A Famous Brigand.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5477, 7 February 1885, Page 5

A Famous Brigand.

The Hungarian newspapers anaounco the death of lloszn Sf,n.doi\ the dreuded brigand whoso oxplajta h^ve been the subject of in,an.y a romance. Eosza was born in ISI3, ! nii(l "■ toofc to, the road" early Jn lifo, Sc .»iijlfnlly did he evado the rcsoarehes of the police that for twftnty-llvo yoari lie was able to levy ransoms nn the wealthy inhabitants of seveval nourishing rural districts of Hungary. It was not till tho year ISSU that lie foil into the hands of tho authorities, lie was then taken by surprise when sleeping with oue of hi.s companions in a vineyard,. On perceiving the gendarmes, tho brigand at onco concluded that ho had bcea betrayed by hia own followers, and, quickly, dra,wjng his pistol, had time, tftbjow/out tb.o hrains of hia fellow bandit bc'for,Q he was himself captured, ByPsa Sander was condemned to destla, b,u.t X>* penalty was ultimately com:miwdi to p%rpetu,al Smprtsonment. Ilia CQ,n,du,ct jn prison must have been exception- . a.^ly gopci.fai- he so far succeeded in deceiving I bis {juardianß that in 1862 ho was pardoned and released.

Roaza had, however, scarcely regained his freedom than ho at once resiy^ect his old profession of highwayman. He now devoted himself to attaching railways. Aided by a band, ;i outlaws, tho trains' which were conveying money wore thrown off the limea, and tho travellers and mai\Vags pillaged. These depredation,?, WAre of so serious a character, and yet connected with so much sV.\\\ and success, that the Government was compelled tn despatch GetlcWQ Baday as comnjireionor extraordinary to, suppress brigandage, Afte* many vain, efforts, Rosza San'dor was &i last captured, in 18G8, and ihen comtnonced a serios of inquiries and rovelatSons of tho most startling description. Little by little evidence v/ns ooHeeted, proving thit the brigands had ullits and associates even umoug the hig-l.est functionaries and Saunicyial authorities cf the country. A special tribunal had to bo appointed to try these persons, and it took no less than four years to prepare the case STainst Sando? and his colleagues. In all fifty persons were accused, and several hundred witnesses hoard. The trial lasted a whole year, and Sandor was onci more condemned to death. Thp oojectjon to capital punishment, ]»ov>;ever, was sq strong that h&, w.a3_ not, executed, but confined to tho fortress of Dobrec^in, whe,re he died a f»w days ago. his name, like that of Dick Turpin, .lack' Sheppard, Cartouche, Fra Diavola, will long beremembered in song and verse throughout. Hungary,