The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-26

HowasH NvrsTsSsssxnzss sAADs PsnErrA sIs


H6waaas NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. skAps PsnHrrA sIl
OCEAN VOYAGES HpNnzarrL TRUNK.
The Lisbon correspondent of, the Londor
Daily Ne,cs, writing 20 that Journal under
date Of July %, tells the following Interest.
ing story 81 ~ -
Gone j. sprpDgf, a Swiss, has }tist beer
arrested Oh q charge Of robbery on board the
Pacific steamer LigurIa, from Liverpool.
For some time the police tave been on The
alert. and after the idepartureiof the Lfguria
the Liverpool detective department tele.
graphed to the Bordeaux police to send on
officer to watch certain suspicious character
on board, who seems TO have had the Ill.
luck to have been q passenger on other
occasions when robberies had occur.
red. Accordingly, at Bordeaux, M. Rump-
Ter. an able detective, came on board, but he
suffered so much from sea-sickpess, that be
was unable TO leave his berth. The first
night after leaving Bordeaux, when the
steamer was Ia the Bay of Biseay, a series of
robberies took place, several Of the passen.
gers missing watches, rings, money, and
other. valuaoles. This naturally caused
much excitement and ill.feeling. Stewards
were crossquestioned, passengers looked
suspiciousIy at their neighbors, spies were
set, but all to no purpose. Before the
vessel had reached Vigo suspicious had
gathered strongly round NJ. Sprungli, and d
telegram was sent to NJ. Edward Pinto Bss.
tos, the Lisbon agent of the Pacific Com.
papy, giving him all particulars, and asking
him to confer with the police authorities.
For the last two years complaints OF theft
have been made by passengers OF the Pacific
steamers, and about twelve months ago
very large robbery occurred on board the
Potosi. 1t now appears that M. Sprupgli
was passenger then. This person has
visited Lisbon several times, and has usually
lodged at the Hotel Central, where he was
especially liked by the walters, being both
liberal and afable, after the manner Of such
agreeable gentlemen. The police agents.
Pamela and Ferreira, watched the landing
of the passengers. Among The first to come
ashore was N. Sprungli, followed by one OF
the agents ia plain clothes. The former
took q walk toward the railway station at
st. Apolonia made the round of two or
three back streets in the ALBANIA. and then
took tramWay car back to the castom-house,
Intending to pass bis baggage, which had
been landed in the mean time. Here, in the
presence of the officials. his trunk was sub
United to q rigorous examination, but no.
ahing was discovered. As Sprungli now
wished to leave the place one Of the dctec-
tiyes declared himself ard said be he'd orders
to take him aud his trunk TO the Civil Gov.
ernor's office. The Swiss protested strongly
against this arrangement, and said be would
claim the protection of his consul. How
ever, he was obliged to accompany the po
lice to the Civil Governors department,
where another and more searching examina-
ton was made OF the trunk. Nothing was
found, and the search was being given up,
ghen CASTILLO BiancO, the very able chief OF
the detectives, observed narrowly the IRON
work with which the trunk was profusely
bound on the outside, and noticed that it was
not riveted, but screwed, and that several
of the screws seemed loose. He accord
ingly unscrewed the iron bands, and then
came nice disclosure. There were no
ess than sixteen secret compartments,
iled with money and yaluables. Brought
10 bay thus, NJ. Sprungli became very much
,gitated, and made q clean breast Of 1t.
Among the valuabIes were gold watches,
chains, brooches, diamond studs and pins,
bracelets, gold crosses, large number OF
,overeigos, pearl necklace, and other costly
articles. NJ. Sprungi, say the published ac'
cunts, is native OF Zurich, about thirty
years of age. He spesks three or four lan-
,uages fuently, and is of gentlemanly and
appearance. He was formerly
merchant in Africa, but failed in business,
ind got into very low water. About two
;ears ago be came to Europe, and, according
@ his own confession, struck out esE&De
md developed new ideas In the calling Of u
,heyalier d'Industrie. His plan has been to
rayel BY mail steamers, accompanied by
lis wonderful box. and to prey upon the
}, 8 .epgers. His plan Of action was TO make
lis observations during the day. and at night
enter the stateroomS. 1t Is said he has bad
be ability to enter room " here four pissen-
RS were sleeping and ranSack pockets,
irawers, take watches of books, loose mone'
md other valuabes, and then retreat without
,eing observed. AS there is always night
.uard in the saloon, his operations must have
,een c,t-like and we'll managed. l hear
;prunsI remarked when be was apprehendtd
bat he ought to have gone further afeld al q
lot to have stuck to the same steamers. NO
loubt it would have shown genius to haVe
,iven turn to the Perinsular and Oriental.
he Royal Mail, or White Star lines, but ihe
anne impulse which brought Bill S. kes from
be country back to his London haunt' often
eads criminal to his ruin. Every body con-
lccted with the Pacific Company will be glad
be thief has been discovered, and great credit
8 due to the Lisbon agent for his hrmness
nd activity. A reward Of five hundred
nilreas (about one hundred and ten pounds)
vas offered for the discovery of the robbie
les, and this will probably be given to Sen1r
CASTILLO Bianco, who certainly deserves it. He
) tirst-rate officer, and believe is the same
Who by means Of photograph unprecedented
Goldsmith for jewel robbery and forgery |
in London. The Portuguese de.
ective, as rule, is very keen. DE has the |
outhern guile in him, and can match The |
leathen Chinee for ways that are dark. IL
$ said stewards and chin servants have suf- |
cred q good deal in consequence Of these
obberes, and that short time since |
'oung Frenchman, passenger from the
3razis, on board steamer where many |
heIts had been committed, and where seve.
al persons were suspected, took the matter |
10 much 10 heart that he blew out bis brains |
n the Lisbon LaZaretto, although from bis
,enerul character the other passengers ac'
luitted him of all blame. Nj. Sprunei is
afely lodged in Jail, and will probably be
cent to England for trial. as the offence was
committed in British vessel on the big b seas
1t ia said that during the voyage S,nr
wealthy proprietor, missed seye'
al articles OF jewcry. and be was one OF The
irst to suspect the Swiss. He accordingly
arranged his clothes on going TO bed so that
ne could readily tell if they bad been dis
,urbed. La,e one night when the lamps
we're out be thought he beard slight noise;
he struck light and found that his hst had
been moved, but no money bad been touch
I'd. Next morning he complained 10 the
captain, and the trunk of the Swiss was
by his orders, but to no
effect. 1t is ADDED that on the Voy'
are of the Potosi before referred to a
poor Sp,niard .smi>sed his money. some