The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-17
Tricks UponTrnveIIers.

One of the most wonderful robberies ever
erpetrated-wonderful, at least, when one
considers the means at the disposal of the
robber-was the achievement of a French
man, who, for long time after it, was recog-
nized in his profession as "the King of the
Bandits"
His claim to this title was based upon a
single exploit-the robbing of a diligence,
which feat he not only planned, but carried
into successful execution, without any assist
ance whatsoever To do this, he made all
his arrangements with the most careful COM
pleteness, and, we may be sure, fixed night
for the attack when the coach carried
freight worth robbing. He studied closely
the country through which the journey was
to be made, and selected point on the road
where there was very steep hill, with
hedges and underwood at either side. He
then procured a number of stout sticks about
he length and thickness of the barrel of a
gun. These he stuck into the hedges, let
ting the ends of them appear, as if they
were the muzzles of guns directed by per-
sons in ambusca de behind the hedge. AS
the diligence now came toiling slowly up the
hill, the driver saw a man standing on the
pathway, and gesticulating violently. On ap-
preaching nearer, the man could be heard
distinctly haranguing them. "Ready! Obey
ordersl No firing if there be no resistance!"
And then the robber, walking slowly forward,
stopped the horses, told the guard to get
down and to lie with his face and hands on
the ground, and that no violence would be
offered to him. He then went to the door of
the vehicle, and assuring the ladies, who were
screaming for help, that they need be under
no alarm begged each passenger, as he
stepped out, to hand him his purse, and
then to lie down on his face and hands
near the guard. While all this drama
was being enacted, the robber-chief
kept shouting to his assistants not to fire
L..
they should get his signal. Thus one by
one, he handed all the passengers out, each
giving up his purse as if it were a ticket, and
then going and lying upon the wet grass
side by side with the guard. When the dill
gence was empty, our highwayman retired
with all the movable property he desired to
possess himself of, and escaped through the
wood. The most amusing part of the story
was that amongst the travellers we're several
officers fully armed, who surrendered their
swords at discretion, and joined the other
dupes on the grass. 1t is well to add that
the robber was ultimately apprehended, and
the greater part of the stolen property was
found upon him.
Another very extraordinary robbery was
one which has only recently been detected;
if it has less adventure in it than the other,
it has certainly more system and ingenuity.
The enterpriser in this case was also highly
thought of amongst his brethren, and was
well known to professional thieves as ''Jack
in the Box" His chief residence was in the
capital, but he had Offices for his business in
many other towns. His system was this
He had box so constructed that he could
lie down in it with ease, and rely upon always
having plenty of fresh air; it could also
contain provisions, tools, false keys, O Ian
tern, ETC. etc., and the real mode of open
ing it was from the inside. Jack, having
caused himself to be buried alive in this
coffin, would get it booked, say from Chester
to Euston Square by goods train, and care
fully labelled, ''This side up, to be kept TIL
called for" The box always was put in 6
train that arrived at the station at night
and was accordingly stored till called for the
following day. 1t was in this interval that
the robberies were committed. When the
whole station was shut up, the porters dis
missed, and the place in darkness, Jacl
emerged from his box, lit his lantern, ant
set to work. He got out his tools and hi
keys, and took his time, for he had plent,
of time to take. We all know what an in
secure thing the lock of a trunk is, and how
nearly all keys are made on the same pat
tern. They did not afford much trouble t.
the robber; he opened box after box, un
packing them with great care and tidiness-
for long practice had made him perfect
and selecting as keepsakes the article
that were most valuable, most portable, an
most easily disposed of. With these CLEAN
ing, he filled the box in which he had hin
self come up to town, and then lay in cor
cealment till the morning. The stores woul
then be opened, porters would come in
remove goods, and Jack would choose hi
own time to effect his escape. Later in tn
day he would call for parcel that ha
arrived from Chester by the last goods trai
of the preceding night, and that was directe
to be called for. He would take it away wit
him in cab, having first paid all the railwa
charges upon it. But the day came whe
this little ''coup" was made for the last tim
and it was policeman, and not his box, thI
Jack found waiting for him on application
The governor of county Jail showed me
collection of the photographs of all the pl
soners who had ever been in his charge
''that is said he, 'of all except one Th
honorable exception was our friend Jack;
positively declined to be photographed. /
said, with some shrewdness, that it wou
ruin his future prospects.