ROBBERY FRUSTRATED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 31 December 1925, Page 5

ROBBERY FRUSTRATED

DARING ITALIAN' THIEVES

TIMELY ALARM. GIVEN

A daring attempt to rob six trusted bank messengers who were carrying 20.000.000 lire from the Lank of Italy to Milan on the Rome-Bologna night train, nil attempt which partly succeeded, has caused a great sensation, writes the Rome correspondent of a London paper. Surprise was further increased by the fact that four elegant thieves were arrested whose names are Contedini, Giardina, Bartoli, and Balzan, who are well-known in Roman night restaurants and dancing halls. The men claimed to belong to the best society, drove about- in fine motor-cars, and were seen constantly on the racecourses and in gambling clubs. One of them, Contedini, had acquired celebrity by being awarded the title of "King ni the Tango," was always impeccably dressed, and drove about in a handsome white motor-car. By cleverly dividing his name he masqueraded as Contc Dini. Giardina, by changing the last letter of his name, claimed to be a nephew of the distinguished Governor of Finnic, General Giardino, and his associate, Bartoli, claimed to be a relative or General Bartoli.

How they had cognisance of the huge sum about to bo sent to Milan is unexplained, and the bank authorities are making inquiries. The bank officials were informed of it only one hour before they had to leave on the train for their destination. The bank messengers each carried a leather valise containing banknotes amounting to several millions, and occupied an entire compartment. Contedini, Giardina, Bartoli and Balzan followed them, and succeeded in occupying the compartment adjoining. When the train had passed Florence they began work by boring a hole and sawing a large opening in the wooden partition just behind one of the bags. They cut a large opening in one. bag, and extracted several hundred thousand lire worth of banknotes, which they divided between them.

This pi'ocess was going on w!l)en one of the messengers opened his eyes toward four o'clock in the morning, and saw that the bags on the rack were mysteriously moving. The train was just then near Poretta, and passing through a series of tunnels near the summit of the Appenines on the way to Bologna. He immediately rushed out to give an alarm, and one of the first persons be met was Captain Prince Ferdinand Rospigliosi in uniform. The thieves escaped through the corridor, and one climbed out and clung for a distance to the footboard. The conductor called the Fascist militia guard, and it was decided to let the train continue at full speed to Bologna. But at a certain station signals compelled it to stop.' and four persons were seen hurriedly trying to leave the train. They were the four thieves, who were instantly arrested, and each was found with his pockets bulging with banknotes.