1955-02-24 — Page 4

Page

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1956.'

An ex-Convict and ex-Cop discuss HOW THAT BANK WAS ROBBED

James Reid, London crime reporter, was listening in, and reports what went on

London. THLE London slept a gang of daring criminals cut their way into a London bank, blasted the safe, and got away with £20,000.

The hert brains in Scot- land Yord are still trying to clone Bind out

the and who crime.

how it was

carried out

Recorded hope is it rOATYCYNA - both them between two men, experts in duur own line, who have some interesting theories to put forward

We set in a Tavern not fag from the scene of the robbery and talked about "the bug ink Joh

there for long at any one time. t would go off and return at suitable intervnis.

"Let's appose that once the in- first two men were safely side the Bire builiding the van dive off and came back when The officers were shut and cireet

quiet.

thi

the

must be con-

"There simply

Oufriede during fact with the

the Otherwise John like

tean hile would be working of ** with no knowledge whether the big bang had been hearth and the neighbourhood alerted. They must know, too, the exnet moment to walk oul with the tools and the swug.

"In his hands ho holds the onds of two wire which lead bul- to a from the detonator

He has only to touch tery. them together.

"Everybody In the team has backed out of the danger zone. Upstairs the look-out man is on the walkie-talkie listening for the OK from the van to say the coast is clear.

The 'Guvinor" scanning the street from the seat next to the driver, picks his exact moment. He flickers the algnal. Inside the watcher relays the bank that same signal by torchlight to the men below. The blower In one completes the "circuit. blast the front plate of the sale is blown off."

"Everybody this

be very happy," murmured Narborough acidly, "and greatly relieved."

Too Elaborate

be

ls

"No team of criminals, they beginners or old bands, would ever pull a job of

without covering magnitude themselves from all angles."

The ex-Yard mn

shook -All

right. hem doubtfully The fatida delertive

in the two men ** Superintendent Frederick Nat- Assuming

Yately i what happens next?" Scotland borough

"I suggest," replied Del Mar,

• that between 2 pm and 3 pm,

using the pre- arranged conde word-jet's

to the alleged it was 'Bundle --spoke

men the basement and told open the front door and let in the rest of the team.

threw down his newspa

"It's en) and ever job. But they must have slippes! Just Saturday the van returned. Our buys will The organiser. up somewhere ket them in the end

James Del Mar, the

lender of the famous Dartmoor mutiny of 1932, smiled shrewilly them to and murmured "I wouldn't get on that, unless the informers gel To work.

1 think this was a well-plained job by a team of boys who knew what they were doing."

of three men

"1 can think who are capable of organising a job of this size." Narborough replied. "Most of the others are already inside. I would say the brains behind it is possibly an vider professional crimina

Walkie-Talkie

WHOEVER

it Wils." sout

"W Del Mar, must have had

antortaation from mebody who knows the geography of the bank well in

what opinion

some good ne

my

lippine!

went something like this.

"Shortly before

lunch tash

The Expert

ال المدن

ȚUEY, too, would be in over- THEY

ats. In would go the expert blower, who had been specially hired for the job, his assistunt or 'minder; and the gear man," who would be responsible packing up the tools and foot and who would also net as Hason nun between the strong Tooth and the long slalt upstairs, who would watch and listen to soutes in the street.

for the

mau

" estimate 1 would take them all of three hours to cut through 1110

wult

the thick

between

would be

flice basement and the bank. I

a very tough job." What about the van all this Narborough inquired, parked outside.

THEY are,"

must

countered the

old Dartmoor gh, "Now

the

everybody—except

an, who is bastly

'swaf cleaning

out the safe is happy. The rest sit back and relax and eat the they have brought sandwiches with them still rum, or whi

from vacuum dasks key or ten

wall for the final sign! from the sentinels outside to say The const is clear for a getaway." The old Yard man put down his drink. Sounds like

>tenie," Sunday school inughod. "But I don't think it's quite as easy as that.

he

"First of all, I think the whole set-up you have outlined ja too elaborate. To my mind the whole job would have been Sijek- done in half the time. bess and speed are the essence have here. Couldn't this job been done by a couple of young ex-Commandos, trained in the use of explosive and used taking risks?"

A Mug's Game "MY,

10

Y reply to that is." Dei Mar said, "that young Commandos would need many years of criminal experience be-

last Saturday two men, on the "Don't tell me it would be let fore taking on a job like this. pretext of having something do there, slipped into the offter building next to the bank unit bid in a lavatory

11

walkin

"One of the carried what to be a box of tools.

in fact, bet is falkie

"Outside the street would be parked

inconspn 1JANIN tittle von in which would

walkie-talkie. Seated nother

the this would be before 'Guy'nor of the whole opera- tion."

"Nu, Imagine it would go off, and return between 8pm. and 9 p.m. just before the safe was blown.

They

be

van like

"Half a minute," chipped in The ex-detective. parked in a busy stret that would soon be notited by the policeman on the beat

"That's so," replied Del Mur. Jeft "but then it wouldn't be

OF

the tense "You can sense atmosphere in the strong room at that bank. "For the team in- It is almost zero hour. side

hove Cut their wuy The through to the safe itself. explosive has been inserted t the exact spot and lamped- packed round with carpets line off the Blour to deaden the sand.

Ume this

everybody "My

BTCL immediate hes 1ft thre

of the safe. The blower has re- thed round the corner of a wail so as to dodge the blast of the explosion.

"They would also need the confidence und assistance of a cleverly organised criminal out- t, phus the inside information could that only such an outfli

obtain."

Ex-Supt.

Frederick

borough came again.

Nur-

"I have said before, and I repeat, that justice will catch up with the Martins Bank team. Would you give me odds on that?"

There was a gleam in Del Mar the gambler's eye as he replied: "Yes, I would give you 10 to that

will they

get that is, away with it, apart, from information given by u squeaker,"

ho

Narborough finished his drink. "I could

not agree Less," said. "From any point of view

murmured the ex-

it's a mug's game."

"That"

crook smoothly. point."

2 mont

It's all so like ANIMAL FARM

News from the Kremlin follows, with uncanny similarity, the lies of the plot of "Animal Farm," the satire on Soviet life by George Orwell, who wrote "1984."

"Animal Farm,” which has since been made into a cartoon film, tells of revolution by the animals on a farm' mismanaged by man. Led by a hour called Major, the pigs seize the farm. Snowball taken over the leadership, but is ousted by Napoleon, who has secretly been training dogs as his secret police.

Cummings below takes up the theme-

SNOWBALL MALENKOV OUSTED BY NAPOLEON BULGANIN

MAJOR MARX

DAS

Cummings

After the Sunshine Trail, back to New York

うさぎ

MR FAIRBANKS GOES

INTO REVERSE

By Milton Shulman.

London, ship with the Duke of Kont, Incheon at the Dor. It was, indeed, the

was a strange literary whom he first met in 1932.

QUOCD- chester. Nobody mentioned not Fairbanks who subsequent- ly made the first suggestion a book.

about the much discussed visit to the Fairbanks home.

1s

resist

Instead, the theme Was Anglo-American friendship. Fairbanks, unfortunately, Mr Herbert Morrison spoke an idealist who cannot about how necessary it was many of the temptations of the ham actor. He loves dressing and so did Mr Herbert Agar, up: be loves the

grandiose an American historian. Mr gesture;

Douglas Fairbanks jun, was and titles. in the chair.

and he loves honoure

Confronted with the chestul of Fairbanks medals, a stranger Why, then, was it advertised might be forgiven for doubting as a literary luncheon? The their merit or authenticity. They camouflago was due, strangely rival in splendour anything enough, to Mr Fairbanks's desire worn by Zhukov,

to avoid publicity.

Yet they testify to a genuine For this luncheon was, indeed, and remarkable record of cour-

originally intended to launch and

honour a new book. It is called age, dedication,

Ament,

"Knight Errant," by Brian Conuell,

It is the biography of Douglas Fairbanks jun., written. according to the blurb, with "the active collaboration of its sub-

end

achieve

Combat Medals

lect."

To those familiar with many photographs of Mr. Fair British banks ablaze with

Such combat medals as the the American Legion of Merit, the

Distinguished

Service

Legion

and the French rows and Cross, rows of ribbons asic medals, d'Honneur were won for "con- and who know him as the hand siderable heroism" in the Allied some, athletic screen actor leap- landings in Italy and Southern Ing through flms like "Sinbad France.

the Sailor" and "The Corsican His honorary KBE was a re- Brothers," this sudden rush of

cognition of his record as reticence will come as a surprise. of Britain's most ardent and

one

This sensitivity, it seems, can devoted friends during the last be traced back to November 19, War. Not only did he maintain 1952, when the Queen and the at his own expense three hos- pitals, known as the Douglas Duke of Edinburgh came to the

aquadrone Hospitals, for RAF Londen home of the Fairbankses manning balloon sites from 1939 for dinner.

to 1942, but he was an energetic and fervent organiser of those American who desired carly Intervention in the last war.

His consistent and vociferous

Quiet Party

It was a quiet party at which pro-British stand has subjected Cab Calloway and Maurice him to much suspicion and Chevalier

mong sang, and the royal criticism

fellow- guests left

His at 2.30 am. For Americans.

unfortunate some incredible reason this in- penchant for medal-wearing and eldent has been inflated into inixing with the famous and the major social gaffe on the part great has made him, at times, of Douglas Fairbanks.

slightly comic over here.

off.

It was rumouredi that the There are signe that, at 45, Queen had been more or less many of the mannerisms that tricked into coming to dinner as have caused him unmerited un-

popularity are now wearing a Fairbanks publicity stunt.

But even though he is genuine Yet there is 0 very simple in hla desire to shun publicity, explanation for the Queen's Mr Fairbanks must be prepared visit. Fairbanks had known for those who will say that this members of the Royal Family blography proves he cannot re- personally through his friend- stat backing into the spotlight.

Coldo

Even the slightest cold

Is to be te ardd

Do not let it spread! Defeat it from the stort by taking 12'CAFASPINS'

CAFASPIN

Read

BAYER)

Frank Owen's-

TEMPESTUOUS

JOURNEY

Commencing

in the

$27th

It's Prosperity On Wheels

B

New York, Tuesday.

ACK

the

from Florida playland, I find New York taken over by the motor men from Detroit,

DON IDDON'S

DIARY

They are a hard-working, hard-playing group and are enlivening the saloons and bars from Park Avenue, where the stupendous $2,000,000 General Motors market, has "Motoruma" is on show at dizzler 'heights, the Waldorf, right across town to Times Square,

Ballroom Dancing Is Booming

BA

By J. W. TAYLOR.

Imperial edict of 1785 banned even the waltz, of European origin, as being "injurious to health and highly dangerous to momis."

ALLROOM dancing has The 16th century Sarabendo become Britain's third was attacked in its early days Ús s "Lascivious dance and, sin. most popular form of enter invention of the devil." It is tainment, next to radio and of Spanish origin and was later the cinema, and today more danced by Cardinal Richelieu. and more people aro learning to dance a higher proportion of them men.

Already about 10,000,000 ballroom dancers, from

new As for the present, a dance gaining enormous teenagers to adults in their sixties, are packing the popularity in the United States, The politicians ore oftea

floors of the dance halls and and certainly booked for British better on (elevision than the

It week this repetition, is the Mambo. professional entertainers.

The answer is that tens of ballrooms every Eldent Eisenhower's Press con- thousands

of people go to season, while 1 million hotted-up version of the rumba, and originated in the ference, which was televised Mixml only for a day or two, people are estimated to be carnival of Cuba. for the first time the other day, and there are many rooming

than we did of the motor-cars, 2,000,000 people will spend His fee was $100,000.

$200,000,000

there this season, "This works out at only $100 per head."

Pre-

zoomed 'to even the purchaso of stocks has tour through the United States

some

--

was an outstanding success. houses and minor hotels and taking lessons in modern The President is watching motels which charge less than ballroom dancing from the

$10 a day.

countries' 10,000 qualified Wall Street very carefully.

teachers, Since I went away the margin

So far

as the present-day Mrs Frances Price, of Brom- fot

Instal-

boom is concerned, even · film requirement

yard, Herefordshire, writes: ment down payment

Members of the Imperial magnate J. Arthur Rank, holl- on

*Two years ago. I went on a

Society of Teachers of Dancing

day camp king Billy Butlin and boen. Increased from BO-to 60

are finding amongst their thou

the BBC are sampling it. Rank; sands of Tearners that "Break"

through Gaumont-British, owns the States you mention in your And now here is Mr Curtice, Percent and there have been to Florida and then through all

dnnco temporary tumbles In

Inngo

halls in more optimistic than ever, fore shares. But the climb has begun Diary, Every word is absolute dances are not popular. Though four

"freak' truth" ' I sim to be truthful, a zew "m dances, like the London, Brighton, Liverpool and casting a three percent jump again and nothing seems

qble Mrs Price.

Creep the Charleston and the Birmingham-all doing record American prosperity depends in 1965 of national production to stop it.

Che Che Che aspirited form business. Butlin caters for the In great deal on the health of over 1954 and confidently pro-

of ballroom

rumba--may turn dancer in a big way, for each

of his Up occasionally to

holiday camp ballrooms enthurian

of the younger can accommodate 2,000 dancers ÔencerA-43 did the juterbug, at a time, and all re amongst theatrical | the dive 'und boogáts-woogle the camps' most popular - The Motorama, with its dis what the financiers call it. THE New York

ago the touchers amenities. I went across to the Waldorf play of dream curs, streamlined,

scope is thriving and there few years

that convinced angela with Bro and to

A great deal of cautious ad- are plenty of and rakish dazzling in design,"

no realTM

The BBC's Dancing Club, future, and money fresh from Wall Street, numbers have of General impressive in engineering, is vice is flooding the Press

though some confessed to be under the direction of Victor Motors, Harlow Curtice, talk.

very good show indeed. But it air-woves.

Gertrude Lawrence is to be watching with a little apprehen- Silvester, now clalma 'a weekly cluttered up with pretty Wall Street has become such honoured by two nation-wide the cult of the Creep audients of between seven and, the steering big nows home that over 100 re rodio and television hook-ups amongst certain sections of to- eight million enthusiasts and

porters cover the financial wheels, and massed choirs on Underground guards at here, paying tribute to the Coal day's younger ent.

the giant automobile Industry, phesying that the motor-carth- I expect the margin require-i When the motor-car manufac dustry

will sell 000,000 moto ment to be increased to 10 or turers meeze, the whole of the cars and lorries than last year. 70 percent during the year United States has a cold.

"a necessary corrective”"--that's

to see the Motorama hear the president

Disappointing

girls," posing

*

Co was "Me: Curtice who last which fillkoret

pour caused in sensition' by okna saw, was a disppoint

'such talented announcing a $1,000,000,000-ex Curious that prsion: prodredimo, forecast», engineers, and showmeri. should Ing that 0,300,000 motor vehicles have botched naimple thing and, los putting the motor, show. would be sold in 1954

Thng at reports of a recension, before the TV cameras, He said the boon would ba...

*

«In "my" post-bag·

as

Entertainment

Despber

This telecast of the Motorams, the subway station in the finane nay gitt's genius. The reviews of clal district shout: Wall Street her husband Richard Akkich's Amed

book, Gertrude Lawrence as watch your stop,”

Mrs A. ago raves,

Stewart Granger, and Joon Simmons, now back in Hally- | from now! wood, are quoted by one fox-Revoti; columnist set saying that, thay and the are dreading the day that own s Granger Lakes off for India and dance England again. I don't believe 61% Grünaur has told me that he

KAL" was some interesting Hope was the master of

(on my desk"""whets 1**his matutii, got back from the dir: 3.900.000; inótor, was? Wietched." Hö ̈· Has

Galant you, and writersőbút bo obviously

hey were a doctor in opposition"

opposition.

the slow

ange

millions more regularly Cflaten.

to Those Were the Days”. one of the most popular old. time dined/programmas „evag to go on the airs