From Shullsburg Free Press, Friday, November 24, 1882, p. 3:

"The Horse Thief.

"Considerable interest has been manifested in this section on account of the capture and then escape of a horse-thief from custody in the village of Joslyn, Illinois, because perhaps of the fact Shullsburg furnished both thief and detective. For several months it has been no secret that Wm. H. Date, formerly of this town, was known to have stolen several horses and other property from around and in Monroe, and had succeeded in making his escape and eluding the officers. Last week Detective Add A. Townsend, of this village, gained a slim clue of the whereabouts of the thief and a portion of the property, and clothing himself with authority, made a search, which finally resulted in the arrest of Date. Unfortunately Date made good his escape before lodge in jail, the facts of which are given in the article below, which we clip from the Davenport Daily Gazette of Saturday, November 18. No censure can be attached to Mr. Townsend, as he had taken every precaution, and being fatigued, had retired, leaving the prisoner in charge of a constable:

"Lying near the bank of Rock River, and just within the lines of the county, on the Sterling branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, is the little village of Joslyn. It comprises a depot and but few dwellings and other buildings, and is surrounded on all sides by the rolling fields, for which this State is famous. There are no wild forests or gullies in the vicinity, the land being employed by thrifty husbandmen, whose wants are all supplied from the little village in its midst. One of the inhabitants of Joslyn was a man named W. H. Date, who had recently removed from his former residence on the Henry county side of the river. He lived in the village with his wife and three children, and during his year's residence in the vicinity, had gained a fair reputation for business and honesty. He came a year ago from Monroe, Wisconsin, which latter place he repeatedly visited after he came to Joslyn. When he returned from Monroe, he usually brought with him one or more horses, which he said he had purchased at the old home, and had brought with him to sell at Joslyn.

"Thus had events ran smoothly along all during that time, and nothing arose to disturb the serenity of life at Joslyn beyond the ordinary every day events.--But on Wednesday there came a man into the city, and he began a search for Date. His name was Add A. Townsend, of Shullsburg, and he was a detective, sent from Monroe, to find W. H. Date. The latter was soon found, when the detective's business became evident.--He quietly read a warrant of arrest for Date, who was charged with stealing horses from parties in and about Monroe. Date submitted to the arrest with the best possible grace, and as no jail was near in which to confine him until the proper steps could be taken to have him removed to Monroe, Mr. N. B. Joslyn, the station agent at the village, offered his residence as a temporary calaboose. Date was moved there and placed in confinement, but, to make assurance doubly sure, one wrist was placed in handcuffs, the other cuff being locked around a post of a lounge standing in the room. A constable was engaged, whose duty it should be to watch the prisoner until morning to avoid accidents. Mr. Joslyn, being unwell, went to bed, leaving the constable to watch Date.

"A little before daylight the constable left the room to get some firewood, leaving the door unlocked. This was Date's chance, and with a hard tug he broke the post of the lounge, and, bareheaded and in his stocking feet, he left for liberty, and was soon out of sight.--A large posse of some fifty residents was assembled and made a dilligent [sic] hunt for the escaped prisoner from daylight until dark, but no trace of him was found. There was no place but straw stacks or sheds to hide in, but Date was not found. The search was given up at dark, and in a short time Date made his way from his hiding-place, entered a house in the neighborhood, stole a loaf of bread, and again decamped. His absence is now mourned, and a glimpse of his face anxiously but vainly sighed for.

"Date's alleged thefts aggregate fifteen horses, of which but four are yet recovered; but others will soon be found, as their whereabouts are known. Of these recovered, one team belongs to a banker of Monroe, who came down and identified them. The banker offers a reward of $100 for the capture of Date. The exact course pursued by the detective in fixing the theft upon his man is not told us; but that these peculations have been going on for a year, there is little doubt.

"Date is described as about 35 years of age, of dark complexion, with full black beard and black hair. When arrested he wore corduroy pantaloons and vest; and, when he escaped, was bareheaded and wore no shoes, and had the cuffs on, one cuff being attached to one wrist.--There is no way of knowing his whereabout, but, as related, it is nearly certain that during Thursday he did not leave the vicinity of Joslyn. The residents of that part of the county will be pleased to hear of Date again."