BRIGANDAGE IN RUSSIA

Kumara Times, Issue 1120, 1 May 1880, Page 4

BRIGANDAGE IN RUSSIA

[LONDON TELEGRAPH,]

In a recent number of the Golos we find the following strange story, copied by that journalfrom the leading newspaper of Warsaw. A Jewish pedlar, recently travelling on foot through the Grodno district, was attacked in a wound by a footpad, who robbed him of all the money he had about him and then let him go. Proceeding on his way the plundered pedlar met a mounted gandarme, to whom he related his mishap, and who proceeded at once to search for the robber, accompanied by the plundered man. They soon came up with the object of their quest, upon whose person the stolen money was found, as well as to clasp-knives and a pocketwhistle, of which "unconsidered trifles" the gendarme tookjpossesaion, Having bound the culprit's hands, behind him and attached him to the gendarme's saddle by a cord, they started for the nearest village, the pedlar on foot, the poli«.e officer on horseback. Presently it occurred to the latter that he might as well ascertain what sort of atone could be produced by the confiscated whistle, which he accordingly put to his lips and blew with untimely vigour. Straightway there appeared upon the scene a horde of armed brigands, who surrounded the party, and after freeing their comrade from his bonds, attacked his captors. The gendarme put spurs to his horse, broke through the circle of his assailants. and got away with a bullet in his shoulder. But the unfortunate pedlar, unable to escape, fell a victim to the brutality of the bandits, who hacked his body to pieces and left his mutilated remains on the high road. Preparations are being made by the district authorities to surround the wood in which this band of malefactors has fixed its headquarters. Such enterprises, however are as rarely successful in Russia nowadays as they were of yore in the. Kingdom of Naples or the Papal States.