STEANGE AFFAIR AT A FRENCH OUTPOST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1797, 23 March 1888, Page 3

STEANGE AFFAIR AT A FRENCH OUTPOST.

The " Dally Telegraph's " Paris correspondent sends the following : — A strange story respecting the theft by violence of one of the new " Lebel " rifles which havo been given to several regiments of the French Army is related by a Paris paper. According to this authority the scene is one of the most isolated outposts of the camp of Chalons-sur Marne. Great surveillance is exercised m this place, owing to the number of marauders, and, it is added, of German spies, who hang on the Bkirte of tho camp. Some weeks ago the outpost was guarded as usual by a corporal and eight men, who wore supplied with the " Lebel " rifle. A young soldier was acting as Bentry soma distance away from the guard bouse, when he waa suddenly heard crying out for "help." The corporal ran to his aid, and found him lying bleeding and dazed on the ground. Dis rifle was gone, and his assailants, who evidently wore several persons, were heard running away through a neighboring copse. The alarm was instantly sounded, and soldiers turned out m pursuit from every quarter, but all to no purpose. The injured man was taken to the hospital, and after he had regained consciousness and sufficient strength, he stated that he had " been attacked by three men whose faces be could not see. Thoy took hia rifle from him before he could use it, and then knocked him down with a bludgeon.