The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-04-15
CLEVER RASCALS.
Robbers of Naples as Daring as
They Are ReSourceful.
SCHEME OF ONE LONE THIEF.
Mastery Manner In Which This Au.
daeious Rogue Pilfered a Church
Furnishing Shop and Corded Up Its
Too Confdins Proprietor.

Ho9do TI'STcu SnuTCn
Furnishing Shop and Corded Up Its
Too Confidins Proprietor.
His name was Signor Domenico Doc.
tor DOlchinetti, and he was host In
Rome. For a scholar with a degree
he enjoyed his meals rather unre-
strainedly. but after the spaghetti and
capretto had disappeared he used to
slow his pace over the finocchio con
vino and to straighten his back, wipe
his mustache and begin his stories.
"Napoli? 81. 81. Naples? Bella cit.
ta, beautiful. beautiful! And what
thieves are they in Naples! 1t is the
one city where you cannot lead a don
key through the streets"
There did not seem to be much con-
nection between these, and our puzzled
looks said so.
"Perche? You dare not lead. You
must take him by the tail. for when
the unsuspecting peasant leads an ass
laden with panniers or onions or wood
into Naples before long he happens to
glance back. and, behold, all Is gone
produce, panniers. pack saddle, all
hlched- Thereafter he takes the ass
by the tail and steers him through the
streets that he may watch constantly.
"Poi-it Is all organized. Some years
ago the leader Of the robbers was the
captain. Everybody knew him When
anything was stolen from one, one
went not to the police, but to the cap
tain.
There was a little music master
came home one day and found his pi-
ano gone, whole piano, and no one in
the house could say how. when or
where 1t went. The little man was
distracted.
'Then he took heart and went to the
captain and stood before him with his
hat In his hands. He was just poor
music teacher. His piano was all he had
In the world. He Co said the cap
tain. AT 8 this evening you have your
plano And about the time Of the
service that afternoon a wagon came
to the little mans door, and four men
heaved out a plano. which they set In
Its accustomed corner; then they drove
or without word.
"Poi. the music man. went again to
the captains house and began to thank
him and to tumble about In his pock-
cts. saying that he did not have much.
about 20 lire. all his savings-22 lire
perhaps. "What-twenty-two lirer'
yelled the other. 4, who am rich,
whom men call the captain-22 lire to
me! You poor And he kicked him
down the stairs.
"But the most remarkable robbery
was done not by the band. but by
Neapolitan single handed.
Zone day there drove up to church
furnishing shop an equipage with two
prancing horses and a liveried coach.
man and halted before the big win.
dows full Of precious finery. A beau.
tfully dressed little signor alighted
and asked to see the proprietor. He
said he had cousin VINO would the
next CO. be ordained bishop and he
desired to purchase appropriate gifts
First he would see a crozier. The pro.
prietor fetched superb crozier of sill.
yer. the crook Of 1t gold. wonderfully
chased and overwrought with carving.
"'How muchY asked the we'll dressed
man.
"'Five thousand lire, signor'
"'Good! Tie 1t up and put II In
the carriage. And let me see also n
miter. And again he chose the costli.
est. one frosted with silver arabesques
and beaded with pearls. He sat
down to write check for 5000 lire
altogether. But. no; he would see also
bishops ring. How much was this
one?'
1.-TWO thousand lire. signor.'
"'Good! And that. too. went into the
carriage with the inter and crozier.
Finally this princely customer would
buy complete vesture and decided OH
a figured alb broidered with cloth Of
gold from shoulder to foot. Only he
doubted. will Ii fit? But STAY he
said to the shopman; you are a big
man. almost as large as my cousin.
See If the garment will fit you So
the proprietor put 1t on and stood
clothed In magnificence from cravat to
ankle
GOOD! Beautiful Only the waist.
My cousin happens to be enormous Of
girtb. Suppose you put your arms at
your sides. and l shall fix the girdle
TO include them. That will about equal
my cousins waist So he buckled the
belt tight about the proprietor's wrists
and moved back to survey the effect.
'Boun! Bellissima. Most beautiful he
cried. And now, signor-buOn giornor
He skipped through the door. into
his carriage and whirled downtown.
at that Good day the proprietor
let out one aEful yell and bounded
Into the street. Thief" he screeched
He crashed into astounded people
tripped i'm his golden skirts. rolled and