A SMART ROBBER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 704, 15 October 1875, Page 4

A SMART ROBBER.

One of the most wonderful robberies ever perpetrated—wonderful, at least,, when one considers the means at the disposal of the robber—was the achievement of a Frenchman, who, for a long time after it, was recognised in his profession as “ the King of the Bandits.” His claim to this title was based upon one exploit—the robbing of a diligence, which he rot only planned, but carried into successful execution, without any assistance whatever. To do this he made all his arrangements with the most careful completeness, and, we may he sure, fixed a night for the attack when the coach carried a freight worth robbing. He studied closely the country through which the journey was to be made, and selected a point on the road where there was a very steep hill, with hedges and underwood at either side. He then procured a number of stout sticks about the thickness of the barrel of a gun. These he stuck into the hedges, letting the heads of them appear, as if they were the muzzles of guns directed by persons in ambuscade behind the hedge. As the diligence came toiling up the hill, the driver saw a man on tire pathway and gesticulating violently. On approaching nearer, the man could be heard distinctly haranguing them. “ Ready ! Obey order ! No firing if there be no resistance!” And then the robber walking slowly forward, stopped the horses, told the guard to get down and to lie with Iris face and hands on the ground, and that no violence would be offered to him. He then went to the door of 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 near the guard. "While this drama was being enacted, the robber chief kept shouting to his assistants not to fire unless there were resistance, not to fire unless they got his signal. Thus, one by one, he handed all tho passengers out, each giving up his purse as if it were a ticket, and then going and lying on the wet grass side by side with the guard. When the diligence was empty, our highway-man retired with all the moveable property ho desired to possess himself of, and escaped through the wood. The most amusing part of the story was that amongst the travellers weie several officers fully armed, who surrendered their swords at discretion, and joined the other dupes on the grass. It is as well to add that the robber was ultimately apprehended, and the greater part of the stolen property was found on him.