Bob Weiser, horse thief, 1884

Compiled by Betty Jane WIlson, society president

Reports of a horse thief capture were confirmed by the following Valley Falls New Era news item May 29, 1884:

"It becomes our painful duty to chronicle the circumstances relative to the theft of a valuable horse belonging to Louis Beland.

"The thief was "Bob" Weiser, as he is familiarly known, who was born here we believe, and nearly all his life has lived here. He has always been of a rather wild and ungovernable disposition, and it is intimated that he has many times been implicated in rather unquestionable transactions (Prior to the theft of the Beland horse, it had been reported he was connected with a scheme to rob the night express, however, one of his confederates weakened and the robbery was abandoned).

"It appears that Weiser, who is perhaps in the neighborhood of 26 years old, got in desperate straits for money, and conceived the plan of getting it in the manner he did.

"On Thursday night, the 15th, he went to John Beland's stable between 10 and 11 o'clock, saddled and bridled Louis Beland's fine young bay horse, and rode him to Kansas City where he sold him.

"Weiser's absence from town just at that time, caused suspicion to point strongly to him. Meanwhile, not suspecting that he was being shadowed as the thief, Weiser came home, and was arrested here about the middle of the afternoon.

"Later, Weiser pleaded guilty before Judge Crozier, who sentenced him to four years in the penitentiary. The horse was recovered from T. J. Anderson of Buckner, Mo.

"Sympathy is felt for his family, who we believe are very industrious and above reproach."

Less than six months after his incarceration, late October 1884, Bob Weiser died in prison. No cause of death was reported.

The historical society museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 13.