ROBBERS' TRICK FAILS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 253, 23 February 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

ROBBERS' TRICK FAILS.

An attempt at robbery which rends l'ke ;i chapter from "Gil Bias" is reported from Pctrograd. TJio millionaire Al. Zhivatovski, a prominent business man. has a large and luxurious flat in Kiioehnaya St., ia the chief residential quarter of Petrograd. At 8 o'clock in the morning two motor-cars drew up at the door of tho house, and from them stepped out nine men, dressed in the uniform of a Government department. They pres'nt d t! eme!< os at the mill on lire's flat with tho announcement that the tenant was suspected of having been in treasonable commerce through his dealings in Sweden, and that they hud orders to search tho premises. The spokesman of the party called himself Count Palrn. At his orders M. Zhivatovski. his family, and 14 servants, were Itv-kcd up in one of the rooms while the search went on. As it failed to reveal its main object, the safe, threats, enforced by tho application of handcuffs, were tried upon tho millionaire. It then appeared that thero had Ix-en one very obvious miscalculation in the robbers' plans. Their intended victim had no safe at his rr* sidence, and had been sufficiently prudent to leave all his valuable papers in a strong room at h's offices.

Having made this disc-oven-, the robbers, who had disdained minor booty, made off. It was only then that M. ./jhjv.:itovski's suspicions were aroused, and that by u.<-o of the telephone, which meanwhile had been under guard, ho discovered the true character of his visitors.