BANDITS IN MOTORS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 249, 20 April 1912, Page 10

BANDITS IN MOTORS

OUTRAGES IX PAIUS BY APACHES. It is 110 exaggeration to Bay that the whole of 'l'i'i!tn'i' is watching breathlessly the struck! which is silently going oil between the police ami the phantom motor bandits. The audacity of the latter is incredible. Twenty-four hours after the murder of the. policeman Garnier in front of the Gare St. Lazare (says a London paper of March 1), these men, who must know that everyone is on the watch for them, actually committed a burglary at I'ontoise, a little town about fifteen miles from Paris.

(Still using the grey 40-li.p. car, thanks to whose speed they have hitherto defied capture, they started for the South of France. The police knew that their objective was Ala.is. in the (.Sard, and their intended victim the pay-messenger of a big factory "who, at the end of the month, fetches a large sum of money from the bank for his employers. They had only got as far as Pont-sur-Yonne, in the Yonne, however, when they found the front axle was weakening! They had it mended by a wheelwright in the place, but this accident appears to have ( forced them to change their plans.

Fearing that tliev had already attracted attention at Poiit-sur-Yonne, and that tTioir movements would be reported to the police, they determined to double back on Paris. Making a circuit around the city, tliev arrived at Pontoise, in the north-west of Paris, in the middle of the night. Doubtless their ready money was getting short, and they had bethought themselves of a house already marked down for a visit at a convenient opportunity. This was the house of M. Tantint, a wellknown motorist, in the market square. An unsuccessful attempt had been made last August to .force M. Tantint's safe, but the burglars were disturbed, and they fled without plunder.

SHOTS FIRED AT A BAKER. Towards three o'clock this morning M. Tantint, who sleeps on the first storey, heard a noise and. going to the window, he looked out. A baker was passing at that moment, going to his work, ancl M. Tantint called out to him and asked him to see if the front door were closed. The baker had hardly got up to the door when two shots were fired at him. Fortunately he was not hit. jie drew back, and at that moment two burglars rushed out and made for their motor ear, which was standing a few yards away, with the chauffeur on his seat ready to start at a 'moment's notice. M. Tantint, who had his revolver in his hand, opened fire. The burglars replied, and several shots were exchanged without result, except that a bullet grazed "M. Tantint'-, neck. A moment later the two burglars jumped in and the car made off at full speed.

SET FIRE TO TTIFJR MOTOR CAR. For an hour or two the phantom thieves are lost to sight. We come upon them again at a ijuarter past six this morning at Saint Ouen. Driving up to a piece of waste ground the three men got out. opened the petrol tank, and, let the spirit, run out. But for some reason or other the petrol ceased to flow, and the straw, which they set alight. was apparent damp, for the flames went out of themselves. The three criminals, however, had not waited to st e the result of their efforts. They had already turned and walked rapidly towards Paris. Their singular proceedings liad, however. excited the suspicion of a certain AT. Crotin, living close by. • As soon as the men's backs were turaed M. Crotin hurried to the police station, reported what he had seen, and gave a description of the men.

Y\ itli all haste. tin- new thief of the C.1.D.. M. Ouichard. was telephoned for, and presently lie arrived with M. Biiwson. the owner of the stolen grpj car, who at once identilied the abandoned automobile as his property. Inside were various articles belonging to M. Biusson which had disappeared with the ear when it was stolen last Monday from St. Mande. By this time ii■ i- three men, who were last seen going towards t'he city, had disappeared, but it seems as though the police are gradually cloMiig in on them, for everything seems to point to the probability of their funds running out, and, now that they have abandoned the swift-moving ear. they cannot escape so quickly. The final .scene will doubtless be a terrible one, for, judging ilroin their previous exploits, these desperate criminals will not allow themselves to be taken alive. There seems little doubt that the gang which has ball'led the police for some months is not a numerous one, probably live or six determined men. TWO Ml<;.\ ARRESTED. esterday afternoon the police arrested two men whom they believe to have been implicated in tlie attack on the bank messenger (Jaby in the Rue Ordener. Tt is also hoped that the prisoners will be able to throw some light oil the affair of the Rue du Havre. For two days ti man named Dieudonne. krooiwn to be an anarchist, and to be in relation with a number of criminals wanted by the police, has been carefully watched, and when he left his lodgings in Hue Lecluse yesterday his path was blocked by several police inspectors. Winn they attempted to arrest him Dieudonne struggled, but 'with a clever movement an inspector turned back his jacket, thus immobilising his arms. This was by no means an idle precaution, for two Browning pistols, each loaded with eight, cartridges, were found in his pockets. Just as the policeman and the prisoner were leaving the Rue Lecluse they met another individual whom the inspector recognised as "wanted." The man was evidently coming to visit Dieudonne, but when he sn.w his friend between two policemen he turned back quickly and attempted to run. But he was soon captured and taken with Dieudonne to the Surete.. On being searched he also was found to carry two Browning pistols. This second criminal was identified as a Belgian named Paul de Boue, also an anarchist, who lias already been imprisoned once for attempted murder, and is wanted for numerous thefts.