Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-27
THE DAWLEY DIAMOND
ROBBERY.

How "a was Done and Who DID it,
Gross Carelessness of a Travelling
Salesman.
From the St. Louis Times, Jan. 70,
1t viii be recoIlected by the readers of
the Times that in the early part Of last
December, D. N. Dawley, travelling
salesman for the New York jewelry house
OF Merrill, Fitch & Allen, was robbed
while stopping at the Southern Hotel Of
diamonds to the value Of $4,000. At the
time he was charged with carelessaess. an
allegation which he took occasion to de
ny. Subsequent Developments have
| proven the assertion to be correct Il
appears that when he left New York with
his trunks well filed with jewelry, as had
| been hiscustom for over ten years, hewas
| followed by well known thief, who was
armed, ready for any emergency. He first
made the acquaintance of Dawlev in
the jewelry store of Mr.. Gates, in COium-
bus, o. He was in search of diamonds,
and not finding any stones large enough,
he was turned over to Dawley by the
clerk, who took him to his room and dis
played his wares. The thief saw moth
ing that suited him, and was told by Daw-
ley that he was looking for q package by
express, but which might not reach him
until he arrived at Cincinnati. The thief
Informed him that he was a conductor on
the road running from Columbus to Gin
cinnati, and would probably see him
again. Arriving at Cincinnati, he put Up
at the Burnett House, and the same after
noon was called upon by the sharper, who
selected about $500 worth of jewelry,
promising to get the money from ''the
old man, with which TO make the pur-
chase. In the evening he called again,
remarking that he was unable to get so
large check cashed after banking hours.
and he would not be able to pay for the
goods until the following day. In the
meantime he pumped out of DaWley his
precise route, and at Louisville and St.
Louis he anticipated his arrival In this
city the thief stopped at the
Planters House, registering himself
as I. G.. Crawford, Of Memphis.
Dawley did not arrive until three DAYS
afterSard, and put up at the Southern,
where he was informed gentleman had
called to see him several times on the
morning of Dec. ,. Dawley left the
hotel on his way to the express Office, and
met Crawford at the door. They stopped,
shook hands, and, after exchanging the
compliments of the season, Crawford
asked where his room was. Dawley re-
sponded, No. $50, and passed on. Craw-
ford Immediately went to the room, car
ried off a tray of diamonds worth 1900,
and left on the 2:35 P. N. train on the
Ohio and Mississippi Road. Dawley
went to the express Office, received q
package, stopped at Jaecard's and
PrOuhet's, and returned to the hotel to
ind his trunk broken open and Tiled
He promptly gave notice to the Chief of
inform him of the movements of Craw-
ford until after o'clock in the evening,
and only then when it was found out by
the strictest questioning. of course the
thief escaped, and has probably ere this
turned his booty into ready cash.
4 couple of weeks ago, PinkertOns
detectives oyerhauled a man answering
CrawfOrd's description in Chicago, and
Dawley went on to identify him, but
when he reached the Garden CITY, he
ascertained that the wrong party was in
limbo, and he was accordingly released.
The New York police feel positive that
they know who the thief is, both from
the description given Of Crawford, which,
of course, is an assumed name, and from
the fact that he left that city at the time
of Dawley's departure, and has not been
seen since. It is highly probable that he
is keeping company now with ''Peppei-
mint joe who got off with PrOuhets
diamonds