CANNELTON REPORTER, Saturday, June 5, 1858 – “We learn that a den of horse thieves, living in this county near Oil Creek, was, quite recently broken up. These thieves have been engaged for several years in stealing horses from farmers of the surrounding counties. The citizens of Crawford and Harrison counties, determined not to submit to these outrages, made a descent upon their camp last Monday, and arrested six of the gang. They are now in the Leavenworth {Indiana} jail and will probably find quarters at Jeffersonville {the State prison}.”
The 6 gang members captured by this ad hoc vigilante posse included 5 Prathers: Thomas, Jackson, Pleasant, Rensalear and William. Samuel Scott, background unknown, was the 6th to be taken away. Possibly, the posse figured that the crippled Robert Prather was no longer a threat without his sons and he would have been a troublesome burden to transport to Leavenworth. Seventeen-year-old Richard may have been away, or the posse could have left him to care for his father.
Without the assistance from vigilantes the wheels of justice turned more slowly in Perry County. On 17 November 1858, a Grand Jury called by Prosecutor Harmon G. Barkwell charged that before 1 May 1858 Samuel Scott had stolen a horse valued at $150 belonging to Charles Smith of Harrison County. On 1 May 1858, Thomas Prather had received the horse from Scott and the indictment was against Thomas. Of course, both he and Scott were in custody in Crawford County at the time. Thomas Prather died before April 1859.
On the same 17 November 1858, the same Grand Jury charged that Robert, Richard, Rensalear, Jack, Jonathan and Pleasant Prather on 1 June 1858 had received stolen goods; to-wit: Two horses ($250), 1 coat ($10), 1 vest ($3), 1 pocket book (50¢).
On 26 November 1858, the Circuit Court ordered Sheriff George W. Patterson to arrest Robert, Richard and Jonathan Prather and hold them for the first day of the next term of Court – 23 May 1859. Sheriff Patterson reported on 20 May 1859 that he had arrested Robert and Richard Prather on 15 December 1858. Jonathan Prather was found but escaped from custody.
Also on 26 November 1858, the Perry Circuit Court ordered Sheriff W. W. Cummins of Crawford County to arrest and hold Richard, Robert, Rensler, Jack, Jonathan and Pleasant Prather for the May 1859 term. By waiting until 8 April 1859 to reply, Sheriff Cummins could truthfully report that “the within named defendants not found in my county”. At a term of Crawford Circuit Court just completed Jacky, Pleasant, Ransellar {sic} and William Prather had been convicted of receiving stolen property and were sentenced to two years at Jeffersonville. The case against Samuel Scott for Larceny was continued.