EXTRAORDINARY RAILWAY ROBBERY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue XXXII, 9 March 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

EXTRAORDINARY RAILWAY ROBBERY.

An extraordinary story of robbery on a railway is told by a Russian newspaper. A wealthy merchant named Erdmann purchased a first-class ticket at the Minsk railway station, paying with a hundred rouble note, which he took from a wellfilicd pocket book in the presence of a number of persons. Behind him stood a pretty and elegantly dressed young lady, who also took a first class ticket to Moscow. The passengers, having secured their tickets, betook themselves to the waiting rooms to await the arrival of the train. In the first class room the elegantly dressed young lady seated herself next to Herr Erdmann, and presently entered into conversation with him, enlarging upon the disagreeable position of a lady who was left to travel long distances alonfc. Touched, doubtless by the beauty more than by the plaintive discourse of his interlocutor, the gallant merchant immediately offered to see her safely to Moscow, whither he was also bound. They accordingly entered a first class compartment together and were joined by no other passenger. During the journey the young lady's conduct became so remarkably free and her advances so uumistakable that her cavalier felt constrained to show by a display of coolness that her attentions were unwelcome. Apparently resenting his indifference, she moved to the opposite end of the compartment, and shortly afterwards took out a scent bottle the contents of which she scattered about, remarking that the atmosphere was oppressive. Almost immediately Herr k>dman became conscious of a feeling of stupor, aud before he could make an effort to arouse himself he had fallen into a deep sleep. Some time elapsed before he awoke, nnd then he was suffering from a severe headache and sense of sickness. Instinctively he felt in his pocket in which he carried his money. It was gone, as was his costly watch and chain, It was clear that he had been robbed in his sleep. Naturally the conduct of his pretty companion now appeared in a significant light. But on looking at her Herr Erdmann found that she was, or pretended to be fast asleep. The guard was summoned, the matter explained, and the young lady was forthwith awakened. When questioned, she protested that- she, too, had unaccountably fallen asleep, and knew nothing of what had happened in the meantime. Her protests were of course unavailing, and she was arrested ; but the strictest search failed to bring to light the presence of any of the stolen property. She was, however, kept in prison, and inquiries were instituted. While these were being fruitlessly pursued, the key to the mystery was, at the end of the month, unexpectedly obtained in another quarter. Then a railway guard named Schmiilewitch was caught in the act of robbing a passenger, and on his home being searched various articles recently stolen from passengers were found. The thief at length confessed that it was ho who had robbed Herr Erdman, and that he was one of a company of three railway thieves, his two companions living at Lunaberg. These gentlemen were duly arrested, and in their house wore found Herr Erdmann's watch and chain and his 22,000 roubles. Naturally, the young womau was at once set at liberty. The most remarkable feature of the story is the method employed by Schmulewitsch in robbing his victims. He contrived to introduce into the railway compartments by means of pipes an overpowering stream of ether, which speedily reduced the passengers into a fitting state for the exercise of his profession. In the case described above j the thief had expressly refrained from ! robbing the young woman, in order to throw suspicion upon her.