The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-10-02
Leaves from Detective Life.

hcve. sir. She's met with a great loss
Diamonds. l. heard them say. Tb,
chiefs been waiting for You som,
time"
John was the ioorman from the Cen
trail Office. The carriage wa drswr
up IN front of the station. and. with tn.
crimson silk lining. plate glass front
and gilt bub-, resemblcd a miniatur.
palace on wheels
The two men on the box. clothed in
livery and sitting bolt upright. with
their arms folded; the polished and
highly gilt harness. and the well
groened horses indicated the
wealth Of the owner. the widow Myrtle,
whom knew by reputation as one Oi
the weathiest ladies of New York.
passed into the Office, AID in q mo
ment alter ard was introduced TO Mrs
I Myrtle as the officer for whom the chief
had been waiting to take charge Of the
case.
1t appeared from her statement that
on the day of her marriage to Mr..
Myrtle. that gentleman had presented
her with a diamond cross, containing
thirteen brilliants, the centre one alone
being valued az seven hundred dollars,
and the Others ranging from FIVE hun
dred to two hundred aud fifty dollars
each.
This made n costly ornament-so
costly. indeed. that she seldom wore it,
but kept it carefully concealed in her
jewel case. In looking over her jewel
box. on the morning of the day in
which she had come 10 the Office, she
had discovered its loss; and there was
something curious about this, also
In putting the jewel away, she had
placed it in small box. wrapped the
box In white paper. sealed it, and laid
1t away among the other vsluablss-
nor had she uuscaled it until thai day.
and then out of mere curiosity: but
upon opening the little box she found
the jewel gene, and in its place small
but solid piece of lead.
She had taken the box in her hands
many times. she said, and as it always
appeared weighty, she had no idea. of
course. that the jewel was not there,
anf this was the circumstance that
made the time Of the robbery mys-
terry.
She was equally at sea AS to who
was the prOba BILE robbe-. She secuted
the idea that it could have been any
member of the household There was
but one beside herself who knew lust
where she kept her jewels.
This was AN old female nurse. who
had been in the Myrtle family for
years, who had been amply provided
for in Mr.. Myrtle's will. but who still
household She was more like a moth
tr than a nurse, Mrs Myrtle said. ION"
of the dearest cd souls i'll the world"
and OF course she did not take it.
who. then do you think did"
asked the chief.
My dear sir" she answered, that
is what l have come here IT, aecertain.
As this was one of the cases in winch
the premises must be thoroughly over
looked before any plan OF action could
be decided upon. took the lady's ad-
dress, and arranged to call at her res
idence that evening at an early hour.
Then she swept ont of the Office into
her magnificent equipage. and WAS
rolled away.
The Myrtle mansion WAS one OF those
palatial residences incident tn the lower
portion Of Fifth Avenue some years
ago. II stood on the corner OF the
avenue, and on All intersecting street;
ard at the rear end of the lot on the
street side was the stable and carriage
house. the front wall of which was con-
tinuous with. but lower. of course, than
the wall of the main building.
II was evidently stable on the
ground floor, with apartments for the
coachman and footman above, Having
satisfied myself with leisurely view
of the exterior Of the mansion, | rang
the door bell, handed my card to a
servant. and was ushered into the re-
ception room to await Mrs Myrtle's
pleasure.
Ia a few moments the lady appeared,
and in the course of a conversation that
ensued. substantially repeated the state
ment made y, the office in the morning.
with some additional words in favor of
the nurse
Not ore breath OF suspicion against
poor. dear old Jane. Mr.. Officer" she
said mot one syllable, because shall
absolutely refuse to listen to 1t; and, IN
fact, would prefer to lose the jewels
rather than TO have her suspected.
rightfully or wrongfully."
This was discounting one Of my best
points very largely in advance; but l
simply bowed acquiescencc. and re-
auested 10 be shown to the room in
which the missing valuahles bad been
kept.
In complsnce with this request, |
was nshercd into small parlor on the
second floor, Leading out of this room
was small bedroom. luxuriously fur
u;shcd; aud at one side of this room,
opposite the foot of the bed. was
small rosewood cabinet, containing
several little compartments. IN one oi
which Mrs. Myrtle kept her jewels
This is the safest place in ths
house" said she. Either Jsoe or my
self are always at home. and we are IN
and ont of here dozens of times durin.
the day. When the servant Is engaged
in the inner room IN the morning, Jane
ALWAYS sits in tins parlor, aud besides
that. the servan: does net know whers
INV Jewels are kept This door to the
lett leads from the parlor into anot tilel
bedroom which Jane has occupied FOL
years-long before came here, IN TACT
! and the door opposite opens into an ole
iumber.rcom. which has been closes