DESPERADOES IN SKIRTS.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 October 1919, Page 5

DESPERADOES IN SKIRTS.

A price has been put by the Paris authorities on the heads. of two brothers, named Baudissart, who for a long. time have terrorised the Briancon region of the Hautes Alpes department (writes the Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail). Louis, their younger brother, was shot. some tirne ago by a I'oad mender during one of their midnight 1-aids. V ' For years the brothers lived by smuggling. their knowledge of every inch of the mountain roads across the French frontier enabling them to

carry on a flourishing contraband business. Some time ago they Came down

from their mountain fastncss and took ptissessioii of an old hut on the Alpine szlopos, near the village of La Bcssee. It is alleged that they had S('V'Gl'lLl(leElthS on their conscience and had twice been condemned to death in their absence. So they decided to keep quiet for a time, Wvhich. meant that ’t.ll(_‘:Y began to prey on the local population. Cattle began to disappear, ‘.'al'm.< were broken into. and anyone who happened to tlisturb the bandit brothers in their operations were lucky to escape with his lifc_ Instead of calling in the police. the peasants. who are a hardy and independent race, organised expeditions and started to hunt, the Baudissai-ts like wild beasts. ’Phings became so hot that they (locitlcd to quit their tumbledown hut.

One dayuzx deaf mute, named ‘Alp-h--nd. \\'hi}(3 \va.ndm-ing among the mcuni-ains, saw three sturdy women climbing the slopes, pushing a wheelbarrow. Their skirts were tucked up, handkol'<:hi.efs covered their heads, and shawls were knotted round their shoulders. Hiding among the furzo. he saw then suddenly’ doff their ‘WO- - clothes and re-appear in mn.<:u-

linne dress. They were sandals, which they had put on the wrong way round, to disguise'the‘il' tracks. After a period of calm the Baudissarts began to come rlown at night, bent on armed burglal'y_ One "night the local post--mistrcss was awakened by a noise. and, looking out of the Window. saw three men bl‘<:a_king in. She fired at them \vi‘th a revolver, and they replied with a fussilade from their Brownings; but flm plucky woman drove ihem off. It was after this that the ypungest brother was- Shot. Now a price has been put on the heads of the two surviving brothers, and tlx-'y are being scientifically hunted by dc~ termined villagers. ‘