The Somerset reporter., 1897-08-12
ows up are driven away to their branch

dows up are driven away to their branch
Office.
This practice has for many years past
attracted the attention of gangs Of clev-
or thieves, and thousands of pounds are
often lost in transit.
Shortly before my interview with
Despard sum Of IS, 900 in gold and
81 900 in silver had been taken
About 10 O'Clock in the morning two
clerks from "a branch had arrived at one
of the biggest central banks, aud pro
ducinR their authority to receive the
money the cash had been put into bags,
passing cab hailed, and the clerks aud
the cash seen safely into it
They did not arrive at the branch
Office. Inquiry and search were made
for them, and at length the two men
were found unconscious seated in a cab,
of which the driver bad disappeared in
a byroad off Hampstead In the north
of London. The bags Of money had
gone, and what had occurred to them
the two clerks could not say. They had
ridden on with the window, Of the cab
up. on Their way to tn branch office.
Ihen thty h2G sgdt.i u Y los, their senses.
On examination Il Wds toGud that
tn fHo vas a "iEake up uae It be-
10 q to ~ uNeLgf - g.. , "a London.
II a,..> a Il =. Up, l.. = ior the per
potratlon q ane Il IT, elcvereAt rob
hrrlcs Of II oe IA times, robbery in
winch II stfu.d We should never dis
cover the actor. fer weeks passed and
no Glow II thSm Was found, though
$500 WIS el,r1 privately by the bank
for their arrest
1t was ~ that mark on the handle Of
the black Lag III Repau room that
was convinced he WAS one of the thieves.
The bag wa, oar Of tle bank : and the
mark had been placed upon 1t for ideu-
LITIGATION
Il vii tell you all " SAID Despard.
"Repau Was an acquaintance of mine.
| was mechanic lie cdme To me one
day and sand 'D,sFard, have you heard
of that new machine IN which they kill
cats and dogs: l haGn't They put
them into an almost mltight box he
went ON, and pump IN poisoned air
They are dcad in re time Dospard,
you are poor | have scheme by which
we may make fortune
In Il few words be Land his plot be-
fore him-to huy a cab, a.t,r ii 50 that
when the windows were closed ii would
be almost ai1ughl, while through Il
tube passing into the cab air powerfully
drugge1 might La pumped in:o the
vehicle by an arrangement worked by
the driver foot
Despard set to work In less than ten
days the trap cab was upon the London
streets. For three days it lowered
around the bank doors. On the fourth
it was engaged.
The driver was, of course, an ac-
complice, went ON Drspard. 1.-THE APP
paratus worked wonderfully. Before
they dreamed of danger the clerks were
rendered insensible by the drugged air
and were being driven to Hampstead,
Repair and following. In quiet spot
the cab stopped, Repau rushed to the
door, threw 1t open, grasped the bags,
sprang with them into our trap, and
with the driver of the cab we all set off
at full speed -
And what became of the money!" 1
asked.
Il had 81, 000," he answered, THE
sham cab driver 600. Repair, like a
sooundrel, laid hands on the rest
And where is he?" asked eagerly.
Despard mournfully shook his head.
IL do not know" he replied.
He certainly did not. That reward
of $500 slipped through my fingers
after all, for Repair, that clever rascal,
had shown us so clean pair of heels
that we neyGr came up with him again.
| would have given much to have once
more met my very dear friend, almost
brother, NJ. Belpard alias Jules Re
pau. London Sun.