Southend Reporter from Chicago, Illinois • Page 17

Economist Newspapers, Wednesday, November 2,1977 CSR 15 Militia wiped out Horse Tftief Hollow Another In a series on Park history compiled by Fran Warren of the Ridge Historical society. Horse thieves might seem to be skeletons in the closet that most communities seek to avoid mentioning, but there is scarcely an article written on early life in the Ridge area that omits reference to that subject In fact almost every nook and cranny south from 87th st. might have vied for the notoriety attached to the name of "Horse Thief Hollow." When Thomas Morgan arrived in 1844 and bought his tract of land from John Blackstone, north of Portland Village (later Blue Island), he had a Horse Thief Hollow near his home, according to Walter Daniels of the Chicago Real Estate Board, describing local history in a 1931 article. The first one appears to have been at the northern end of the Ridge, in what is now the Dan Ryan forest preserve. A 1926 newspaper story claimed that the entire vicinity acquired that label in the 1850s, due to the activities of the biggest gang of horse thieves in Illinois, who had a rendezvous there.

An almost impenetrable stretch of forest, dense undergrowth in the inaccessible ravines and the altitude of the surrounding terrain (one observation spot at the intersection of what is now Damen ave. and the forest preserve was known as Point Lookout and used earlier by the Indians), gave the bandits an ideal hiding place. The stolen horses, run dp from Missouri by way of Al ton, were sold in Chicago. The operations of this particular band came to an abrupt end in the late 1850s when the state militia and the gang staged a battle in Horse Thief Hollow, in which many were killed and the leader, along with several others, was imprisoned. An old timer of the area explained the economic reasons for the illegal traffic in horses.

They were the only commodity worth stealing in those days of practically undeveloped transportation methods, and the loot had to be moved "on the hoof." Oxen, while also valuable, were too slow, and ordinary cattle were not in sufficient demand to make rustling profitable. Apparently this incident didn't eliminate the horse thieves, however. Other gangs moved into different hollows' and the practice continued. An unconfirmed story related that two skeletons, un- covered when Trinity United Methodist church was being built at 99th and Winchester, were culprits lynched by the local residents, some 75 years earlier. W.

W. Barnard, writing about Tracy and vicinity in the 1850s, described a slough at 107th and Wood that was overgrown with coarse grass and weeds taller than a man's head. These were thickest under the bluffs where the ravines poured their water into the lowlands, and in this location, opposite Mr Hanke's property (address unknown), was a ravine called Horse Thief Hollow, known to be a hiding place for "those dastardly villains and their four-footed loot." David Herriott, quoting columnist Richard Henry Little's tongue-in-cheek article about his trip to Morgan Park in about 1909, gives the following humorous description. "One of the history spots in this interesting vicinity is Horse Thief Hollow. It is a deep ravine where low unprincipled persons once concealed the horses they had secured in Chicago by other than lawful means.

"Those days were long ago, and a horse is now as safe in Morgan Park as anywhere else in the world, although strangers in the town should not bring up the subject at a dinner party in Morgan Park with the idea that it will prove a delightful topic for discussion "The mere mention of unwarranted possession of horses in Morgan Park is considered in bad taste and is sure to be followed by the awkward rattle of knives and forks and the voice of the host asking in choking tones if the guest would care for some more of the chicken and if he thought it would rain tomorrow. "Horse Thief Hollow used to be a wild untamed portion of Morgan Park, but it has now been moved to a spot across the street from the palatial residence of Ralph Wilder, the eminent cartoonist. Or else Mr. Wilder built his house across from Horse Thief Hollow. I cannot say." Herriott goes on to note that Wilder's home, which apparently was where Little was visiting, was on the corner of 108th pi.

and Longwood dr. He added that in the early 1900s there was a deep gully there, cut out by the JUNK NEWSPAPER $150 ,.0 IBS COPPER-BRASS-ALUM. TRUCKS FOR PAPER DRIVES ARCHER PAPER METAL CO. Knox LU S-3030 OMI Daly 7-1 I A.M-1 P.M Sotvntoy 7 to 4 P.M SAVE MONEY CUT FUEL COST REDUCE HEAT LOSS SAVE ON HEATING WE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF DECORATOR SHADES TRANSPARENT SUN FILTER SHADES WOVEN WOOD SHADES CLOTH SHADES WOOD SHUTTERS TAPaB LEVOLOR MSCOWCT ON ALL ITEMS INTERNATIONAL PLASTIC 4614 S. PULASKI RD.

927-4233 FREE ESTIMATES ALL WORK GUARANTEED CUSTOM SLIPCOVERS (CLOTH OH PLASTIC) CUSTOM VINYLETTE COVERS (LOOKS LIKE CLOTH) CUSTOM DRAPERIES CUSTOM REUPHOLSTEMNG DINING ROOM TABLE PADS FURNITURE ft CARPET CLEANING MASTER CHARGE ft BANKAMERICARD ACCEPTED EASY TERMS AVAILABLE BILL BECKER 4530 S. Archer fSPAPFR the had wash of the -water from the hills, but by Herriott was writing, it had been filled in and bridges once needed disappeared. Meantime the appellation (and the thieves) moved farther south along the base of the Ridge between lllth and 115th sts. and even over east toward Vincennes. Sodality sets Germanfest Members of the St Maurice parish, St.

Ann sodality are planning an evening of fun at a Germanfest at the Hof Linzer club, 1958 W. Roscoe, Saturday, Nov. 20. Members will leave from St. Maurice church, 3600 S.

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