ROBBERS TRICK FAILS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4459, 29 January 1917, Page 6

ROBBERS TRICK FAILS.

WANTED MILLIONAIRE’S SAFE

An attempt at robbery ivliich reads like a chapter from “Gil Bias” is reported from Petrograd. _ " The .millionaire. M. Zhivatovski, a prominent business man. has a large and luxurious flat in Ivirochnaya Street, in the chief residential quarter of Petrograd. At eight o clock in the morning two motor-cars dreAv up at the door of the house, and from them stepped out nine men, dressed in the uniform of a Govcnmient department. They presented themselves at the millionaire’s flat with the announcement that the tenant was suspected of having been in treasonable commerce through his dealings with Sweden, and that they had ordors to search the premises. The spokesman of the party called himself Count Palen. At Ins orders M. Zhivatovski, his family, and fourteen servants, were locked up m one of the rooms while the search ivent on. As it failed to reveal its main character, the safe, threats, enforced by the application of handcuffs, Avere tried upon the millionaire. It then appeared that there had been one very obvious miscalculation m the robbers’ plans. Their intended victim had no safe at his residence an» had been sufficiently prudent to leave all his valuable papers in, a strong room at his office. Having made this discovery, the robbers, Avho had disdained minor booty, made off. It Avas only then that' M. Zhivadovski’s suspicions were aroused and that by use of the telerfhone, Avhich meanwhile had been under guard, lie discovered the true character of his visitors.