The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-24
MONDAI.... FEBRUARY 81, 1879.

a Esiacit CLAUDIO Buyai-Tsic Career OF
Harry Eucis. OF Esicisnos,i, va.-EEis
Adventures lisa tI,G United States. Eng.
Ral.d. R,.ts Frnrscc--asow fc Canac 10
Grief I'm paris.
During two wears past a negro Of hcrcu-
lean frame and about forty years old has been
performing as iugglcr at various cities in the
provincial cities of France. He named HIM
self Henry Tor Harry Buck, 1.-THE Virginian
iu=Slcr." and 10y his extraordinary tcats
achieved 50 much celebrity that he was finally
engaged at the Cirque Rationale, i'm Paris,
where his performances every night were
apn|audrd hy the delighted spectators to the
ccho.
Buck lived with very light muatto wo-
man at 4 very pretty cottage III the suburbs
Of PaS>v. and was fond OF giving little sup
pcrs 10 his iricuds OF the circus, whom he
always treated with lavish hospitality,
which woll!C; ln;yc excited suspicion but for
the flrt that he received salary OF 200 francs
= week, au extraordinary compensation in
| that line Of business III France. In realty,
however, the iuGSlcr Increased bis earnings
by prowling in the night through lie
| ari>tocr.ttic suburbs OF Paris rs high
| wayman. He must have carried ON
| this uefarious business for several mouths,
| ior Wl.yn his hoiiSc Was searched luerc
we're found nearly one hundred gold and
silver watches, besides countless articles OF
icwe!rv, II WAS found also that he had
| regularly deposited in one of the Partisan saw
iugs banks sums FAR exceeding the salary
which lie received al the Cirque NationaIe.
The manner in which he acted aS 4 highway
10 inS rr, .but
during he affair which led to his arrest and
conviction.
On the 10Th Of JANUARY, between II and
T. I. NJ. Monsieur Barclrc. a retired banker
- Paris. who owns Il sumpluouS villa a.
| pa,sv. returned in hack from Paris 10 his
| homn. The hack stopped at the gate. and
| lrore oil rs soon rs Vi. ". Barctrc hid
l!;.i,trd i sccomd or two aitcrward. be-
| fore the old banker had been ahla TO open
| 'hc ~a'c. " hich was locked, a tall, dark iolln
rushed upon him, and
| sl,lHNG niM lN TIE COLLAR,
| exclaimed in a low tone, "Quick, give nc
| your money and your waich:" N. Baretrc,
u Il matter ct cu:!rSc, wa. not little star
| tied at the sudden appearance of tbs.
stranger, ana bis surp.i,r changed 10 down.
right terror when he looked his assailant III
| he face and saw that ne waS as black as tie
acc OF spades, while the tirEI expression OF
| The mans eyes lent additional significance
to the threat, which he now uttered,
"Quick, quick. or it will be bad for YOU -
| The old banker wanted 10 open his
mouth, but he was silcnced by the
| appearance Of pistol. which the nIys-
| tcriotls and fnrMidltle hiyhwayman lev
elled at his head. There was nothing
| left for NJ. Barctic but TO surrender his purse
| and watch to the r0bbcr. "Sow YOU will
| give me- your handkerchief" said the rolIer.
The banker produced il. The rohJcr there
| upon tied it very tight round the old gentle
| mans face, no doubt in order to hlindtold
ini c&g him at the same time. Then he
| dealt his victim terrible blow on The head.
| and ran away. He had probably thought
! that this would stun tic banker, but he was
mistaken. III. BaIetre wore Il wig, and the
latter
! EEOKE THE FORCE OF THE BLOW
| in part. In a moment he was on his feet
| again. tore the handkerchief from his face.
| md cried out in shrill voice, "Murd,r.
| robbers. thcycs.' \ policeman stationed
| IN q ncighhoring avenue heard his cries. and
| The highWnyman WIS arrested. NJ. BHrctre
| Identified him at once at the Station-lo,lsc.
and there The prisoner made the iOllowiig
| statement 10 the police commissioner in
charge:
My name is Henry Buck. I am forty
one wears old. Ny birthplace is Richmond,
| in Nir" mia, North Aluericss, where | WAS a
| Save for twenty-five years. IN 1854 | rin
away from my master, and fled to Canada.
| Being Il ,,cod lIostlcr. / found ready employ
| mcnt. and finally joined the circus of Mr..
| Van Ambur!;} al Toronto. / travelled with
it until 1863, and learnt my present business,
Juggling. Iurpcarcd IN nearly every large
| 2ty in America. During the civil war,
made New York my headquarters, ana
being taken sick, left the circus business,
| and opened Il restaurant but ] lost money,
and then went into the army of the Union.
las sergeant in Il colorcd regiment, but
deserted seen alerward, and Joined
another circus. In 1868 c3mc to England.
and in 1870 to France. | have Eeen lnln-
i,hCd repeatedly in America, and twice in
England, for assaults, but have never been
long in prison. I aIi married and have Two
children. ] cannot deny having assaulted
thc complainant. | deny 10 answer rs to
other criilcS ] may have committed Will,
in Paris. dcsire counsel"
On the following morning the black high
wavman was taken to the Mazas prison. ir
PARIS, and SUBJECTED TO a rigid examination
At the hands Of lie Judge rinStrnction
who succeeded in wo;mlng full confession
out Of him. From this confession it turn.
,ut that Buck had II bhed whenever the
weather was favorable, and that his victims
had generally fallen gu easy prey, his black
face, which nearly all Of them had taken fol
a mask, having almost always struck terror
| into their hearts. No one h@d ever suspected
that he WAS the author o.: these crimes. Ht
had dressed very f;!shionably, and his inter
course with people iii good circumstances
had preciudcd any surveillance over his acts
on the part Of the police. OmJannary 81 hC
was taken he:ovc the Seine Tribunal. and OF
| his c,nicS-: ion in the Darctre case, sentenced
to five years transportation. He was how
ever. sent back to the Mazas Jail iii order to
be tried on numerous other charges Of high
way robbery, and it is hardly doubtful buI
that he will lie transported Tor life.