles LARKIN at Kinderbrook, Pike Co., Ill., for $30 a piece and had then come back to Clarksville where Joe had bought !
a ticket for St. Louis and Willie would have done the same if the agent could have changed his money. I left the two there in charge of the deputy sheriff. On Thursday I went to Hannibal and looked for WEBSTER until 5 o'clock P.M. without success, then went to Kinderbrook and found the horses; returned to Hannibal and was there introduced to Sheriff DUDLEY and Mr. KEE who agreed to conduct the culprits to St. Louis for me. I then sent a telegram to Clarksville to have my prisoners at the depot at train time and took the next train to Clarksville where I found the two, handcuffed them together and went on to St. Louis. At dawn, when the train was just coming into the station at St. Peter, the junction of North Mo. and Keokuk and St. Louis R.R., I was aroused from my sleep by a woman, who told me that my men were gone. As soon as the train stopped Mr. KEE and I went after them, coming to within 60 yards of them when Mr. KEE fired two shots at them; they crossed a fence an!
d a deep gully and entered a field covered with high weeds. Here I lost the track but found it again after a search of hours, and followed if for about a mile and a half, when I took a chill, which compelled me to return to town. I offered a reward of $25 for their capture, and a crowd of citizens started in pursuit giving the alarm to the farmers as they went. By night it was said that 28 persons were after them. In the morning, as I could hear no news and felt no better I returned home."

(This was copied as it was written. SJR)