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NHTownCrier.com April 2025 11

Marty Gorton

Real Estate Agent

315-534-4661
realestatebymartyg@gmail.com

SEXTON REAL ESTATE
16 College Street, Clinton, NY 13323

What the History (WTH)! windows. The officers observed a car full of chickens clucking and bounding around
the back seat. Apprehended were the family crime team of the father, Marvin Banks,
A Return of the Chicken the mother Anna Banks, and their two sons, Charles and Chancy. The farmer was
Roost Gang? able to identify his stolen chickens from a lineup and made the statement to the
press, “I know my hens like I know my wife and children.” Indeed, a farmer knows
With the recent spike in the cost of eggs, and the all intimate details of all animals within the bounds of their livestock territory. The
scarcity of the delectable trays of chicken-deposited, Chicken Roost Gang would appear on trial in the two counties and were found guilty
white glistening beauties, one must ask, “could as charged. The poultry crime spree had been caught and cooked as all chickens were
there be a return of the notorious family crime deemed safe from the rolling bandits. History has a way of repeating itself so the call
team the Chicken Roost Gang?” Back in the midst must go out to all who keep, raise, and love their hens. Eggs must be under night
of the Great Depression, the availability of food for surveillance by guards on-the-ready and by the most advanced electronic alarm
Dennis Webster everyday families was difficult with many staples systems as the price of eggs has reached the level per ounce of gold and silver. All
being far too expensive. It was not far from New chickens must, and shall be, under lawful protection. After all, criminals motivated
Hartford, and in the midst of Otsego and Schoharie by the Chicken Roost Gang may use their “eggspiration” to steal all available nest
Counties that 1936 was known as the “Year of the Stolen Chicken” as farmers were drops. All must be involved to stop this potential surge, otherwise we will see the
having their flocks taken in the middle of the night with the only clue the sound of decimation of available cookies, cakes, and breads, made with eggs.
a motorized car and left behind faint tire tracks. In 1936 the cost of gasoline was an Dennis Webster is a New Hartford resident, and author of regional books on true
expensive ten cents per gallon so that tells you that chickens were indeed expensive, crime, ghosts, local history, and asylums.
especially live ones that could hatch eggs to be gently plucked from nests at the
break of dawn. The thefts of chicken flocks in these two counties piled up with the
local constable awarding the thieves the moniker, “The Chicken Roost Gang.” For
the entire year chicken flocks were stolen and all hens clucked with fear as their
henhouses were no longer safe havens of hatchability. The Chicken Roost Gang
pushed their luck as their success had emboldened them to steal from a farmer
that was on ready alert. The thieves were finally apprehended when an eagle-eyed
farmer held a stakeout with his hens stolen. The police were dispatched and just
up the street from the farm, pulled over a getaway car with feathers flying out the

11 Annual Spring Thaw COLOZZI’S
th

Model Show Cards ~ Gifts for Every Occasion~ Collectibles

Scale Vehicles

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Willowvale Fire Co.

3459 Oneida Street, Chadwicks

Minutes from Utica & NYS Thruway Exit 31

9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Judging begins at 1:00pm

17 Classes, Awards, Door Prizes, Vendors and Food!

Entry Fee $8.00 - No Limit to the Number of Entries

Spectator Admission $4.00 - Children Under 12 FREE

Visit us on Facebook - Spring Thaw Scale Model Show

Or visit our website:

http://daveski25.wixsite.com/springthawmodelshow New Hartford Shopping Center 315-724-0714