ROBBERS IN DISGUISE

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 89, 17 April 1914, Page 7

ROBBERS IN DISGUISE

;WHO THE "''MONKS'' WERE^

At Olinedo, .in the province of Valladolid, Spain, an incident has occurred which caused general amusement. Two Dominican monks pz-e----sented themselves at the house of an ■opuknt and distinguished townsman, demanding shelter. The proprietor, whose house was frequently . visited by pious and godly persons of different religious orders, received ■the Dominicans with effusion, especially when' 'they related that they came from the Mejorada Convent, a famous establishment in the Madrid provinct,. The proprietor's relations with the" said convent, were peculiarly i friendly, and, tho visit appearing to I be the logical consequence of a,recent correspondence, he treated the monks with -unusual hospitality, giving them a splendid supper and the bost of wines. After dessert the family retired to rest,-while the proprietor maintained an animated conversation with the Dominicans. The latter, suddenly leaving their comfortable chairs, produced enormous revolvers from beneath, "their ample cloaks, and, pointing the same at the proprietor's chest, demanded a big sum of money. Taken completely by surprise, the Avretched nian went to an old oak chest;, covered' "all'-the time by the glistening revolvers, and finally handed over the amount demanded. The bandits, haying carefully counted the money, intimated to the proprietor the necessity for accompanying them to the "limits of the township, alleging that they were unfamiliar with the streets and bypaths. He understood that their object was to prevent him communicating with the Civil Guard, but-he dared not refuse. On the contrary, pretending that the robbery was a personal satisfaction, he readily offered to carry out the supposed monks' demands. Leaving Olmedo,' the party entered a. pine wood situated on the outskirts, where the monks disposed of their clerical disguise, amd indicated with their revolvers the direction their late host should follow.. The bandits meanwhile escaped an the dense pine wood, with which they were undoubtedly familiar. Their crestfallen . victim, hours afterwards, reported the affair to the Civil Guard, but refused to give his name.