The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1910-10-21
THE PARIS APACHEs.
How They Deal With Theig On.
lucky Victims

Now They Deal with Thsis On.
lucky Victims.
The floods il Paris afforded golden
opportunities to the thieves and hooli.
gans-the dreaded "Apaches the
French capital. A Paris correspond
ent sends an interesting account OF
these reckless men and their methods
and weapons.
'The desperate criminals who make
. speciality of night attacks are q
bloodthirsty, cowardly set Of rufians.
and as they are always armed to the
teeth and hold human life cheap.
solitary citizen going home late. or a
policeman on q lonely beat has very
little chance against them.
when they have once made up their
minds to rob passerby-which one
does not matter much-it Is more than
likely they will decide to begin opera
tions at once. That means that three
Apaches will take up position on the
pavement and pretend to be engaged
in innocent gossip. The street Is de-
serted. A solitary pedestrian comes
into sight. In moment he is meas
ured up by the three scoundrels on
the lookout for their prey. There Is
not policeman in sight. The moment
10 favorable.
"He has gold chain says one.
"'He'll do says the chief Of the
criminal trio. Get ready
''They continue to converse until the
stranger reaches them. Involuntarily
he glances at them as he passes. That
Is sufficient.
"'What do you mean by looking at
us like1thatT asks the chief In an IN
solent tone. Then, turning to his COM
panions, he remarks, Hasn't he got an
ugly mug?
"The pedestrian, however little he
may be inclined to quarrel with the
evil-looking rufians who have accosted
him, is unlikely to take their insults
In silence. But at his first word OF
protest one Of the group advances on
him with menacing air.
What!' he exclaims, I'll show you
who you've got to deal with
"The stranger stands on his guard.
but Immediately another member OF
the trio bounds upon him from behind,
seizes him around the neck with his
arm and lifts him off the ground. His
cries for help are stifled in his throat.
and IL he succeeds In making a sound
the arm which presses against his
throat is tightened and he loses con
sciousness.
While this Is going on another of
the accomplices goes through the vic
TINS pockets, while the third keeps
watch for the police. Then. when
everything worth taking has been ap-
propriated, the wretch who has al
most strangled the victim releases HIS
arm, gives him a violent push and
sends him headlong to the pavement
where he will lie senseless for half an
hour at least.
But things do not always pass SO
easily. Sometimes the victim shows
more resistance than was expected,
and then the Apaches have to modify
their plans. He must either be stunned
with blow from a mutton.b bone or
given a stab with knife or dagger
The mutton-bone used by the Paris
Apache Is terrible weapon. In ap
pearance 1t resembles small hatchet.
without handle, Is about six inches
long, and comes from the shoulder OF
the sheep. This and the knife and the
knuckle-iron are the favorite weapons
Of the Parts hooligan. They are Of.
fective and noiseless. whereas the use
Of the revolver is likely to attract the
police.
Among the more recent methods In.
vented by the Paris Apache for rem.
dering the passing citizen incapable
OF resistance ig the lasso. At the ia.
vorable moment a cord from Is to 20
feet In length and ending In a run.
ming knot Is thrown by an expert
hand AS It falls over the victims
heal 1t is jerked tight. and, half stran.
gled, he is thrown to the ground. The
rest Ia easy"