HUNTED DOWN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10599, 7 March 1895, Page 6

HUNTED DOWN.

(Strand Magazine.) When I first went to Paris, not knowing the people or the language, I naturally, nought the companionship and advice of English-speaking people, who I thought knew the city sud its customs. I put up at the Grand Hotel, and one Of the'first parsons I got acquainted with was a man of gentlemanly appearance, who styled himself Captain Graysfcpne, ■ of New Orleans. Ho seemed lavishly supplied with money and fruitlessly attired. ■ One day I told him I” had a letter of credit on a bank in’ Paris, adding, I presumed I should require someone to identify me. Upon tolling him the name of the bank, ha said, “Oh! I know the ‘people there very well;, I will introduce you!” It waa nearly closing time when I arrived with him- at tho bank on which my credit note was made out. I draw 30,000 francs, and then proceeded, after protuae thank s for his assistance, to return to the hotel, It was now too lata for me to deposit the money that day in tho other bank. On tho way, however, be casually suggested that we should have some little refreshment in a neighbouring cafe, which wo accordingly entered. Wc sat down, he placing me in a corner behind a table. Soon another man came upon the ecene, who appeared to be an Irishman unacquainted with the language. This new-comer explained that ha had recently come into a fortune, and it was his first cisy in Paris. Shortly afterwards AN ANIMATED AND INGENIOUSLY ARRANGED DISCUSSION on the features and merits of international bank notes was commenced between these highly respectable gentlemen (?), with occasional cross-references to mo for my opinion. Finally I was induced to show them : how beautifully American notes were engraved, wheroupon the Irishman produced some what. I thought to bo English notes from every pocket and diluted upon their merits. Then the conversation turned on French bank notes, and as I bad never examined any before, I. was incited to. produce . tba bundle from • my breast-pocket, and whilst the southerner was engaging my attention by so kindly explaining to me their value, hs suddenly snatched them from me, and handed them to the Irishman, and the pair then made good their escape, because I found that they had artfully barricaded me in the corner behind the table with several chairs, which I had failed to notice in the heated discussion, I afterwards learnt that Captain Graystone was really a notorious thief and decoy named Jack Hamilton, who hhd formerly been a prise-fighter, and had seconded Heenaa in the great international contest with Sayers, and when in England lived at Erixtoa. His accomplice, the unsophisticated Irishman, waa none other than Johnny Palmer, of Peckham, ANOTHER INCORRIGIBLE SCOUNDREL. About two years after my money had been stolen —yes, it was in December ’S3— I was returning from Paris by way of Dieppe aud Newhavea, when I alighted at Rouen for eomo refreshment. It was midnight. There, amongst' other passengers at the railway buffet, I beheld five men. My suspicions were aroused. I went close up behind them, and at once recognised tho man that had robbod me. The central figure was Johnny Palmer. At last my long-waited opportunity for reckoning had come, and on French soil too. Peeling sure there could bo no mistake about his identity—although I bad doubts about some of the others—l instantly rushed at him, grabbed him by tba collar, and ran him completely away from his associates, who speedily dispersed in various directions. * I could not, however, find a policeman on the platform, aud the signal was given to start the train; but I held my man with an iron grip, and his violence good abated. Finding that he had more than his match, he became very quiet and bogged me to handle him loss roughly; bo I slightly released my hold, whereupon ha suddenly slipped out of hia coat, which ho left in my hands, HAN LIKE A DEER for tho departing train then in motion and succeeded in getting on to tha footboard. But I followed him, and collared him again before ha could entar tha carriage. He tried to kick me off the moving train, but with one band I held on by the window, whilst I grasped him with tho other. The train, with us straggling on the footboard, then entered a tunnel, and we wore plunged in utter darkness. His' four companions in a carriage not fae distant endeavoured to reach me from the 'window, and beat me off the train with stioks. They evidently meant to murder me, but I kept the' enemy at bay by bolding my prisoner between them aud myself I nearly shook the life out of Johnny PAlmer. Passengers now became alive to the desperate encounter proceeding, and screamed from the windows of the train; consequently, an alarm wss given to atop its progress. Finally, when the train had stopped, I wrenched my man off the footboard and walked him ; back along tho track, through the tunnel | again, to the station, but tho other i fellows escaped rca for the time through the stupidity of the railway officials. At Rouen I banded Mr Palmer over to soma narrow-chested policemen, whom he gave a very warm reception. Ilowevor, he wss ultimately overpowered, handcuffed and taken to prison; finally, he got 1 sentenced to five years in the New Caledonia topper mines. ‘ . SENT INTO PENAL SERVITUDE.

Jack Hamilton succeeded in returning to England, but I traced bis address through a pretty girl who presided over a toilet aoap stall at lbs Crystal Palace, and had him tracked, watched and finally seat into penal servitude for a complication oi! offences. This peculiar business took a long time, much trouble and money, before I had finished with it, but I ultimately attained my object in view, and that is always the aim of my life. They were a gang of swell thieves and sharpers; they used to dress in immaculate style and move iu the best of society, living on the fat of the land whilst the game lasted — which was fully tea years. Prom time to time they changed their attire and appearance, by "making-up” in a wonderful manner. Sometimes Palmer passed himself off as an Irish lord, whilst Hamilton assumed all sorts of impersonations, from a captain or parson, in appropriate apparel of the most dainty description, to a rough miner with a “ Buffalo Bill ” hat and red flannel shirt, &a. However, I got pretty well level with them in the finish. They were truly accomplished artists in their profession.