BANDIT’S BIG COUP.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17764, 11 December 1929, Page 7

BANDIT’S BIG COUP.

The 'latest daring exploit of Tzazas, the notorious “gentleman brigand” of Greece, in which he and three of his

gang held up and robbed 100 travellers, has, says Reuter’s Athens correspondent, had a sequel. The Greek Senator, M. Hadpikaiti, and his live companions, including a police officer, who had been held to ransom, have been released.

The brigands had been sent a ransom of £1333, instead of the £13,335 which they demanded.

It is not known how or where the

ransom was paid. The hold-up took place at a spot not three miles from the busy town of Trivals, almost under the very nose of the police.

Several families who had been

opening the summer at the village of Pertouli, on the mountain slopes of Pindus, decided chiefly on account of reports that Tzaas .was in the vicinity, to return to Tricala.

A happy party, 100 strong, mounted on mules and donkeys, set out in three groups at intervals of 15 minutes on the 31-mile trek to Tricala.

The first group was negotiating a deep gully when two blasts of a whistle were heard.

Then a man heaviy bearded stepped from- behind a rock, and, _ threatening the party with his rifle, called on i them to halt and dismount.

They -were then ordered into the wood and informed that anybne attempting to escape would be shot.

The second and third groups in their turn received similar treatment.

Thus in a quarter of an hour the daring brigand and his three companions had 100 people at their mercy.

Then Tzaas coolly took the men’s names, and chose six of the more im-

portant as hostages. The rest of the prisoners were then set at liberty.