THE JAIL
made his escape to Bohemia, where he joined Babinský's gang, and continued to carry on his trade. Babinský met with a well- merited punishment, but the individual called Lamm made his way in good time to Vienna, where together with Nuchem Schapira he forged banknotes. Nuchem Schapira fell into the hands of justice, but his accomplice, the doubly worthy Mr. Lamm, disappeared from view. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility, in fact, I incline strongly to the belief, that he sailed across the ocean and there deprived the unfortunate Janko Mlacker of those 45,000 crowns, which that trusty official desired to save there for his master who was on the verge of bankruptcy.
That he slipped away from it all and disappeared at the right time so as not to leave the slightest trace, is a proof of the unusual artfulness, the eel-like slipperiness and agility of this criminal.
But his real harvest-time began with the blood-red human harvests in the great war.
Here, gentlemen, I shall be as brief as possible; this is imposed upon me also by great military secrets. I can say only one thing: upon this man's head clings the blood of thousands and thousands of guiltless soldiers, he supplied the enemy with objects which cost milliards. I will only say what I can say: this Simon Lamm was responsible for Rawaruska, this Simon Lamm was responsible for the fall of the fortress of Przemysl. What for? Why? It would be hard to say. Perhaps his innate leaning towards rascality, perhaps the roubles which today have been buried by him somewhere; for this cunning wretch pretends to be a man who has been brought to beggary by the Russian invasion,—we know the tricks of such evil-doers.
Minima non curat praetor, it is true,—but it is true only in ancient Rome. Our victorious armies have driven the Russian foe
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