THE NEW MOTORING BURGLAR. EARL'S AMUSING APPEAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 31, 6 February 1908, Page 4

THE NEW MOTORING BURGLAR. EARL'S AMUSING APPEAL.

The modern burglar, like a certain type of "company promoter, finds it necessary fo* professional reasons to bo a person of expensive habits (writes a London correspondent). He dresses well, bears a gentlemanly exterior, stays during ' periods of rest' ana observation at iuet-claes hotels, and as far as possible "moves in good society" for 'strictly ' practical purposes. Lately ho'haa added to his responsibilities ana. advantages of becoming? a luoiorist, anti in ordjer to support this new extravagance lie is obliged to aim more frequently ' than' hitherto at big prizes— or ."transactions," as he prefers in his refined way to call them. " -'It was a motoring burglar, or pariy of burglars, who ransacked the Earl of Lorndales obuptry house "in. Rutlandshire, and carried off many of his valuables,' inrluding all the gifts made to him at intervals ' by the §erman. Emperor, «' the King of Italy, princess Louiee and o^her royal and dktinguilhqd persons. Tha thieves wore felt overshoes, but took ,no ot^er precautions. ;3Jhey,. apparently had aL the previous knov(ledge>of the house that they needed, arid must also have been aware that the Earl had several guests (ono of ■ them 'Mi-. Chapman, M.P., the noted tariff reformer) staying with him at the time. As an 'attempt "at robbery had been made a few weeks earlier, dogs were kept in the house at night. One of them was aroused by a noi?e in the study between 3 and J p.m., and barked. Lord Lonsdale, who I had provided himself with a loaded gun, heard the noise, but concluded that it had been made by a, servant. The burglars seem to have been stopped half-way in their work by this watchdog alarm, for they left without touching some of the most valuable things in the house. They, were noticed to drive away from the neighbourhood, and their car was traced for several miles on the road leading southward through Uppingham and Kettering. Lonsdale is distressed at tho lo^s ot his souvenirs, which ho regarded as very precious from a sentimental point of view, though their intrinbic value did not exceed £300 or £400. Instead of indulging in any omburgt of anger at the despoilsrs, he makes a touching appeal to them— a/ British sportsman speaking to a sportsman. It is comic "I have hoard, ' ho says, "that eotno burglars »ar(> sportsmen at hoart. If the burglaro who visited my house are indeed sportsmen, I ,fji*ll. take it as a great favour if they will kindly - send back to me at tkcjr convenience thoao trifle-: whirli mean so j much to me." Could anything be more considerate? "At their convenience" — such courtesy must satisfy even tho most fcoiisitive modern Sikcs. Lord Lonedalo relates that 'as a result of a similarly gentle request that he published after a robbery at one of his houses some years ago a number of articles wore returned to him. Ho hopes for a repetition of this ggr'iieable experience in tho present cape. The polico do not lake so sanguine a view They believe that the burglars belong to a London gang whose members are said to be responsible for a recent robbery of Kevoral thousand pounds' Worth of property from a TTontleman's country house- at Melton Mowbray. In that case also a motor car was used, but there was no Eubsequent display of sportsmanship towards the lamenting owner of the good?.

The potato crops in Marlborough do not give promise of heavy yields at tho present juncture (says the Marlborough Herald), the tubers feeling the effects of the prolonged dry weather.