The Worthington advance., 1879-01-30


And should his Tyre cen snap its strings
He will not know, he will not care!
-Violet Fane.
Diamond RObberies.
A St. Louis Globe Democrat reporter
spent an entire afternoon in the office of
B. Spyer, well-known diamond dealer,
and listened with rapt attention to re-
miniscences and traditions of diamond
robberies, successful and attempted,
Ono day respectable looking gentle
man with a young lady, to all appearance
his wife, came into spyers and spent
several hours looking at diamonds. One
cross and earrings valued at $4,000
seemed to strike the young wife's eye.
The husband demurred at the price.
The wife playfully coaxed him to buy.
"Well, we'll, I will think about it." said
he, as they departed without buying.
The next day the young woman drove
up in coupe, and said: MY husband
desires to see those again. think lie will
buy. He is sick in bed, and will you 90
to the Southern with me,or send clerk2"
Warned by previous bitter expert
ence, involving loss of $1,000, Spyer
did not send clerk, but went himself
The couple had suit of parlors on the
second floor. The young lady was quite
engaging. Her husband was sleeping.
Would the gentleman wait few mo-
mentsi He would. The lady was un-
Usually interesting; and, always succep-
tible to the charming woman, the time
passed agreeably to the diamond dealer.
The young lady got up and entered the
inner appartment,' but returned immedi-
ately with the announcement that her
husband was awake. With the sweetest
affectation ofenIhusiasm, she picked,up the
case containing the jewels, and, with
Let me show them 70. my husband" !"
disappeared within.
The door seemed accidentally to blow
shat. Spyer jumped up; and as he did
so he heard key turn in the lock. He
at once recognized what was uo, and
sprang to the door opening to the hall.
He found it locked. He was prisoner,
The solid door mocked him, BE was
desperate. In an instant he drew his re-
volver, placed it to the lock, fired; it was
shattered, and the door swung open to
his touch. Like a madman. he tore
along the halls, down the stairs, through
the rotunda, and around to the ladies'
entrance, Just us lady in a carriage gave
the order, "Relay depot, East St. Louis. -
He leaned into the window Of the car
riaee. and said, "W,ll your husband take
the diam onds, MADAME"
ahe gave him one long, searching look,
quietly said, "the price is too large, and
then they are such hard things to keep;'
produced the case from the recesses Of
her muff and handing it to him, saying,
Il should have been quicker" Spyer
looked at the diamonds, saw that they
were al! right, and hade the young wom-
an good day. Within the hour she and
her confederate had left the hotel. Since
then Spyer has never left diamond
leave his hand for more than two seconds.
The Gait house at Louisville is now de-
fendant in suit for $4,000 damages.
1t is the custom of travelling diamond
merchants to deposit their stock in the
safe of the hotel. A New YORK traveller
had been at the hotel for several days
He came down from his room at about
supper time one evening, and handing
over little satchcl to the young clerk in
charge with "put that in the safe;" the
smart young clerk took the satchel, gave a
checI for it; the drummer walked away
the clerk was called by guest who want.
ed ice water in S1S, put the satchel un.
der the counter; another man came ur
and loudly complained that his baggage
had not been sent to his room; the Clerk
took to explain, and the man who per-
haps, had followed the drummer thous
ands of miles, and for months, reached
over and under the counter and secured
the valuable package, and has thus fa1
escaped detection.
About as interesting case as there 8
on record created profound sensation
among the diamond dealers of Nader
lane, New York, several years ago. Tht
street is narrow, dingy little thoroug
| fare, and on it are lacated the establish
ments of twnty five or thirty wholesale
diamond dealers. They import direct
and supply the trade. The jewels ar,
wrapped up in little paper parcels, flat),
folded, and are, Of course, not mounted
A man of solid and respectable appear
ance became gradually known as a buye
of small diamonds, such as are used fo
clusters and settings for ladies' jewe!ry
The test of the purity of diamond i
found in holding them close to the mouth
and breathing upon them. Flaws viii
show up as little black spots under thi
process. This solid and respectable
gentleman was always particular as /,
the purity of the diamonds he wanted
and when satisfied generally made
purchase OF from two to five carats, tn
gems being sold, of course, by weight.
was customary to note on the outside O
the package the amount sold. One da,
one of the dealers walked into the stor
of another and found him in state O
perplexity. He had just weighed wha
remained in the paper and added to th'
aggregate sold, and found that this pack
age was about five carats short. Diamond
are worth $50 per carat. The visitor, i,
some surprise, stated that he was troubled
by exactly the same thing, and he coult
not for his life account for it. Their dis
coveries spread. The other dealers wer,
ut once exercised. and on examination i
was found that there was not one of thei]
number but had tins mysterious shortage
to account for. A close watch was ther
set by each individual upon all of thei,
employees ami upon all their customers
l: was left few days later for one o.
the number, an old man sixty years o.
age, to detect the tongue of the
solid and respectable buyer to shoo1
suddenly out as he leaned over {
paper of jewels to breathe upor
Them, and return with four carats o.
diamonds upon its end. The old mar
seized the adept thief by the throat an6
found the sparklers stuck to his tongue
The thief compromised with the old mar
for $4,000. There was no arrest in thi
case. 1t is estimated during the thre,
years that this man patroaized tn,
diamond dealers of Maiden lane that h,
realized fully $4,000 from his adriot dis
honesty.
A Philadelphia surgeon, who was OF
his way to perform an operation on pa
tient, had his carriage robbed, and los
h1o crrnirol al -, 20 s,hsIo ~,