A Pair of Clever Robberies.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 36, 20 July 1870, Page 7

A Pair of Clever Robberies.

(Casnell'u Magazine. Quo of the most clever robberies over perpetrated was the achievement of a. Frenchman, who, for a long time after it, was recognised in his profession us King of the Bandits." Ilia claim to this title was based upon an exploit—the robbing of a diligence, which feat he not only planned,, but successfully executed, without any assistance whatever. Ho studied closely the country through which the journey was to bo made, and selected a point on the road where there Was a very stoop hill, with hedges and underwood on either side. tie. then procured a number of stout sticks,, about the length and thickness of the barrel of a gun. These ho stuck into thehedges, letting the ends of them appear, as if they were the muzzles of guns directed by persons in ambuscade behind the hedge. As the diligence came toiling slowly up the hill, the driver saw a man standing on the pathway, and gesticulating violently. On approaching nearer, the man could be distinctly heard haranguing them ; “Be ready ! Obey orders! No firing if there be no resistance !” And then the robber, walking slowly forward, stopped the horses, told the guard to get down, and lie with his face and hands on the ground, and that no violence would be offered to him. He then went to the door pf the vehicle, and assuring the ladies, who were screaming for help, that they need be under no alarm, begged each passenger, as he stepped out, to hand him his purse, and then to lie down on his face and hands near the guard. While all this drama was being enacted, the robber-chief kept shouting to his assistants not to lira unless there was resistance—not to fire until they got his signal. Thus, one by one, ho handed all the passengers out, each giving up his purse as if it was a ticket, and then going and lying upon the wet grass side by side with the guard. When the diligence was empty, our highwayman retired with all the property he desired to possess himself of, and escaped through the wood. The most amusing part of the story was that, among the travellers, were several officers, fully armed, who surrendered their swords at discretion, and joined the other dupes on the grass, it is well to add that the robber was ultimately apprehended, and the greater part of the stolon property was found upon him. Another very extraordinary robbery was one which has only recently been detected; if it has less adventure in it than the other, it has certainly more system and ingenuity. The enterpriser in this instance was English, and was known to professional thieves as “ Jack in the Box.” His system was this. He had a box so constructed that he could lie down in it with ease, and rely upon always having plenty of fresh air; it could also contain provisions, tools, false keys, a lantern, &c,, and the real mode of opening it was from the inside. Jack, having caused himself to be buried alive in this coffin, would get it booked, say from Chester to Euston-square by a goods train, and carefully labelled, “ This side up ; to be kept till called for.” The box always was put in a train that arrived at the station at night, and was accordingly stored till called for the following day. It was in this interval that the robberies were committed. When the whole station was shut up, the porters dismissed, and the place in darkness, Jack emerged from his box, lit his lantern, and set to work. He got out liis tools and keys, and took his time. We all know what an insecure thing the lock of a trunk is, and how very nearly all keys are made on the same pattern. They did not afford much trouble to the robber; he opened box after box, unpacking them with great care and tidiness —for .long practice had made him perfect—and selecting the articles that were most valuable, and most easily disposed of. With these gleanings he tilled the box in which he had himself come up to town, and then lay in concealment till the morning. The stores would then be opened, porters would come in to remove goods, and Jack would choose liis own time to effect his escape. Later in the day he would call for a parcel which had arrived from Chester by the last goods train of tho preceding night, which was directed to be called for : ho would take it away with' him in a cab, having first paid all the railway charges upon it. But tho day came when this little “ coup” was made for the last time, and it was a policeman, and not his box, that Jack found waiting for him on application.