DICK TURPIN [To the Editor of the SrpcersTois.] Sin,- —I
was a little hurt 'when saw that the Minister of _ Transport at a recent luncheon, when speaking with reference to the deaths and accidents occasioned by the Motor Traffic, referred to this as " the Return of Dick Turpin." I assure you, dear Sir, that I never galloped along roads at fifty miles an hour, and never killed any children ; and to compare nut with a set of people who caused the deaths of 3,700 persons in a year is simply scandalous.
I have been, it is true, accused of causing the deaths of two persons ; but one was admittedly purely accidental. I was aiming at a constable who was trying to arrest may friend
Tom •Eing, and by mistake shot King. In the other case, a Forest keeper at Epping armed with a blunderbuss tried to arrest mire.- To prevent any mischief, I endeavoured to take his blunderbuss from him, and in the struggle the weapon went ,fl; but no one can say that I pulled the trigger. In doing my business on the Highway, I did not indeed sound a horn,
for that custom had been abandoned ; but I used to shout, " Stand and Deliver," and present my pistol. These simple precautions were uniformly successful, and no one was ever hurt. 'How different it is with the " Road-Hog " with whom I ant so shamefully compared ! He sounds his horn and then goes On and kills or maims his Wretched victim, without leaving him even time to run away.'
Mareiwer, neither Black Bess nor any other horse I ever rode and, as far as I know, no horseS belonging to any other bighwaynian, slipped on to the foot path and killed anYOU'e'; yet in every year apPrOkimately 100 pedestrians arc killed by motor Vehicles mounting foot walks, and 300, injured. Of course; I do not call motorists Who travel reasonably "• Road- Hogs ";.Only those in whose track is death and hlood.—I
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