The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-13
CHE worfulk gpst.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IL. 1858.
THE "PRINCE" AND THE JEW
ELER.

and n tall. I'M portant. looking gentleman
alight from 1t. He wanted set OF
ladv,s diamond ornaments, complete
wed ling outfit. The price was fixed 81
| two hundred thousand francs. He made
choice of one, said he could grant but
little for executing the order and insist
ING on leaving with the jeweler . de-
posit of four thousand francs In bniets
de bnn0ue. He also selected . ring,
worth q hundred and twenty francs, and
ordered il to be sent home the next day
and Ave DAYS after the whole set OF Ola
monds were to be completed. Accord
desStIs IN messenger Of the s%Eg9lag sSn j.
to the hotel D., In the Rue de ia Paix
ndinquired for Prince Gargarin. He waf
shown into an apartment on the first
story. Five or six lackeys were In the
ante-chamber. The prince took the
ring, paid for 1t, and gave q present Of
ten francs to the messenger, who Joy
fully returned home, and congratulated
his master on having 80 wealthy and
| liberal q customer.
The jeweller, with the utmost pune
tuality. carried home the diamonds or
the day appointed. The prince was In
his study, sitting before q cylindrica
secretaire, which was open. The jew
eller handed the casket to him, and his
highness miuutely inspected the jewels
suddenly one of the Wallets entered thu
room aud announced "Prince Dolgo
roki.n
"Ah! my brother-in-law," exclaimed
his highness.
II do not wish him to see the present
which destine for his sister. Request
him to stay in the drawing room, and
will come to him Immediately" He
/ touched the table, the cylinder moved
and the secretaire closed the diamonds
were within it but on the table there
Law an open box filled with leather bags
and numerous rouleaux of louis huddlet
together in confusion. The jeweler had
observed all this treasure on his arrival
but his attention was particularly at
tracted by large Russian leather port
folio, well lined with biilets de b0nque
the edges were visible.
His highness left the room, saying ht
would return very shortly. About TWEEN
ty minutes elapsed, and a sort of vague
apprehension assailed the jeweler. A
length the door opened. Oh, here il
his highness, thought he. But no l
was the master of the hotel, who step
ping up to the jewoler, said
- Are you waiting for anybody, sir p
81 am waiting for the return o
Prince Gargarin, to whom have jus
sold set of diamonds for two hundred
thousand francs. Are you his secre
tary ?"
lam his dupe, and SO presume you
are ?h
What do you mean? His dupe! I'm
possible! The Jewels are shut up in his
secretaire. Besides, look at his money!
l ~ ~ kL,, l. :
opening it discovered to his horror tina
contained nothing, and the portfolio
scraps of paper. However the jevvelel
consoled himself-the diamonds were
safe. A locksmith was sent for; the
secretaire was opened, and, oh, horror
1t was empty; 1t stood on one side Of tho
room, against q wall in which hole
had been made, and there being cor.
responding hold in the secretaire, the
Jewels had with the most perfect ease
been conveyed into an adjoining apart
| ment.
The despair of the unfortunate Jewel,
| er may he easily conceived. The master
| of the hotel, too, who had let his apart
| ments to the pretended Prince Garga-
| rim, had been extensively swindled
The servants all belonged to the hotel
with the exception Of the ualet de chan.
bre, who was the companion and con,
federate of the prince.
1t was ascertained that they had de.
camped in a coach, from the door of the
hotel. Every exertion was made t.
trace them out, but several years elapsed
before they we're discovered. The Jew.
eler, who was nearly ruined by this rob.
berry, removed to another quarter d
l Darso 20 kliahad III
new name. One day messenger called
on him from M. T., a gentleman
holdingan official situation, who was
very i'll and wished to purchase some
rings The poor jeweler had naturally
become suspicious ever since his fatal
adventure with Prince Gargarin, and
instead of sending his shopmen he took
the rings himself. He was shown into
bedchamber, which was partially
lighted. Owing to the situation of the
windows, the room was all in the shade,
except in that where the bed stood,
What was the surprise of the ieweler
when he discovered In the invalid, M.
T, the swindler, who had some
years previously defrauded him in the
assumed character ofthe Russian Prince
Gargarin ! For few moments be was
struck dumb with a'nazement. How
ever, he soon recovered himself, and
deeming 1t prudent not to betray the
discovery he had made, he displayed
the rings several were selected. and
their price amounted to about six thou
sand francs.
at is large sum of money for poor
ruined man, y said Mr.. =. II
have not ready cash sufficient to settle
the whole amount, and shall feel
obliged If you will take In payment this
curious old snuf-box, which is of great
value.n
He asked for his dressing case. and
opened it, took out an octagon-shaped
china snuf-box, setin gold and rubies.
1t was perfectly unique and Of inestima
bic value. On behofding it, the jeweler
well nigh betrayed himself. The snuff.
box which Mr.. T presented TO him
was the one which had been stolen from
him few days before the robbery Of his
diamonds. The box was too remarkahle
to admit Of the possibility of mistake
Besides, it had = secret spring, by means
of which all the miniatures could he
taken out of the. settings. On the re-.
4 verses were painted similar subIecfs Int
i treated in thestyle Of indelicacy 'I,ecn-
liar to the age Of Louis XIV. T6ls cir
cumstance was important In proof Of his
claim to the possession Of the boz.
When NJ. 7 asked him to sef 4
value on 4, be said, without hesitation.
4 n consider u worth more than fiftv
thousand francs. y - - - -
Fifty thousand francs! excls, n,.d
M. T-- II thought it valuabie' h,,t
this far exceeds my estimation ~ n ~
'Sir" resumed the jeweler, ~ viii