Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1870 — Tricks Upon Travelers. [ARTICLE]

Tricks Upon Travelers.

One of the most wonderful robberies ever perpetrated—wonderful, at least, when one considers the means at the disposal of the robber—was tho achievement of a Frenchman, who, for a long time after it, was recognized in his profession, as “ the King of the Bandits.” I His claim to this title was biised upon a single exploit—thorobbirig of a'diligence—which feat he not onlyplanned, bpt carried into successful execution, without any assistance whatsoever. Tp ..dp this, he made all his arrangements with the most/ careful completeness, and, we may be sure, fixed a night for the attack when 1 the cpach carried a freight worth robbing. He studied closely the country through which the journey was to be made, and selected apointon the road where there was a very steep hill, with hedges''krill' uhdefwood at either side. He then procured a number of stout sticks about the length and thickness of the barrel of a gun. These he stuck into the hedges, letting the ends of them appear, as if they were the muzzles of guns directed by persons in ambtfscade behind the hedge. As the diligence now came toiling Slowly up the hill, the driver saw a man standing on the pathway, aad gesticulating violently. On approaching nearer, the man conld be heard distinctly haranguing them. “ Ready > Obey orders! No firing if there be no resist-. ance! ” And then the robber, walking slowly forward, stopped the hones, told the guard to get down and to lie with his face and hands on the ground, and that novltv lence would be offered to him. He then.’ went to the door of the vehicle,and assuring the ladies, who were screaming for help, that they need be under no alarm, begged each passenger, as he stepped out, to hand him his phrse, and then to He down on his face and hands near the guard. While all this drama was being enacted, the robber-chief kept shouting to his assistants not to fire unless there was resistance; not to fire. until they should get his signal. Thus, dne by one, he handed all the passenger* out, each giving np his purse a* if it was a ticket, and then going and lying upon the wet grass side by side with the griard. When the diligence was empty > our highwayman retired with all the movable property he desired to possess himself of, and escaped th rough the wood. The most amusing part of the story was that amongst the travelers were several officers fully axmed, who surrendered their swords at discretion, and joined the other dupes on the grass. It is well to add that the robber was ultimately apprehended, and the i ;reateq J( part of the stolen property was 1 ound upon him. Another very extraordinaiy robbery was one which has only recently been detected ; if it has less adventure in it than the other, it has certainly more system and ingenuity. The enterpriser in this case was also highly thought of amongst his brethren, and was well known to professional thieves as “ Jack in the Box.” His chief residence was in the capital, but he had offices fojr his business in many other towns. His system was thia He had a box so constructed that he could lie down in it with ease, and rely upon always having plenty of fresh air; it could also contain provisions, toojs, false keys, a lantern, etc., etc., and the real mode of opening it was from the inside. Jack, having caused himself to be puried alive in this coffin, would get it booked, say from Chester to Euston Square by a goods train, and carefully tabled, “ This side up; to b« kept till called for.” The box always was put in a train that arrived at the station at night, and was accordingly stored till called tor the following day. It was in this interval that the roboeries were committed. When the whole sfe-

tion was shut up, the porters dismissed, and the place in darkness, Jack emergedfrom his box, lit his lantern, and set to work. He got out his tools ai)d his keys, and took his time, for he had plenty of time to take. We all know what an insecure thing the lock of a trunk is, and how nearly all keys are made on the same pattern. They did not afford much trouble to the robber; he opened box after box, unpacking them with great care and tidiness—for long practice had made him perfect—and selecting as keepsakes the articles that were most valuable, most portable, and most easily disposed of. With these gleanings he. filled the box in which he had himself cotnfc lip to town, and then lay in concealment till the morning. The stores would then be opened, porters would come in to remove goods, and Jack would choose his own time to effect his escape. Later in the day he would call for a parcel that had arrived from Chester by the last goods train of the preceding night, andLthat was directed to be called for; he would take it away with him in a cab, having first* paid all the railway charges upon it. But the day came <hen this little “coup” wastefule fbr the last time, and it was a policeman, and nqt his box, that Jack found waiting for him on application. The'governor ot a County jail ’ showed me a collection of the photo*’ graphS of all the prisoners who had ever been in his charge—“ that is,” said he, “of all except one." That honorable exception waa our friend Jack ; he positively declined] to be photographed! HesaM, with some shrewdness/that. It would ruin his future prospect*— Cfutdl'* Magatint.

A sergeant In Franeefa few years ago) used at midnight to leavejhis quarters and dig up dead bodies in Per® 1® Chaise, which he subsequently devoured. This unfortunate man is now cured, and is but thirty two years of age. He preserves of the episodes of his past life only a qonfushd memory, like the recollections of a ' prinftil dream. In olden times science feared, to approach these sufferers. ” A California papera*ys the Japanese will “ win universal respect by a ffcirt of heathenish habit they haVtVof- minding their own businesk’’ taka