The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-27
THE OPAL BARRING.
A DETECTIVES TALE.

Twenty years ago was quite q young
member Of the profession TO which he
Tonga profession which is more char.
acterized by romantic incidents and start
ling events than any other, and it was
more on account of this fact than any
thing else TINT | joined it. My father
though not very wealthy,was a physician
, in comfortable circumstances, and, like
most fathers, desired me to follow bis
own profession. /, however, had a pas.
sion for life OF adventure, and the
charms of such life were only height
ened by the possibility Of danger; so at
twenty | became member of the Secret
Police
About the time I have mentioned
above, all New York was in a fever OF
excitement over a shocking and myste
rious murder recently committed Hen.
Try Delavan, a young man of high con
nections and irreproachable character,t tbt
son and partner of wealthy merchant
was found dead on the pavement of one
of the principal streets. An eX&mina
ton showed but one wound, deep, fatal
stab, penotrGting the heart. Near him
was found large pocket knife with two
blades, cork-screw and screw driver
! On the little piece Of white metal in the
center of the handle the initials j. B.
were scratched as with q pin or needle
But what seemed unaccounCable at the
time, clasped tightly in the deceased's
right hand was found q small gold ear,
ring with costly opal pendant there,
from These was one peculiarity about
the ear ring; engraved on the gold was
a small anchor surrounded by delicate
ornamental carving. Neither the knife
nor the piece of iewelry could be identi
fed, and every effort of the police force
to obtain some clue to this daring mur
der was utter y fruilless, and by degrees
the search began to he abandoned. ]
obtained possession of the knife and ear.
ring, and always carried them on my
person--perhaps with the faint nope that
| might be able TO identify them acciden-
tally.
About six months after the murder OF
young Delavan, when the affair was en-.
tirely forgotten by all except those in.
terested in the deceased, was called to
Chicago on professional business. I was
leisurely strolling down one of the more
retired streets Of the city, when, as ]
Ipassed small iewelry store,I saw in the
show window a piece of jewelry that i'm.
mediately struck me as being familiar
paused for closer examination, aud
was astonshed to find the mate to the
ear ring that had been found in the hand
Of young Dclavan. The fact that this
earring was the exact counterpart of the
one | even then had in my possession
would not have been remarkable had
! there beeu PAIR Of them exhibited for
sale in the shop window, but there was
only one, and my suspicious were i'm.
meGiately aroused.
! entered the store, and after cautious
maneuyering was only able TO ascertain
from the old jew, that the jewel had
been brought to him to sell by an old
man, who said that his mistress had lost
the mate to it, and wished to dispose o
it, l purchased the earring, and throw
ing down 4 gold-piece in addition to the
price demanded, ! tol6 :he old Jew that
if he would find out for me the name OF
the owner and Of the person who
brought it to him, would reward him
literally.
The old mans eyes glistened as he
replied:
Call here tomorrow evening at three
o'clock, sir, and | will have your infor-
nation"
| The next evening at three, I called al
the jewellers in - street He told me
that on the previous evening he had sen,
for the old man at an address which he
had previously given. After he had
paid him the money which he had OBJ
tanned for the jewel, he detained him il
conversation over glass Of brandy IN
til it was quite late, and when the old
man left, he shut up his shop and fol
lowed him at distance into the fashion
able portion of the city until the old
man entered a handsome, aristocrstit
J residence on M street. The jewelel
waited few moments, and then boldly
rang the door bell A servant girl an
swered the summons.
pardon me- said the jeweler; Il feal
have made a mistake Will you he sc
kind as to inform me who lives here 2"
This is the residence of the late VI
D'Alemhert. His daughter, Ma'msell'
Marie, lives here now.
81 perceive nv mistake; bat | VS.
satisfied that | recognized ar acquain
tance 10 the old rnan who just entered
here May ! enquire his name?'
"His name is James Baker; he is my
mistress coachman."
at is not the same; pardon my intru
sion. Good day"
And the jeweIer. having obtained tn
required information, returned to hi
shop TO communicate the same to me-
&. | gave him another piece of geld ant
returned to my hotel. Once in my room
carefully considered all the circumstan
ces of The case, and became convince
!. that l had found a clue to the mysteri
Gus murder of Henry Delayan. 1t wa
but reasonable to suppose that the youn
lady whom strongly suspected Of beln,
, the murderess should endeavur to &c
rid of the peculiar earring in order T.
). divert suspicion from herself to the in
nocent purchaser in whose possession
might be found. TIE fact of the con
= cealment of the names Of the partie
IfroGi the jeweler was suspicious, and tn
coincidence of the initials on the knit
with the name OF the coachman wa
rather singular. Taking all things int
a consideration, | determined to &C
!. promptly. Attiring myself elegantly
g and concealing a revolver about my pei
= son, proceeded to the mansion on NJ
VI street ! rang the bell and inquired 70
3 Miss Marie D'Alembert
= "What name shall give?" said tn
+ girl, eyeing me rather suspioiously.
. ! handed her a card bearing the nam
Q of prominent young lawyer of Chica
; go.
It | was ushered into the parlor and in
II