Litchfield enquirer., 1862-09-04
THE DOUBLE ROBBERY

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 - r ' ~' THE DOUBLE ROBBERY Towards the close of the last century tn 7 County of Northumberland, lEngland,) and tn, border were terribly infested by those-to tn, bucolic mind particularly obnoxious specmin
 Of the genus thief known as rievers" or .lifters ', of cattle. Almost all the rascals who followed
 this not unlucratiye profession trusted chiefly tt
 mere brute force to carry out successfully thei nefarious schemes. There was, however, on, exception to this rule to be found in the Der son of a celebrated freboetar, known as f Dick ey of gKingsWood.." This worthy openly ex . pressed his disappropatiou of his rivals vulga mode of following their profession and repeated ly boasted that he could achieve twicesss mncf hy bis cunniRgeas they 4csnld shg ssieirs hfnt. force. Nor was this assertion of his mere empty boasting-far from it. In few years time Dickey's name became the terror of the , country side. No farmer felt secure when ht retired to rest at night that his cattle might not have vanished ere morning. So clevery moreover, were all Dickeys enterprises conduc ted that no man could ever succeed in making personal acquantances with him. He openly set justice at defiance, and laughed at the flu tile efforts of the law to punish him Perhaps however the best way to illustrate the adroitness and good luck which characterized all Dlckey's proceedings will be tor me to relate the story ot one of his exploits. ...' ...
 It appears, then that during the course of his peregrinations through Northumberland, one fine afternoon, Dickeys eyes were gladdened by the sight of pair of fne oxen which were qniety grazing in field near Denton Burn, a village distant three miles flom Newcastle.
 Determined to possess them Dickey hung about the place till nightfall, watched where the animals were driven to, and bis usual good fortune assisting him speedily secured his prize He also contrived by the exercise of lis accus toned cunning, to leave such traces behind him as made the owner of the oxen certain that the freebooter had made off towards the Tweed. Thither he accordingly proceeded in hot haste. In the interim, however, Dickey had lost no time in making tracks towards the west coun- try and so expeditions were his movements, that in short time he reached Laneraost in Cumberland Here he fell in with an old far mer on horseback, who, being delighted with the appearance of the oxen, forthwith purchased them.
 Dickey was of course rejolced at getting rid so pleasantly Of charge which could not fail to be troublesome nay possibly, dangerous, to him louger to retain. The farmer, moreover, was mounted upon splendid mare which Dickey, with his peculiar ideas on the subject of naeunl and teafna at once resolved by fair means or foul, to secure. He therefore willingly accep- ted the farmers hospitable invitation to accom-. pany him to his house in order that they might "crack" bottle of wine in honor of their par gain. Presently Dckey inquired of the farmer if he would sell him his mare?
 Sell you my mare!' exclined his host, all aghast at this proposition. Sell my mare! No thank you! Why, there's not her equal in the whole north countryn
 l uV uOO uOuOt u, MI. IeSDUuuSu Dickey; 'and from what saw of her paces this morning. l am quite of your opinion that there's not her equal within hundred miles of us but added the obsequious Dick, since you will not sell her, can only wish you long life and good health to enjoy her.
 This sentiment was of course duly honored in a bumper.
 T hope, Mr. Musgrave,' next observed Dickey that you keep close lookout after your stable door, because now, when that confounded rascal Dickey of Kingswood is allowed to be at liberty a man cannot be sure but that any fine morning he may find his stable empty
 Stable ha! han chuckled the farmer. think, he continued that Dickey of kingswood would find 1t rather difficult to steal my mare out of her stableH
 Indeed! where may her stable be situated 1? inquired Dickey.
 Her stable God bless you, sirv answered MT. Musgrave, her stable IS in my bedroom I'm bachelor, and so every night fasten hel to my bed-post. I have had manager put uI TOT her Tn the room, duu ID MUSIC IS SO pleaSau to me as to hear her grinding her corn all night by my bedside + T%
 | Dickey was astounded-as well he might bt at such unheard of precautions but disguisine his astonishment he contented himself by sim r ply expressing to the farmer his hearty approva of the meaus he adopted to secure the safety 0 his faEorite. ., : I suppose you have a good lock upon you 7 bed room door?' was Dickey's next feeler.'
 Come with me, and will show it youj' re f piled the unsuspecting farmer.
 , This was of course just what Die key wanted U He examined the lock carefully, and soon satls flied himself that he could pick it without mucl ldificulty He, however declared to Mir. Mus
 grave that it was just the right sort of lock Isit couldn't have been better, in fact;' it wa e quite non -pickable, &c., &c.
 Again the loving cup passed around, and a . ter draining bumper to their next merr 7 meeting Dickey departed.
 :. The old farmer after his guests leave-takin
 had been completed, carefully vent the round ' of his house, locking doors and closing win | dows with all due precaution. He then, a ,. usual, tied his mare to her accustomed post, r