The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-11-05
THE ROBIN HOOD OF NORWAY,

In the Castle OF AgerShauS, in Christiana,
in cage of thick iron bars, is immured
for life, Hoyland, the Robin Hood of Nor
way. His robberies were always confined
to the upper classes, while his kindness
and hberality to those of his own rank of
life rendered him exceedingly popular
amongst them. His crimes never appear
to have been accompanied with personal
violence. He is a native of Christiansand,
where he began his career. On being i'm
prisoned for some petty theft, he broke in
to the inspectors room, while he was at
church, and stole his clothes; these Hoy
land dressed himself in, and quietly walk
ed out OF the town unobserved and unsus
pected. He was subsequently repeatedly
captured and imprisoned in this castle, and
often made his escape. On one occasion
he was taken on board of vessel Just leav-
ing the Christiania Fiord for America.
Previous to his escape, all descriptions of
irons having been found unless, he was
placed in solitary confinement in the
strongest part of the basement of the eta
del-his room was floored wsth very thick
planks. Here he had been confined for
several years when one night, the turnkey
said to him, "Well, you are fixed at last,
you will never get out of this, and you may
as well promise us that you will not at
tempt it." To this he only replied, sit is
your business to keep me here if you can,
and mine to prevent your doing so if DOS
sible." The following day, when his cell
was opened, the prisoner was gone, appa-
rently without leaving trace of the man
ner in which he had effected his escape.
After a repeated and careful search, on re-
moving his bed, it was found that he had
cut through the thick planks of the floor
ing. On removing the planks cut away
(and which he had replaced ON leaving the
celD, itappeared he had sunk shaft, and
formed gallery under the wall of his
prison--this enabled him to gain the court
yard, from which lie easily reached the
ramparts unseen, dropped into the ditch,
and got off No trace of him could be
found. About twelve months afterwards
the National Bank was robbed of 10000
dollars, chiefly paper money, and in the
most mysterious manner, there being no
trace of violence upon the locks of the
iron chest in which the money had been
left, or upon those of the doors of the bank,
Some time afterwards a petty theft was
committed by man who was taken and
soon recognized to be Hoyland. He then
disclosed how he had effected his last es-
cape, which had taken him three years of
steady patient labor to accomplish; while
others slept he was at work, and with a
nail for his only tool. Having money con-
cealed in the mountains he was sheltered
in Christiana-disguised himself made
acquaintance with the porter of the bank
gradually, without his knowledge, took
imDressiOns of the various locka-mo1e
keys for them-and thus committed the
robbery before mentioned. He is said to
carve beautifully in wood and stone, but is
no longer allowed the use of TOOLS His
sole occupation is knitting stockings with
wooden pins. Twice during the day,
while the other prisoners are not at work,
he is allowed to leave his cell for air and
exercise, and he occasionally gets the
amusement of chat with the governor, by
writing to him that he will disclose where
the rest of the bank money is concealed
which he did not get rid of while at liber-
ty.-N. Y. Observer.