The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-22 00:00:00

WONDERFUL IF TRUE!

The following extraordinary story appears in a late
number of the New York Tribune :
A great deal of excitement has recently been created
in the higher classes of the Austrian capita'
re-
markable and romantic developments of numerous heavy
robberies, which for years past have been committed in
and near the metropolis, by one or moremalefactors,
whose whereabout it was impossible to trace
order to give a through insight into the matter was
b yw out.
ethe
must In
begin at a period when the existence of this gang
proved by their actions.
Towards the close of October, lavtindgf
cinargriaa,4eflnoef
and clear autumnal evening, the tra
, Mr. Edward C. Brooks, a wealt.hayekrn
to eechlnt of Lon-
don,Vienne, from
who then was on his way !)
a long tour in Upper Italy and the
milesLoomf bvariednicnaprio-
vinces, was stopped within three _
the most populous part of the countrOy.neman only
presented himself at the coach window,and courte-
ously, but firmly,. demanded
th.e conveyancethesiirrenderpoofssewshseadt-.
ever valuables the inmates of
With Mr. Brooks there were two ladies, his wife and her
younger sister, the latter of whom had already drawn her
was in the act of handing it to the highway-
man,Pttresse, and
when her extended arm was fractured by a pistol shot
from Mr. Brooks, who, having perceived the movement of
his sister-in-law, had from the back of the carriage quietly
taken aim at the robber, with a view of answering the im-
prudent demand. A scene of terrific confusion then en-
sued. ' The report of the pistol brought, besides the two
men who guarded the coachman and horses, three more
individuals to the support of the highwayman; the
traces were cut in an instant, the coachman was lashed
to Ilia eeat, and the highwaymen prepared to avenge the
death of their leader, who lay apparently inanimate on
the ground.
The doors of the caliche were torn open, but the
spectacle which there presented itself was such as to
make the robbers pause before they launched out
upon the mission of revenge. Miss Perry, the
wounded lady, lay in the arms of her sister, whose
speechless agony proved the horror which she felt at
the occurrence. Mr. Brooks still ignorant that it was
he who inflicted the injury, had nevertheless aban-
doned all ideas of resistance, and was vainly endeavour-
ing to stanch the blood, which flowed in torrents
from the ghastly wound. For some minutes the
highwaymen looked upon this mournful scene, until
a low moan from their leader reminded them of the
necessity of giving him that attention which his
condition peremptorily called for. A few minutes
sufficed to prove that he was not dangerously
wounded; the bullet, after fracturing the slender arm
of Miss Perry, had spent itself against his chest, causing
what the Germans call a Prellschuss, and though it did
not penetrate the flesh had still force enough to break a
bone or two, without any other outward sign than a
small black spot on the place were the leaden messenger
struck.

The chief soon recovered and was able to ride off,
while he had left his followers in charge of the car-
riage, giving strict orders, however, not to plunder the
Englishman and his family, but to give them every as-
sistance to enable them to reach Vienna as early as
possible, that the young lady might obtain medical
aid. The orders were executed to the letter; Mr.
Brooks saw his horses put to the carriage by his late
assailants who exhibited the most respectful bearing
towards him, and scorned rather to wish him good than
evil. So much, indeed, was he taken by the conduct of
the men, that on parting he gave a diamond ring of
great value to him who had been left in command by the
chief, with orders to send it to his master, as a token of
his gratitude fir the consideration which had been ex-
tended to the suffering lady.

The occurrence caused an extraordinary sensation at
Vienna. Apart from the boldness of the act, the stand-
ing of Mr. Brooks and bis energetic action, the result of
the encounter, so far as Miss Perry was concerned, gave
sufficient interest to the matter of it to remain the stand-
ing topic for many weeks. As to the injured lady, she
suffered greatly from the severe wound, but recovered
without the loss of her arm, which at first it seemed im-
possible to save. Though Mr. Brooks discountenanced
all efforts to trace out the individual who stopped his
carriage, the police, nevertheless, caused the most mi-
nute inquiries to be made, bat without the slightest
success.

A month or two passed quietly away, when the news
of another attack on the highway, this time accompa-
nied with a robbery to a heavy amount, startled the
police from their apathy, to which they had abandoned
themselves since they saw their efforts to point out
the perpetrators of the previous robbery fruitiest,.
Attack followed attack at four or six weeks' interval,
and they were directed only against the most wealthy,
with a sagacity and prudence which defied every pre-
caution on the part of the authorities. Years thus
passed without the least success against these depreda-
tors; and, late in the fail of 1851, three robberies
were committed during one night, not ono of which led
to a discovery, though the booty consisted of such ar-
ticles as could not have been disposed of in the Austrian
Empire without establishing suspicion against the seller.
In the month of January Miss Perry, who, since re-
ceiving the wound from the pistol-shot of her brother-
in-law, had been married to a Welsh gentleman named
Trowyth, arrived at Vienna with her husband, where
her former adventure was by no means forgotten, and
was frequently spoken about in company. Among
those who seemed to take the deepest interest in the
matter was a Baron Pregli, a Lombard nobleman,
who for the last ten years had stayed at
Vienna, and apparently enjoyed unbounded wealth. He
became an admirer of Mrs. Trenth and her constant
attendant. Rumour was soon started, and the question
was asked, why the husband allowed so close an inti-

macy as was exhibited in their frequent rides and walks.
None, however, pretended to prognosticate the result of
this intimacy.
At an early hour on the 2d of March Baron Pregli's
mansion was surrounded by a body of officers, the
leader of whom thereupon demanded access to the
building. After a while the doors where thrown
Open, and the commissary, with two of his men,
entered, while others were left to guard the various
outlets. Nearly half an hour thus passed over until the
offimrs returned, bringing with them and care-
fully guarding Baron Pregli, whom they took to the
prison usually assigned to political offenders. From the
action of the police no one can tell what is the offence
w hich he is charged with. He had no hearing, and pro-
bably
may have none. His friends may see him again,
or they may
not, just as it suits the despotic will of him
who rules over Austria.
In spite of the precautions which are always taken in
Austria to keep secret the offences of the nobility, the
story in regard to Baron Pregli's carer has leaked
out. It appears that it is he who, in connexion with
several devoted servants, has for years past rendered
the highway to Vienna insecure, as he could carry
on these depredations from his country residence
without in the slightest measure incurring the suspi-
cion of the authorities. It is a remarkable fact, that the
baron had actually stood in the pay of the polico—a
situation which ho probably coveted only for the pur-
pose of leading any suspicions that might arise into
another channel.

Becoming deeply enamoured of the beautiful Mrs.
Trewyth, he sought vainly to gain her affections, and
at lssr, in a silly fit of despair, showed her the ring
which Mr. Brooks had sent him, as the leader of the
highwaymen, three years previously, and appealed to
her to become his, since she had once been chosen to
be the instrument to save his life. So far from the
confession having the effect of softening her feelings,
she became all the more prejudiced against him, but
promised faithfully to keep the secret it he would not
repeat the offensive proposals. Pregli did not come near
her for a week, but at last attempted to carry her off by
the aid of his satellites, and being foiled in this in-
formation was given which led to the arrest, as before
stated.
Three of the Baron's men have since been arrested,
and at his country residence a large quantity of articles
were found, all of which were identified as having been
stolen.

RACING FIXT

RES FOR 1852.

Newcastle
Bibury
Stockbridge
Winchester
JII

Knighton 25
Caritale
Ludlow
Chelmsford 3O
TLY.
Ipswich
Stamford 2O
Knut.siord ... 21
Nottingham
Abingdon
Guildford
Goodwood
Downham Market 2B
Wenlock 2B
UST.
Lynn
Lichfield l6
York
Radcliffe 23
Egham
Derby
Stourbridge
Lincoln

Salisbury
Newmarket 6
Worcester
Woodford and Loughton 6
Lancaster
Jersey
Odiham
1151,37 l4
Liverpool
AUG
ItNorth Staffordshire
13riG
Club 2
Coven ry 3
......
115
Edgwarereacit
1u.7.h.
woeat
.Isi
....
il .
wWP-4ar—wea11arcka:e..................P1:7E
14"
Roehesterel;
and Ch th . '
Rochester . aam 8
Egliaton
Bedford
22
Chester ................ (:)(7°
Royal Caledonian ri,;tl
and Bdic burgh Club,
Yorkshire Union Hunt
66
Wrexham
NON%
Worcester Autumn
IRISH RAC

MBER.

Leicester 22
Manchester Autumn
Newmarket F. 0.
Chesterfield
Western Meeting

IBER.

Catragh .................. 22

}lentil ....................
A.lll

Newmarket S. 0.
Holywell Hunt
Richmond
Newmarket Houghton 25