Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-07-24
A Hidden Chapter of Crime.

Daniel Pereira was an Israelite, YER
ging on three score years and ten. He
had never been married, and resided
alone in an old dwelling on the Rue St.
Quentin. He was reputed TO be i'm
mensely wealthy, and such was un-
doubteily the case. For years he had
been one OF the best diamond merchants
of Paris, and had had for his customers
the most famous residents of the city,
from royalty downward. The back
parlor of his residence was his place of
business, and there he had safe con-
tanning jewels of immense value, and
goblets of gold, whose history made
them more priceless than if they had
been gigantic gems. For years he had
been collecting these mementoes of the
past, and prided himself on their pos
session, having repeatedly refused Of
fers for them.
On the forenoon of August 90, 1862,
cab drove up to the door of Daniel Pc
reira's residence, and a gentleman with
valise alighted.
On ascending the steps he confronted
the servitor, and asked: ''Is Monsieur
Pereira within:"
He is, Monsieur, was the response.
Your name and business, if you
please:"
Here is my card" the gentleman
said, adding, i'll low voice, 81 come
from the Emperor.
The servitor bowed and admitted the
visitor. AT the same moment two men
alighted from the cab and ascended the
steps. The door was Immediately
opened by the gentleman who first en-
tered. The two men passed in rapidly,
and the door was closed. The servitor
had entered the back parlor an instant
before the men were admitted The
three strangers passed noiselessly along
the corridor, and the two latest comers
placed themselves on each side of the
door of the diamond merchants pri-
vaTe room.
As the servitor crossed the threshold
of the door, he was seized, gagged, and
Dinioned in an instand The merchant
bearing the scuffie, approached the
door. The gentleman who was first
admitted sprang in and grasped him by
the throat. at the same time drawing
forth a handkerchief and placing it to
the old mans nostrils. The merchants
limbs grew limp. and his assailant suf-
fered him to fall gently to the ground
The three men then ransacked the safe,
loading themselves with the precious
plunder, and filling the valise with the
vaIise with the golden gOblets and
gems. Then the man with the valise
passed out TO the cab, one of the men
bcwing 10 him obsequiOusly as he quit
ted the door, and then retiring within
the house. The cab Immediately drove
off. A minute afterwards another OF
the robbers was politely shown out by
his companion. and walked leisurely
down the street. In a short space the
third man passed out, and departed IN
another direction.
At o'clock that evening, when the
night watchmen reached the dwelling
of Daniel Pereira, all was dark within
and their summons was unanswered.
After a brief delay they opened the
window and entered.
The servitor lay in the hallway,
bound and gagged. In the back parlor
the old merchant lay on an old-fash-
ioned couch, dead. BY the direction OF
the Chief of Police the affair was kept
secret until the Emperor should be
communicated with, and the fact that
no particulars of the tragedy were ever
made public would indicate that such
was his pleasure.
The secret police and detective force
were employed on the case. lt was
found that on the night of the murder
one Jean Fonier, driver in the employ
of Henri Dinour, cab proprietor,
threw up his employ very unexpected
ly and disappeared. This man. Fonier,
had been in trouble more than once for
alleged theft, and it was thought more
than probable that he had been select
ed by the three men to convey them to
Daniel Pereira's house.
On the 29th of September, one month
and five days after the murder. Fonier
was recognized as he was getting into
private cab at the Opera House. The
detective who saw him was too late to
capture him if he had felt so disposed,
as the cab was Immediately driven off.
The officer sprang into cabriolet, and
gave instructions TO the driver to fol-
low the private cab. 1t was driven at
q rapid pace to an aristocratic neigh