New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-15

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who was swinging on gate hard by.
"Good naight, MASTER said the yokel
"Good night to you" replied my father.
Can ye tell me who this yer letters for 2? said the
yokel, producing folded paper.
My father saw in a moment that 1t Was his OWE
letter to Bradshaw.
"where did you get that ?. be said quickly.
"Ah! replied the yokel, replacing it in bis pocket
"h wh ID Be tel ss Be sdTpse. ,sr
"ob, nought," replied the yokel, "only gentle
Char cried my father, /" what gentleman
-. viii name beginning with F. suit you? % asked
Fraser?' The word fell involuntary from my
fathers lips.
That's the name,r replied the yokel. jumping
Gown from his seat and changing his tone and man
sandiger, as has been robbed Of pocketbook con.
tanning valuable papers and we're going to catch
ION Rocket IS has got itthats our game sir. All
reat g.. SIR and now to business
bal, where are your menu" my father asked,
guse. ~ |A - ''
All right again, sir" said the runner, "they will
,oh as we nave not much time to lose, so please
So my father led the way. followed by Fraser and
~ tne time that they came in sight of the bridge
they had been Joined by four London officers in di
.elens DISCUSSES and from different directions One
appeared as tramp, one - pedlar, another AZ a
genteman's servant leading horse, and the fourth
as soldier. No one could have guessed that theu
mad met before, much less that they were engaged
Ioge.ner IN pre- concerted scheme. Ny father gave
Fraser great credit for the dexterous way in which
he collected bis forces.
The bridge upon which the money was to he nlaced
consisted OF Two arches across river and was Joined
oes oyer sas Iy oag sort Of causew.y built
eraly covered with water 1t 80 happened, that the
very next morning after the robbery heavy rain ri
ln and soon the floods were out that there was no
way os ge'ag On the bridge but BY going along the
yards, sloping down gradually to the road, on each
side OF the river. This causeway was built of wood
At some places the timbers were covered with earth
snd stones. but at others the roadway had worn out
and they were bare, so that any one looking up from
underneath could see who was passing overhead.
MI. Fraser's sharp eye took In the position in q
moment. He got two hurdles out of field close by
and, with some rope that he had brought for other
purpose fastened them to the piles SO that they hung
like shelves between the roadway and the flood one
on each side OF the bridge, and about twenty yards
from i. This was his plan two of his men we're to
lie hidden on each hurdle, whilst he and my father,
in boat that was concealed beneath the main arch
Of the bridge, unseen themselves, could watch the
heap OF stones where the money was to be placed,
and the stolen pocket book left 10 exchange for it.
As soon as Tom Rocket, or any Of his friends, re.
moved me bag in which the gold was placed, Fraser
was 70 WHISTLE and bis men were to climb from their
hiding places and secure whoever it might be- II be
leaped over the railing of the causeway, and took 10
the water there Was the boat in which to follow and
pursue him.
Mr.. Fraser was very particular to practice his allies
in springng quickly from their place of conceaIment
and IN impresslng upon them and my father the ne
cesity Of all acting together keeping careful watch
and strict silence. and now, sir" said my father,
as distant clock chimed quarter to twelve otis
time TO get to our places and to bait the trap, so
please to hand me the bag that may mark it, and
some Of the COINS 50 as to identify them at the tria
He had made up his mind, you see to nail Master
Tom this time.
My father gave him the bag, saw him write upon
it, and make some scratches on about dozen of the
guneas and then my father let himself down into the
beat, in which be was Immediately Joined by the
runner.
9 It's all right said Frazer, in low tone. 0.
Do you think be will Gomez whispered nv
father.
Certain" repleu Fraser but hush we must
not talk, sir: times up"
For three mortal hours did my father sit in that
boat and the lay stretched out on the broad
Of their backs upon those hurdles watching for Tom
Rocket to come for his money; and for three mortal
hours not soul approached the bridge, not sound
but the wash Of the swollen river was heard. By
the time that the clock struck three, my father, who
had been nodding for the last twenty minutes, fell
fast asleep as he sat covered up in his cloak for it
was bitter cold night; but was very speedily
aroused by hearing Fraser cry out that they were
adrift.
Adrift they were, sure enough. The rope that held
them had been chafed against the sharp corner of
pile $50 Mr.. Fraser explaned) till it broke, and away
went the boat whrling round and round in the eddes
OF the river, tit to make any one gddy. So strong
was the stream, that they were carried mile and
half down it, before they could get ashore Ny father
was for returning directly to the BRIDGE and SO was
Fraser but, somehow or other, they lost each other
in the dark; and when my father arrived there hav.
ing run nearly all the way be found to his great sur.
prise, that the officers had left He rushed to the
heap of stones and there the first thing that caught
his eye was his Pocket-book-the money ,cas gone!
Lord, how he did swear!
Determining to have it out with the runners for
deserving their posts be hurried to the inn where
they had met and were to pass the night. He
knocked at the door. No answer. He knocked
again. louder. No answer He was not in the very
best of tempers, as you may guess; SO be gave the
door big kick. In it flew !; and sight met his
view that fairly took away his breath. Tied into Eve
chairs, hand and foot, trussed up like many Christ
mas turkeys, with five gags in their five mouths, and
their five pair Of eyes glazing at him. owlishly sat the
real Mr. Fraser and his four Bow street runners Tom
Rocket had managed the business at the bridge him
self!
How he managed to get scent of the plot and to
seize the officers all together just at the nick of time
my father could never find out, and no one knows to
this day.
Upon examining bis pocket-book, my father found
all bis documents, and paper on which was written
these words:
"By destroying these writings could have ruined
YOU In doing so, should have injured your client
whom l respect. For his sake keep my word,
though you have played me false.
TOM ROCKER"
And now, before concluding, suppose you would
like to know what became of Tom. Well, after hav.
ing been tried three times, and getting off upon some
law bubble upon each occasion, he-who had robbed
the worth Of thousands of pounds, and escaped
was executed at Nottingham for stealing an old
bride
Saratoga and Newport, you've seen them,"
Said Charley one morning to joe;
"Pray tell me the difference between them.