The Van Buren press., 1877-04-24
MI ISCELLANY.
The Diamond Cross.

The most experienced and sagacious
of detectives are not always successful
We of the force are, like other men, fal-
lible, and even the best laid plans, some
times wholly fail to achieve their pur
pose. have been many years in the bus
mess, and although have aided in bring.
ing large number Of noted criminals to
Justice, there has been several instances
in which my better judgment has been
blinded aud my most elaborate traps elu-
ded by the rascals Of whom | was in
search. 1t is terrible aggfavation to a
detective to find his labor set at nou9ht,
but of all my failures | never had one
that so filed me with ehagrin and morti-
fication as one that once made in New
York, 1t made me appear the more RI
diculous because the case was very SIM
pie one, and the CHER actor in it was a
woman. To be taken in by male sharp
er is bad enough, but to have yourself
and your profession laughed at by a wo-
man, is too much for detective, proud
of his sagacty, TO bear with equanimity.
| don care to speak Of ii, but as | am
not likely to be caught in similar trap
again, ! don't mind telling yen the story
in confidence.
The present fashionable generation
may not remember the firm Of Stephens
e Marley, jewellers, who formerly trans
acted large business on Broadway, not
tar from Duane street. Their stora was
one day entered by 8 very beautiful and
richly dressed lady, who had left her car
riage waiting at the door, and who asked
to be shown some diamond crosses The
salesman exhibited tray containing a
large number Of very valuable trinkets
of that description, studded with gems of
exceeding richness and purity. After
considerable hesitation she finally chose
one and inquired the price
alt is worth thirteen hundred dollars -
replied the salesman.
Il will take it, said the lady. "I}e
good enought to do itup nicely"
"Shall we send ii Z" asked the sales
man, politely.
"No, thank you. l will take it with
me -
She rendered in payment two crisp new
bills, one of thousand dollars and one of
five hundred. The salesman took them
to the cashier, who examined them to see
that they were genuine, and opened his
draw to return the necessary change.
To his annoy vance, he found himself short
of small bills, and rather than pay out all
his small change he sent the two bills
back to the customer to ask if she had
not the exact amount The lady exam
ined her portemonnaie, but was unable to
find anything but three bills Of five hun
bred each These would not help the
matter. and the cashier paid out his
change with reluctance, dashed the two
new bills into his drawer, and slammed
it to in no very good humor. The lady
took the diamonds, swept gracefully out
of the store, entered her carriage and was
driven rrpidly away. In fifteen minutes
afterward she cashier, having occasion to
open his drawer, was attracted by pc.
cuhar line on the thousand dollor note
He examined it closely, and at once pro-
nounced both bills to be counterfeit. The
lady had cleverly changed the notes when
they had bee returned to her.
1t was then too late to trace the fair
swiudler. | was sent for by the firm,
hu' an inquiry into the facts of the case
did not permit me to offer any strong
hope Of recovering the diamonds or the
two hundred dollars. The salesman was
sure that he would know the face again,
and he remembered that the lazy was
dressed in blue silk with lace shawl
He could recollect nothing more, except
that he thought that the carriage had
wheels with gilded hubs and spokes. This
was slight material, but made the nee
essary notes in my memorandum book
and left the store. For several days after
that kept a sharp lookou in the streets
for carriage with gold wheels | visi-
ted all the livery stables and hackney
coach stands that | could think of, but
my search was id vain At last, passing
ond day through Blocker street, | met a
carriage driving rapidly toward Broad
way. Its description answered very well
to that which Stephens & Marley sales
man had given me, but glance inside
showed me that it was empty l stop
ped it, however, and cross questioned
the driver. The carriage was public
one, and the driver remembered taking
n lady in blue silk, four or five days pre-
viousy, to Stephens Il Martleys. So
far, l was on the right track, but the trail
was soon lost again. In answer to my
questioning. The man said that the lady
lady had taken his carriage at Union
Square, where it was I'll EN- standing, and
after visiting the jewelry store had driven
to dry goods store on Chatam Square,
where she dismissed him He did not
notice whether she entered the store or
not, and he had never seen her since.
| took the man s number and looked
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