The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-12-09


card-'Alexander Dumas, Prussian lie
cation, Washington lie said he was
with his wife and child at the st. Nicho
las Hotel, and wanted TO buy some
watches and jewelry, for which he would
pay cash He said his wife was too
sick TO leave the hotel and wanted the
goods sent with the bill The jeweler
thought he would make sure thing of
it and take the jewels himself He went
to the st. Nicholas, was told that Mr..
Dumas was stopping there, and was
busy writing, but welcomed the jeweler
cordially.
"'Ah, he said, i am glad you have
come. | am sorry that my wife is con
fined to her bed. / will Just step into
the next room and let her make her
selections.
"The jeweler, in moment of weak
ness, consented. After waiting FIVE
minutes he began to get nervous. He
did not like to disturb sick lady, but
went to the Office to make some inqui-
ries There he found that Mr.. Dumas
had just stepped ut,and had no wife or
child in the house. lie was finally
caught, after he had played the same
game on II number of jewellers, and
lodged in Sing Sing. When he was
captured he tried to conciliate his last
victim by the presentation of beautiful
overcoat. But the overcoat proved to
have been stolen.
"In showing jewelry it is the custom
to show only six watches at once, or
some uniform number. If the customer
wants to see another, one of those al
ready on exhibition will be taken away.
| The same rule is observed with rings
The tray is always full, or with known
number of holes empty, so that if ring
were taken the loss would be instantly
detected. Sometimes swinders will
watch an opportunity and slip in a
worthless ring and take away good
one. One jeweler of my acquaintance
found five plated rings thus substituted
for plain gold rings in one day. The
trick was played upon number Of
jewellers about the same time, and then
the rogue was captured
"a common trick in buying goods on
the instalment plan is to give a wrong
name, mentioning the name of some
solvent person. The reference will, of
course. give a good report, and it will
not be discovered until too late that the
good character does not belong to the
one who purchased the goods
One of the shrewdest and boldest
tricks ever played on jeweler was done
by woman Of nerve in Cincinnati not
long ago. One day middle-aged wo-
man, of fine personal appearance, well.
dressed, and of most attractive manners,
called at aprivate lunatic asylum, and
asked to see the superintendent. That
official met her in the parlor.
II wish to make arrangements for the
confinement of patient here, she said
"What are your terms and the conditions
on which you receive your patients?"
"Our terms are Sl5 per week, and
you must have the certificate of two
physicians.
VERY well, said the lady, Il will
pay you for two weeks in advance The
patient is my son, who is insane on the
subject of diamonds. He has mania
for selling my jewelry have not yet
gotten the certificate of the physicians,
but can easily do so. will bring my
son here in the afternoon, and if you
will keep him an hour | will bring the
physicians with the authority"
Then the lady entered her carriage
and drove to jewelry store. There she
selected $4,000 worth of jewelry, which
she said was intended for the trousseau
| nf Il al, tn l,n ,nl
She gave the name of a wealthy family
recently arrived in Cincinnati, aud said
to the proprietor: "If you will let one
your clerks step into the carriage with of
me, | will go to my husbands store and
give him the money for the goods.
The proprietor consented, and the
clerk, with the goods in box, entered
the carriage with the lady, who said she
wished to stop on the way and show hel
purchases to friend. They drove tc
the asylum and were shown to the par
lor The superintendent entered, and
the lady said quite calmly to the clerk
"Just open the box and show the things
to this gentleman.
The clerk unsuspectingly complied
Carelessly drawing near, the lady sud
denly seized the box, and was walking
out of the room with it when the aston
tonished clerk cried:
"Ilold on, madame,l must not let thos'
goods go out of my sight until Iget th'
money"
The lady did not deign to notice tn
clerk, but, turning to the superintendent
of the asylum, said:
"This is the young man ! spoke t.
you about. He is getting little violent
You had better secure him"
1t was in vain that the clerk proteste
that a robbery was being committed
The superintendent was ineXorable. ii
called his assistants and secured tn
clerk, while the lady walked to her ca
riage with $1,000 worth of jewelry.