Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-09-10

some biscuits and flask Of liquor,
which he drew from the bosom Of his.
COARSE serge blouse.
! began to pick my way down towards,
him with the stea!shiness OF . cat.
IN spite Of my precAp lions / displaced
: valise Sndsset II ling.
Kntee II hand, - wasEon HIS ieot In
anin1tant.
j But With the tan d the3vslise, had
spesnipi dmyself upon him. a
There was tut short struggle; the
dagger went flying from his grip, and
then I had him down, gasping and
crashing his teeth, but p0werless.
Having finished disarming him !
propped him up, and presenting cooked
revolver to his forehead demanded . full
confession.
He remained silently mute Ut first
but I instantly fred, though gauging
the shot so that wag OF his head be-
friended him to the extent of my bullet
only nipping notch in his ear.
cooked and leveled the weapon
afresh, - II for : truer aim. -
Then he weakened, making full con
fession.
Briefly, 1t was to this effect:
Not only had he been the Countess
Rustanovitch's instrument in oil the
preceding robberies in the van. but he
also admitted she was the head of a
band OF criminals which had long ter
rorized the region In the vicinity Of
Odessa
Her dilapidated castle was at head.
quarters. -
The band was exceptionally powerful,
its uniform success thus far being chief
ly due to the intelligence and cunning
of their noble patroness and the ex-
treme circumspection attendant upon
achieving membership every intend
ing member being subjected to . severe
preliminary examination BY the lady
chief herself, who would then sppor.
ton such nefarious work q she had
planned. Dr.
Tho simple plan was for the thief to
stuff tho chest in which he had been
concealed with - many valuables as it
would accommodate, in addition to his
own personality, and then lock himself
in 1t again before reaching Odessa,
where Nine. Rustanovitch or her agents
would obtain the luggage on the pre-
sentation OF the certificate, raise q
great clamor on account OF the minor
box having been rihed. and carry on the
red chest TO her castle for thespnrpose
of uberating their confederate and ap-
praising the pilferings At leisure. ~
- Having rendered my prisoner suffi-
GENTLY powerless, 1 permitted him to
finish his lunch and attacked nv own
store of provisions and wine
I then watched my man until pretty
we'll tired out, after which I secured
him hand and foot and INDUCED
myself in long, .unstinted repose,
which lasted throughout the approach
ing night L. T.
As we drew near our final destina-
ton gagged my prisoner, in addi-
ton to tightening his bonds and
boxed him up in the rabbits burial
casket
Then managed to get into the red
chest myself, though it was q tight
squeeze by reason of the pelf that kept
me company, to close the lid down over
me and make every thing snug.
An hour later I was called for at the
station, there being the great hullabaloo
over the dismantled luggage that ! had
anticipated.
After TWO or three hours conveyance
over rough roads, I felt myself being
carried somewhere
Voices, Including . soft and melodi.
Gus one, apparently in command, that
I had not forgotten, were murmuring
over and around me, as the red chest
containing me was again set down.
Come forth, little Garovitch-come
forth!' called out the musical voice, &C.
companied by rap on the lid. "Loosen
the hasp and come out little Jack-in-
the-box! Let US see what pretty new
things you may have brought US out of
the luggage van"
Though feeling halt smothered, I
manged to respond for the missing
mannikin thus felicitously addressed
by suddenly hurting up the top and
leaping out among them with a shout
revolver in hand.
But tho surprise of the criminal crew
surrounding me speedily turned to fury
and my life would not have been worth
a minutes purchase, save for the
cipher dispatch that had taken the
precaution to tel Geographic the project OF
the Odessa police.
He had taken his measures accord.
ingly, . strong body OF gendarmes, with
the project 1T their head, having Sc
cretly tracked the removal of the red
chest to the castle.
Ihad only to fire shot in the air as
. signal to bring them rushing to my
rescue.
After brief struggle the entire band
and their beautiful leader were Sc
cured, the cunning little Garovitch be-
ing apprehended later on at the under
takers, whittier he had been conveyed
in the burial casket. 49,
All the miscreants, including their
daring lady chief, presented q defiant
front to the authorities when brought
to trial, but were convicted, without ex-
ception, and condemned to terms of i'm
prisonment W.
This unlooked-for double success ON
my part earned me NO end of profess
sional fame, besides 1 handsome purse