CLEVER ROBBERY IN AUSTRIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6003, 12 February 1881, Page 7

CLEVER ROBBERY IN AUSTRIA.

The Vienna correspondent of the London Globe was suddenly called to Pesth for a few hours recently. The affair was pressing, for a friend had been severely '' winged" in a due] —a sufficiently common event in pugnacious Pesth—and he made for the Stattsbahn with all due speed, and took the next train for Hungary. This, asisusualin such cases, was aeontinned "parliamentary, "which bore him along at '20 miles au hour. The carriage which lit entered contained two ferocious looking Magyars—booted, braided and pomatumed. Thev screwed up their to a level witf their eyes, glared about them with a "what do you think of that" expression, and witli many " Teremtetes," cursed the unpunctiv ality of departure, the heat, the time, the place—Vienna—everything; in a word, the} were real Magyars ami out-and-out "pa triots." The other occupants of the compart ment were a well-dressed good looking youth, a German, who appeared dreadfully sleepy, and an innocent-looking old gentleman of, 5.13 60, the pattern of benign and paternal mild licss —a sort of Magyar Mr. Pickwick. J moment later we started. The old gentlemai addressed several remarks to tlie young one who, however, vouchsafed but scant repl; between miglity yawns of fatigue. In a ver few minutes the youthful German was suorinj hard. The old gentleman then turned to u and proved very communicative, telling it how the youth opposite was his son, deplor ing at the same time his carelesness in mone; matters. "There he goes to sleep anion; strangers with a whole pocketful of money is that not carelessness?" inquired he wit 1 more candour than flattery. "Just to giv him a fright, and to teach him a lesson for tit future, 1 shall take it away from liim." Jit " Pickwick" thereupon quietly lifted the Sa of the youth's coat and took out a bulk; pocket-book, which he placed in his o\v breast-pocket with a knowing smile. Sooi after this the train stopped at Presburg. Th old gentleman beg.ed us to look after liis sou his son's hand luggage, and his own overcoat whilst he was absent. He got out and rc turned 110 more ; on the contrary, he vanishei completely. The train once more started and we awolie the tired Teuton and infonnei him how his father had been left behind, am how he had taken the pocket-book with him a piece of intelligence which produced th most startling results. The sleepy 011 began to use tlie most untilial language, fel frantically for his pocket-book, and uttere* a how lof rage. He remained unintelligi bl for some time, but at last lie managed to gas out that lie had 110 father, and had never i: his life seen the innocent old gentleman be fore that night. "There were 3000 florins i' that pocket-book," shouted he wildly ; "th wretch must have seen me take it out at th station." This is one of the most impuden cases of robbery which has happened iiere fo some time, for it required an amount of de liberation, coolness and daring which wonli have sufficed a general to win a great battle Needless to say, the mild old gentleman ha not since been heard of.