A Curions Gang in Paris.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 355, 30 March 1889, Page 4

A Curions Gang in Paris.

A * meat-sneaking gang,' the members of which lived literally, and without the least touch of exaggeration, on the ' fat of the land,' has jus\ been discovered in Paris. Last week a man was observed lurking a 'considerable time before a well - stocked butcher's shop, his eyes rivetted on a ' superb ' leg of mutton warranted to weigh six pounds, and which was only dangling from a hook. The suspicious person walked up and down before the shop, and sometimes crossed to the other side of the road, returning, however, continually 'to his mutton,' which he at last jerked off its hook by a fine trick of legerdemain and plunged into a canvas bag. The operation, although neatly and speedily performed, had been seen by two policemen, who thought they had met the ' mutton - sneak ' before. At the station the man gave his address in the Rue dcs Morillons, whither repaired the two detectives and inquired for the chief. When the door of the room to which they went was half opened by a woman, the officers walked in. and were temporarily overwhelmed by the spectable which was presented to their eyes. The place was long, narrow, and dirty. On a'i table in the centre was a vast heap of provisions, consisting of beef, mutton, pork, poultry, and patets-de-foie-gras. There were game, huge pullets staffed with PSrigord truffles, nice necks of lamb, and fine uurkeys, all waiting to be roasted. After further examination the detectives discovered other stolen articles of a miscellaneous character, which showed that the occupants of the rooms were members of t? big thieving gang, of which the ' muttonsneak ' was a duly qualified member. Besides the woman an old man and two boys were captured in the tenement. The old man was the trainer of the youths, and had hooks put up in one part of the room from which ne taught his apprentices to abstract j joints of meat or poultry.