Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-26
MoDJEsKA's DIAMONDS.
How a Trio Of Thieves Entered Her
Dr~esslng-rOOm at the Opera House
to Steal Her Jewels.
Lonl.yiIIe Oourier-Jonrnnl. 2ILh-I

Louisville COurier-Journal, 24th.l
A bold attempt wa made Saturday
night at the Opera House by a trio of
diamond thieves to rob Madame Mod
jeska of her diamonds. The attempt.
which must have been a preconcerted
one, proved unsuccessful, owing to the
timely arrival of Madame Modieska
herself, who gave the alarm and
frightened away the thieves. The
time fixed for the robbery was be-
tween 9 and TO o'clock, while the sec
ond act was in progress and Modieska's
dresslng-room was %unoccupied. AT
this hour three men crept stealthily
INTO the alley between Third and
Fourth and Green and Walnut.
and, climbing up the wall Oh.
poslte Macauley's Theater, noise
lessly crawled to the roof which
directly adioins the Opera House.
One OF the men stopped a short dis
lance from the walls Of the Opera
House as a sentry to give the alarm in
case there should be any danger. The
other two, who undoubtedly must
have been familiar with the location.
approached the window which opens
upon the roof from Modjeska's draw
ing-room. Here they cautiously halt
ed, and peered into the brilliantly
illuminated dressing-room to see if
any n was inside to disturb their
operations. They appeared to know
that they had discovered the room
they were seeking for, and proceeded
slowly to raise the window to prevent
making a noise. On the table in a
jewel box many of Modjeska's most
valuable diamond ornaments were
placed, which were worth thousands
Of dollars. The dressing-room is a
small apartment, and one can. without
entering the room, by little effort. reach
tho table on which the diamonds were
placed with his hands. While one of
the diamond thieves held up the win
dow sash, the ether slipped his hand
through the window and was lust on
the point of s%eizing the diamonds
when who should enter the room but
Modjeska herself. The second act
had just been concluded as the thieves
opened the window, and when the
countess appeared upon the scene of
their operations, the surprise to all
was instantaneous. Modjeska saw the
two men peerihg through the window
at her, and the hand stretched forth
IN anticipation Of the rich haul IL was
about to make, and, thoroughly fright
ened, she uttered a scream which had
the effect Of causing the thieves to beat
a rapid retreat in dismay. Modieska's
maid heard the noise and sound
cd the alarm. Captain Junot,
the officer who is on duty in
the Opera House, came quickly to the
scene of action, and started after the
thieves, who by this time had clam
bered off the roof, and were again in
the alley in the rear Of Macauley's
Theater. Junot followed close behind
them, but they turned into the alley
which opens on Green street, between
Third and Fourth, and escaped in the
darkness. 1t was an exceedingly
lucky coincidence that Modjeska ap-
peared in the dressing room just at
the moment the thieves were about to
obtain possession of their intended
booty. This trio of bold burglars
must have certainly been well posted
as to the location of the different
dressing rooms of the Opera House or
they never would have succeeded in
so easily finding Modjeska's dressing
room.