negro-stealing, and indulging in all manner of villany, he was taken by
a company, and with about forty others put to death, some being shot,
and others tied up in sacks and thrown into the Mississippi.

The fifth brother was now in the Ohio Penitentiary, the fourth in the
Indiana State Prison, but the eldest brother was released from
confinement, and returned to Cincinnati. His long confinement, however,
seems to have had no very beneficial effect, for in a few months he was
again convicted of petit larceny, and sentenced to serve in the chain
gang. Here he conducted himself so well as to gain the unqualified
commendation of one of the drivers, who in consequence treated him
indulgently. About this period, there was much excitement, caused by the
frequency of night robberies, and no trace of the thieves could be
found, by which they could be detected. The most vigilant means were
used, and many were sent to the jails and penitentiary, but still the
robberies went on. Among those committed at this period, was the fifth
brother, who for a short period had enjoyed his liberty. The eldest
brother served out his time in the chain gang, and after being
liberated, suddenly disappeared; and, which surprised many, the driver
of the chain gang disappeared at the same time. A day or two after their
disappearance, a drover from Kentucky, who had been at Cincinnati, and
was on his way home, was taken from his horse, robbed, his throat cut,
and left for dead upon the road side. They had, however, merely severed
the windpipe, and on being discovered, he was able to give such
information as led to the detection of the driver and his friend, the
convict. They were arrested, and identified by the mangled drover; and
the citizens, knowing the desperate character of the elder brother, who
had served an apprenticeship in their own State Prison, gave them a
trial according to "Lynch" custom, and hung them both. Thus ended the
life of the eldest of the brothers--the third who had suffered the
penalty of death for their crimes.

The suspicions of the people were excited by this occurrence, and a
train of investigation set on foot which left no doubt but that the
recent robberies were committed by the chain driver and his gang. At
night they were freed from their chains, allowed to prowl about and
plunder, and brought their spoils to the prison, where it could easily
be stowed away without suspicion. We believe that we are quite within
the ma