National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-01

Washington on the sic train, and driving from
the depot direct to WIZARDS, were assigned to
parlOr No. Il. Immediately on going TO their
room, Mrs. Fitch made the discovery Of the loss
Of her diamond necklace, the royal present from
the Khediye of Egypt. Thinking the simplest
way Of transporting the valuable jewel wo1ld be
the most likely way OF keeping it safe and from
the clutches Of thieves, she locked the necklace
in a common travelling sstehel, made Of heavy
green cloth and bound with brown leather. 1t
was her purpose soon as she arrived at the hotel
to take out the necklace and send it to the office
TO be locked up in the safe. Her feelings can be
better inns gined than described when she found
the satchel in her possession tlled with worthless
trash and her necklace gone, and the further dis
covery was quickly made that satchel similar in
every respect to hers so far as material and make
are concerned had been substituted for her own.
Mr.. Cake was quietly called to the parlor BY
Lieutenant Fitch, and being made acquainted
with the loss and the facts Attending it far as
they could be given, he advised that Mr.. Clarvoe,
chief Of our detective force, should be promptly
consulted, and he directed Mr.. Harris, one Of the
clerks Of the hotel, to take carriage and 20 for
the chief Fortunately Mr.. Clarvoe was at home,
and by lO:l5 O'Clock in about forty minutes from
the time Of the arrival OF Lieutenant and Mrs.
Fitch, the facts attending her great loss were in
possession OF the chief Of police, Major Richards
and the chief Of the detective corps, Mr. ClarVoe.
In the meantime Mrs. Fitch,
OVERCOME BY GRIEF AND FRIGHT
had been thrown into violent convulsions and was
utterly unable to give Mr.. Clarvoe any additional
information. On being closely questioned Lieu
tenant Fitch recOllected that when they left st.
Louis Tuesday morning the seat directly in the
rear Of them was occupied by o tall, dark. CON-
plexioned, neatly dressed man, and that he Occa-
sioDally had slight conversations with him up to
the time Of reaching Harrisburg, where he was
Joined by young lady Of remarkably progresses
ing appearance, who took a seat beside him and
kept it until their arrival in Washington. Lieu
tenant Fitch was sure that his wife or himself
constantly had possession Of their satchel all the
way from St. Louis, and that it was not out of
their hands but once, and that only for amoment,
when, after arriving here, Mrs Fitch laid the
satchel on the seat for a second while adjusting
her shawl.
Mr.. ClarvOe then gave positive instructions
that the knowledge Of the loss shoaId not get out
and going to headquarters he Immediately sum-
moned to his aid the entire detective force,
Messrs. Sargent, McDevitt, McElfresh, Miller
and COODes. These keen, vigilant officers Of the
law were all united in the opinion that when Mrs
Fitch laid her satchel down to fix her shawl the
woman in company with the man adroitly
SUBSTITUTED HER sATCHEL
for that OF Mrs. Fitch, and that both she and
her accomplice were in the city. They could not
have left by railroad after the robbery was COM
mitted, nor would they in all human probability
attract attention to themselves by engaging a
conveyance to leave the city at thattime of night
The plans Of Chief CIarvoe were quickly
developed. He did not believe that robbers so
daring and accomplished would be found consort-
ing with thieves or in any Of the dark and obscure
places Of the city, 1t was his opinion that they
must either be in some private boarding house or
in one Of the hotels, and acting on this hypothe-
sis, Detectives Sargent and McElfresh were as
signed to work the western part of the city above
Seventh street, while he, with Miller COomeS
and McDevitt, would attend to the balance. 1t
was now nearly L o'clock. The preliminary ar
rangements for the search had been conducted
with method and coolness and the keenest judg-
ment Of the OfHcers had been brought into requl-
sitiOn to make the capture sure, but the magnl-
tude Of the job created an intense degree of ex-
element
THE VALUE AND BEAUTY AND CELEBRITY
OF the necklace the fact that 1t was the royal gift
Of an influential sovereign to one of the most IA
TOTed Of American women, the high character OF
Mrs. Fitchs parents and relations the gorgeous
ceremoHials attending her recent wedding and
the pride the officers must naturally feel in a
successful result Of their efforts to capture the
thieves, all combined to produce a nervous deter
minRtion they never felt before and an fntrepid
courage that would lead them through any
danger. Gar readers, in this connection, will re-
member that
THE NECKLACE
is 1--WE can only at this hour OF writing give brief
description Of itl composed of double row of da-
mouds set in gold. Each stone is from three
earats down to one half carat, and between every
eighth diamond there is pear-shaped diamond
Of large size surrounded by twelve goOd-sized
diamonds; attached to the two rows are five fes-
toOns Of diamonds, composed OF fGteen diamonds
each, and each loop is fastened with pendant
containing q pear-shaped diamond, surrounded
by fifteen small diamonds, and besides these there
are in the centre "f Tree CT the festoo6s large
pendants containing pear-shsped diamonds Of
great beauty, surrounded by eighteen diamonds.
The centre stone is a diamond of some fifteen
carats, and the snap is one Of about eight. The
mounting is very heavy, aud it is really
quite burden to carry it around the neck. The
estimated value is five lackhs Ofrupees, or $4,000,
or $3.50, 900, or q million and quarter OF francs
BY q law of Congress it was admitted free Of
duty, and it was delivered to Mrs. Fitch at the
custom house in New York some six weeks ago
An unintentional error in the law makes it null
and void, but 1t was the clear intention of Con-
gress thbt Mrs. Fitch should have her present
free of duty, It was turned over to her with the
understanding that the Government should for
the present have a mere nominal control. 1t is
ono VI kuC ELhuO0bb LuOsk superb ever
manufactured, and could only be offered as a gift
by q sovereign of prineely revenues.
THE FIRST CLUB
to the robbers was obtained by Mr.. Sargent.
Armed with the usual authority to examine the
records of the telegraph office he went directly to
the Western Union office, corner OF Fourteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue, and examined
all the private kilograms which had been sent on
since 9l5 There was only one that gave the
raIof
matter in hand, and that was as follows:
WAsHINGTON, D. c., $50 p. m, March 81, 1875.
TO ". e. KardOT, l67 Railroad street, Harrfs-
work accomplished. Return tomorrow. Meet
me at $40 train. PINK.
The fact that the dispatch was sent to Harris
burg, where the supposed robber had been Joined
by the woman, the Phraslng Of it and the pecu-
liar. signature, all led Mr.. Sargent to question
the clerk closely as to the appearance Of the man
who sent it, and his looks were remembered, for
the reason that he changed a ffty-dollsr bill In
paying for the dispatch, and these corresponded
with the description given by Lieutenant Fitch.
Mr.. Sargent Immediately telegrsphed to the
chief Of police in Harrisburg to arrest MardoX
and hold him until further orders. Then he and
McElfresh quietly visited the Ebbitt House. the
Arlington, Wizards and Imperial, examined
the registers, and made such direct and clrcum-
staRtial inquiries Of the clerks Of the hotels in
regard 10 LheH laIe arrivals as they deemed
proper, but all without elicting any further in
formation Of the slightest possible use, except
perhaps, the fact that the robbers had not Sc
cured quarters in any Of them.
In accordance with previous understanding
they returned to headquarters at Il o'clock to re-
port progress compare notes. and to receive ad-
dltional instructions from Mr.. Clarvoe, who with
MeDevitt, Coomes and Miller, had, in the mean
time, visited the National, Metropolitan, ST.
james, st. Marc, the American, the Washington
House, the fremont, the Continental and the
Congressional, but none of the late arrivals at
any one OF these hotels were Of a nature to excite
suspicion except in one case, and in nearly every
instance the clerks Of the hotels were acquainted
with their guests, and could give satisfactory ac
counts Of them. The exception was at the ST
james. There were four or i've arrivals from the
West by the $40 train, and among them that OF a
lady who was registered as
MRS. ALICE Il. PINKNEY,
Jefferson City, No., and after being assigned to
her room, No. "A, she remarked TO Mr.. Bunker
that her husband was with her, and would be in
after attending TO an important engagement
There was nothing very suspicious in all this but
Mr.. ClsrTOe determined to place her under es-
Pionage, and accordingly Mr.. Ooomes was de-
tailed to watch in the hall near her door and TO
arrest her If she attempted to go out and her Inns.
han 3 II. ND IN akfI A.,