The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-07-24
THE DIAMOND ROBBERY.

In March, 1850, there arrived Mt Con-
stantinople, by the Austrian Lloyd's
steamer Vorwarts, nobleman styling
himself Count Steffnno Perragi
He took suit of rooms ut Mesirie's
fashionable hotel in Pera, and by his
lavish stylo of living soon became the
centre Of attraction. He said that he
was n colonel of tho Austrian Imperial
Guards and member of the Diet. He
had come to Turkey on private govern
ment affairs, and was furnished with
numerous introduotions to tho different
foreign ambassadors and merchant
princes.
a month after his arrival, he headed
subscription list with the sum of
.f5, 1000, piasteres, in aid "of Madame
Sophie Cartenagg, the widow of the late
M. Cartenagg, formerly banker of Ber-
lin, who, by the sudden death of her
husband, found herself in strange
land, with her three young children,
destitute of support" In some such
manner ran the heading of the subscrip-
tion list.
Count Perragi humanely took upon
| himself the task of soliciting the sub.
scriptions, and, Incredible rs it may
seem, collected the sum of .e5,OOO in
about twenty days
One morning Perragi suddenly disap-
peared. Suspicious having arisen, the
police authorities we're instructed to
find out M'me Cartenagg. But, alas
| for human crcdnlity ! the police swnre,
dame was n myth, and the Crescent
Done to the tune of .e5, ,OOOl Thus ends,
.ihe hrst act in this strange drama.
| Now for the second act. Not far from
tho Cafe dc Paris stands the shop of
NM. Degrant Brothers, diamond brok-
Opposite to this extensive depot of pre-
cious stones stood the pharmacy of DR..
Jacob Valpass. Five minutes walk
from these two establishments stands
the Hotel de PEuppe.
In the latter place, Nine Estelle
Deorest and her sickly son, Albert,
for tho wintor. She was quite
melancholy sort of lady, and about
thirty. All her thoughts seemed cen.
tered in, her boy. But OH how sur
passpgly lovely she was They say
that the walters OF the Europe made
quite handsome thing out of her by
allowing sundry "sparks to peep ut
madame through the kcy-hole, as she
sat in her elegant morning costume ut
breakfast. She paid her bills regularly,
| saw no visitors, and received no letters.
So much for madame.
M. Degranti junior (the jewellery,
was rather fast young fellow, very
rich, and very fond of horses. The
elder brother, at this time, was absent
in Paris.
Dr. jacob Valpass was man of
thirty two, and considered very clever
His father had left him some cons iiler-
able property, but, lis lie WIS passion
| ately devoted to his profession, he still
continued in practice. We have now
sufficiently described tho four principal
actors in the drama.
1t was after ten o'clock one night,
and DIR. Valpass sat in his study. A
person requested to see him. a tall,
deeply veiied lady entered. DIR. Val
pnss politely offered hcr a chair, and
asked her The nature of her business.
| With deep sigh, she threw back her
veil, and tho doctors weaker human
half surveyed that dazzling beauty in
| bewildcrment. She told her story in
II quiet, brief manner. She li,ti IN only
son on whom she dotted passionately.
He WAS subject to fits of monomania.
And, most extraordinary as it might
seem, his desires 10 lay III the fact that
nothing but diamonds placed about
him would satisfy his cravings. She
had consulted the best medical men in
Europe, aud they prescribed change of
scene. She had travelled a great deal,
but without any saIlltary effect npon
her boy. She had been advised to con.
suit DR.. Valpass, and, rs her son had
just recovered from one of those pc
riOdical fits, she earnestly requested
him to visit her Mt tho Hotel de lEu.
rope.
DIR. Valpass took charge of this cnri-
ons case, and soon became very init
mate with Madame Dcorest. To be
brief, poor Vulpass fell deeply in love,
and n month after their acquaintance he
proposed to her, and was accepted.
Thus stood matters in December, 1851,
and SO closes the second act.
The last scene OPENS on the 4th day OF
January, 1852. DIR. VGlpass was put
ting on his gloves preparatory to enter
ing his carriage. when he saw his afli-
anced bride rushing madIy toward him.
He ran out and met her.
What is tho matter. Estello %
"Oh, he is worse |! Oh, como to him
come to him |" cried the frantic
mother.
"Ono moment; step into the carriage;
| will bc with you Immediately"
He crossed over to the establishment
Of Mcssrs. Degrantj,