John Buyers was the president of the court at that time, assisted by associates, and the duty of imposing the sentence fell on him. The Court met, according to the entry in the docket on the fourth Tuesday of August, 1784, and as the trial took place at once, the sentence was carried out on Wednesday.
Among the jurors were several men who were prominent as Indian fighters and participants in the war for liberty.
Peter Hosterman, foreman, was active as a militia officer and had command of a body of militia to watch and repel savage attacks.
Adam and Michael Grove were famous as Indian scouts, and the latter only a short time before he served on this jury, was one of a company that pursued a party of marauding Indians up the Sinnemahoning. Discovering their camp they stealthily approached at night, rushed upon them, surprised them, captured their arms and killed several. The balance escaped. The Grove brothers then lived in Buffalo Valley, now Union County.
This severe sentence, it seems, did not cure Joe Disberry of his thieving propensities, for the Quarter Sessions docket for August term, 1798 (Northumberland County), shows that he was arraigned and tried on three indictments for burglarizing the houses of Philip Bower, Peter Jones and Isaiah Willits, and convicted on each.
The jurors who found him guilty on each count were John Clark, John Metzgar, John Friesbach, George Clark, John Armstrong, John Cochran, Thomas Murray, Christian Gettig, John Dewart, George Bright, Peter Disher and Hamelius Lomison.
Judge Jacob Rush was President Judge assisted by Captain William Wilson, John McPherson, Thomas Strawbridge and Colonel William Cooke as associates. Robert Irwin was high sheriff of the county. Judge Rush, on sentencing Disberry, said:
“That the prisoner, Joseph Disberry, forfeit all and singular his goods and chattels, lands and tenements, to and for the use of the Commonwealth, and undergo a servitude of seven years for the burglary committed in the house of Peter Bower, and be committed to the house of correction, pay the cost of prosecution, &c.”
The Court then sentenced him on the two other indictments, seven years each. Joe, who was listening very attentively remarked rather jocosely: “Why, Your Honor, three sevens make twenty-one!”
Judge Rush then continued: “That the defendant be conveyed to the gaol and penitentiary house of the city of Philadelphia to undergo the servitude aforesaid for the term of twenty-one years. And that the said Joe Disberry be kept for the space of two years in solitary cells out of the term of twenty-one years.”