The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-02-20
DIAMOND noBBEHIEs.

dealer, ana listened with rapt 0ttentlon
to "reminiscences and traditions of
diamond robberies. successful and at
tempted.
One day q respectable looking gen.
tleman with ayoung lady, to all ap-
pearance his wife, came into Spyer's
and spent several hours looking at
One cross and earrings,
valued at $1,000 seemed to strike the
young wife's eye. The husband de-
INJURED at the price. The wife playful.
ly coaxed him to buy. We'll, well,
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. 1
think he will buy. He is sick in bed,
and will you 60 TO tho Southern with
me, or send clerk ?
Warned by previous bitter exper-
fence, involving loss of 200, Spyer
did not send clerk, but went himself
The couple had suit of parlers on
the second floor. The young lady
was quite engaging. Her husband
was sleeping. Would the gentleman
wait few moments. He would. The
young lady was unusually Interesting
and, always susceptible to the charm
ing woman, the time passed agreeably
to the diamond dealer. The young
lady got up and entered the inner
apartment, but returned Immediately
with the announcement that her hus-
band was awake. With the sweetest
of enthusiasm che picked
up the case containing the jewels, aud
with Let me show them to my hus-
band disappeared within.
The door seemed accidentally to
blow shut. Spyer jumped up; and as
he did 80 he heard key turn in the
lock. He at once recognized what
was up, and sprang to the door open
ing to the hall. He was prisoner.
The solid door Knocked him. He was
desperate. In an instant he drew re-
volver, placed ii 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 as a lady in q
carriage gave the order, Relay depot,
East St. Louis
He leaned into the window of the
carriage, and said. Will your hus-
band take the diamonds, madam
She gave him one long, searching
look, and quietly said, 'the price is
too large. and then they are such hard
things to keeps produced the case
from the recesses of her muff and
handed tito him, saying, 1 should
have been quicker Spyer looked at
the diamonds, saw that they were all
right, and babe the young woman
good day. Within the hour she and
her confederate had left the hotel.
Since then Spyer has never let dia-
mond leave his hand for more than
two seconds.
The Gait house at Louisville is now
defendant in a suit for $4,000 dam
ages. 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 eve.
ming, and handing over little satchel
to the young clerk in charge with sput
that in the safe; the smart young
clerk took the satchel, gave check fol
it.; the drummer walked away; the
clerk was called by a guest who want
ed ice water in 87S, put the satchel
under the counter ; another man came
up and loudly complained that his
baggage had not been sent to his ROOM
the clerk undertook to explain, and
the man who, perhaps, had followed
the drummer thousands of miles and
for months, reached over and under
the counter and secured the valuable
package, and has thus far escaped de.
lection.
About as interesting q case as there
is on record created a profound sensa-
ton among the diamond dealers oi
Maiden Lane, New York, several
years ago. The street is a narrow.
dingy little thoroughfare, and on il
are located the establishments of TWEEN.
ty-five or thirty wholesale diamond
dealers. They import direct, and sup
ply the trade. The jewels are wrapped
up in little paper parcels, fatty folded
and are, of course, not mounted. A
man of solid and respectable appear.
ance became gradually known as s
buyer of small diamonds, such as are
used for clusters and settings for ladies
jewelry. The test of the purity of q
diamond is found in holding them
close to the mouth and breathing upon
them. Flaws will chow up as little
black spots under the process. This
solid and respectable gentleman was
always particular as to the purity OF
the diamonds he wanted, and when
satisfied generally made a purchase OF
from two to five carats. the gems be-
ing sold, of course, by weight. 1t waf
customary to note on the outside OF
the package the amount sold. One
day one of the dealers walked into the
store of another and found him in q
state of fperplexity. He had just weigh
ed what remained in the paper and
added to the aggregate sold, and found
that this package was about five caratf
short. Diamonds are worth $50 pei
carat. The visitor, in some surprise.
stated that he was troubled by exactly
the same thing, and he could not fol
his life account for it. Their discov'