Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-22

The n1ght or the 18th Of August Of laS year the bedroom of General Schramm, retired officer of the French army, was en- tered and robbed of bonds, stocks and money to the extent of over 100000 francs. At the time the General was living at his country seat near St. Denis. That day he had many visitors, and, greatly fatigued, retired at s o'clock in the evening. Some of his relatives stayed until 10 o'clock, when they took their departure and the servants made everything secure for the night. In the morning. when the Generals valet came with his coffee, he was astonished to find the room in great dis. order. The secretary at the foot of the bed had been broken open and from it had been taken all it's valuable contents. The bureau drawers had also been ransacked, silverware was taken away, and the old officers gold watch was also missing. Further search showed that the burglars before going away had stopped in the din1ng-room long enough to eat few crackers and drink bottle of champagne, which happened to be in the cupboard, and under the circumstances the public was disposed to suspect the house ser wants, but the police knew better and proper arrangements were made for tracking the criminals.
 Almost year had passed and nothing was heard of the affair, but last week something occurred in Brussels which dispelled the mystery surrounding this heavy robbery. A fellow, half drunk, had some trouble with 6 D4u uoSCAS pO44C01Adu3 "uO 1lhTClGO n1IQ OH to the station-house, there to simply keep him until he had sobered up, but the fellow was just tipsy enough to be ugly, and he de- manded to know why man possessing so much wealth as he did should be arrested, and as he spoke he pulled out from an inner pocket large package and threw it on the table. The sergeant who picked it up saw at once that the package consisted of bonds, and when he communicated the facts to his superior that official remembered the Schramm robbery and hastily communicated with the Paris police on the subject. Quick ly came the reply that the bonds mentioned were indeed those stolen from the General. Informed of this fact, the prisoner acknow- ledged his. complicity in the crime, but re- fused to tell who his associates were. It happened, however, that one of the officers said something about the fellow getting q small portion for his share, whereupon the latter declared, rather proudly, that he got his equal share-one-fourth.
 .'Is this your one fourth ?' asked the of icer, pointing to the bonds found in his possession.
 '"To be sure it is,'' was the reply. q have carried them about me ever since, wait ing for chance to sell them or return them to the owner for reward"
 r. Look here, my fine fellow, think you are trying to deceive me,'' said the officer. ''This package, valuable as it is does not
 
 amount stolen" "
 Then the prisoner asked few questions, and when he learned that the amount was estimated as over 700, 900 francs he grew quite indignant that his "pals." whom he de- nounced as thieves, should have played him such 8 trick. Determined on revenge, he ''gave them away" to the police, and it was not long until they all four were in prison. Their names were Theodore Sonnet, dEias Nicot, seaman, twenty-four years Victor Auguste Contesnue, @ mechanic, forty-one years Louis Contesnue, a fisherman, forty seven years, and Paul Dubruil, on-keeper, forty years old. It was Victor Contesnue who had informed on the others.
 Their extradition was demanded and ob- ta1ned by the French authorities, and their trial has just been concluded. It came out that General Schramm had purchased small boat from Sonnet, and it was while the lat ter was getting his money when he discover ed that the General had such valuable lot of securities in his keeping. Then he hunt ed up his stpals'' and the robbery was then committed. But knowing that it would never do to attempt to negotiate for the sale of bonds in Europe, Victor Contesnue (the head of the gang) and Sonnet went to Ameri- ca, stopping in New York five days. Failing there to dispose of the property, they return ed to Belgium, where Victor was captured in the manner indicated, and the arrest of the others soon followed. The quartet were to ten years, Louis to three years, Sonnet to eight years, and Du- bruil to four years in prison,' all at hard la- bor.