John Batchelder was a prominent businessman in Holliston. In 1910 he established the Holliston Historical Society and was its first president. His stately home on Jasper Hill is in decay and will demolished.

Tuesday night’s Globe had the following interesting account of the Stain gang in Holliston: – “I will tell you of a job, a very funny one, which the gang did. In Holliston lived a man named Tom Fisher. Harvey was well acquainted with Fisher, who told him that Batchelder’s store in Holliston would be an easy place to break into. Stain, Harvey and Cromwell started out on the job in one of Stain’s teams, a covered carriage.

They put the team up in the meeting-house shed. They forced an entrance into Batchelder’s store through a cellar window. They took out of the cellar seven or eight tubs of excellent Vermont butter. They opened the door leading upstairs, got into the store and took a large quantity of flour, sugar and such like.

Harvey went to the meetinghouse shed for the team. While he was taking it out a man came along and Harvey did not feel very happy at that moment, but to his satisfaction the man walked away. The stuff was put into the team, but made such a big load that there was no room for the whole of the gang, and they said that Stain ought to drive his team home. Stain thought that would be kind of risky and urged Harvey to do it. He consented, got on the seat and started off while the gang hoofed it.

The next day Tom Fisher bright and early waits at Batchelder’s grocery door. Batchelder comes along to open up. “Good morning, Mr. Batchelder,” says Tom, who had a plate in his hand. “What can I do for you?” says Batchelder. “I want two pounds of butter,” said Tom, knowing in his heart there wasn’t any in the store. Batchelder then discovered that his place was robbed. The gang never was detected.

The gang afterwards had many a good laugh at the bluff Tom gave Batchelder and Harvey used to snicker when he thought of how he got a ride home that night and the rest of the gang had to walk.