Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-06-11

Thracian slaves rushed TO It's execution,
but they were too late. The two Gladia-
tors had fallen by their own hands.
Paisley Magazine.
BUsHELL, THE DIAMOND STEALER.
John Bushell is now above twenty four
wears of age. He was born in Limerick,
and is the nephew of John Bushell, Esq.
formerly of an eminent house in the city.
He received his education, up to the age
of thirteen, at Car-halton school from
whcnce he was sent to Lisbon, where there
was branch of the concern and received
an allowance. The house in London fail
ed and his resources in Lisbon failed with
! If. and he could not endure the compare
tive slavery of mere clerkship, he left the
latter place at the age of fifteen, and passed
over to Ireland, where he lived for some
time with his mother, but he soon acted in
such a manner as disguised all his friends.
lie was indeed so completely abandoned
| by his relations that at the age Of seventeen
he was obliged to take the benefit ofthe in
solvent act for the sum of three pound, a
debt which he contracted with atailOr. Af-
ter this be went to Paris, where he COntriv-
ed TO get into the service fSherifT ParBins
rs valet de-place. He, however, stole the
Sherif's gold watch, for which he was i'm
)risoned three years in the Pelagic. In
/ -.)e H. ob4o,~oI he I;borotIo,, oD1 bo
came acquainted with a Frenchman, one
of the the greatest Judges and purloiners
of diamonds in the whole country, and
while he was connected with him in France
he never stole any thing but diamonds.
The temptation to a very necessitous per
son was very great, particularly when be
was instructed how to steal without any
probability ofdlscovery. The Frenchman
used to tip his fourth finger with a clammy
adhesive substance called 'Venice Tur-
pentne," and while he pointed at any par
ticular diamond amongst those laid before
him with his fore finger, he contrived to
touch another with the 'turpentine," and
drop it down his sleeve. Upon one occa-
sion he carried out ola jewellers shop be-
tween El00 and $500 worth of Jewels.
He used also to tip cane which had a
hole in the top with the same stuff, and he
always succeeded in carrying away some
thing extremely valuable, which stood a
little distance from the counter. Busheil
believed for some time that the Frenchman
made a fair division of the spoil with him.
but from what he afterwards heard from
some of the London jewellers who were
plundored by both, the Frenchman used
to sack three-iourths at least. In the course
of their dealings with some Of the London
| jewellers, they found that the mode adopted
of getting business was not very creditable
to the shop-keepers.
The Frenchman had two desperate fel-
lows while he was in Paris in his service.
but when a grand roll as It was called,
was to be played, Bushell was the man
appointed to act the principal character.
He passed as a Spanish nobeman, and he
was present at the coronation of the Empe-
ror Nicholas, at ST. Petersburg, where he
and the Frenchman picked up a great deal
of money by different plans of deception.
They found very little difficulty in abstract
ING Jewels from the English jewellers, but
they found a French diamond seller, whose
eyes were so quick, and whose suspicious
were so much alive, that even the unnval-
/ led Frenchnan came ffoiled. This per-
severing fellow, however, determined to
rob the shop-keeper, and he gave orders TO
the two assistants to whom we before al
1luded. to be in readiness. The ieweller
kept his diamonds regularly marshalled in
pincushion which he had used hold up
to the eyes of the customers, whose hands
were not allowed to approach it; but his in-
genuity was beaten out by force and man
auvre. One Of the assistants, by the
Frenchman's direction, stood at the door
with a piece Of strong whipcord, while the
other went into the shop, the door of which
instantly closed, and asked to see some d.
almonds. The brilliant pincushion was
produced. The Frenchman, who stood at
the opposite side of the street, gave the sig
nal: the fellow who stood at the door sud
denly opened it, and cried aloud ala p
the leweller started back-be Pincushion