Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-08-05

servant knocked at the door.
Please, sir, German gentleman,
can't rightly hear his name, wants to
see you"
"Show him in," l answered, never
doubling that it was my worthy friend
returned. But IN walked a shabby
old man, who looked dusty and dis
reputable, and not at all person TO in
troduce into room with jewels lying
about.
Il am Herr Schlossman," he began.
"There must be some mistake" |
said, coldly 'for the only Herr Schloss-
man l am acquainted with, friend of
an old friend of mine, has just left the
house."
Zach Himmel," cried the German,
waving his hands, excitedly. "Den dat
is de rogue, de rascal dat pick my
pocket and steal my purse, my papers,
all-all Y and he jumped and gesticu-
lated as only foreigner can.
AS he Gained down, he began
long-winded story of having arrived
early that morning, and finding that
his pocket had been picked at the sta
ton, whereby he had lost all the money
about him. also a letter of introduction
to me from Merton. His luggage had
gone direct to Nerton's house-at least
that was his story-and he had not
even the money left to pay for his
breakfast at the hotel, and his journey
to his destination. However, he luckily
remembered my address, and came to
ask me 10 lend him sufficient for those
present needs.
Now, it happened, that very morn
ing, / had been reading in the Times
an account Of swindler who had ex-
tracted money from several physicians
by an exactly similar story, and | was
not going to be taken in after the same
fashion. Had not the genuine Herr
Schlossman just left me? So told the
German, firmly. that it was useless
coming to me with his trumped-up
story; that the dodge was an old one,
and, in fact, that the sooner he walked
out, the better. | must say he braZen-
cd the matter out well enough. He
was furious at being thought an inn
poster: declared Merton could vouch
for him Merton being thirty miles Off
and, ut last, became so noisy In broken
English and German, shat / was obliged
to tell him that, if he did not go away
quietly, | must send for the police.
Then he seized his hat, and dashed out
in a tornado of explosives in both Ian
guages.
had been so disturbed by all the
commotion that | felt confused about
my list Of gems, and went ack to look
at them again before continuing my
writing. Was il to be believed ! My
best Jewels were gone Yes, it was too
true. Aunt Dorothy's diamonds, which
had kept III Il small case to them
selves: Uncle Johns Indian collection
both had vanished. Nothing was
left except my own purchases, and not
the best Of them even; for certain
ruby had givcn-well, rather long
price for-was missing likewise. Alto
gether, | had been robbed of nearly
700 worth Of property. When could
the theft have been perpetrated? The
Jewels were safe an hour ago, for had
shown them to Herr Schlossman.
Could he be the guilty party? But
then Merton vouched for him ! could
not suspect him of such a robbery. If
it had been II loose stone, more curious
than valuable, it might have been
easier to believe. Collectors sometimes
yield to such temptations, but i rich
man To make off with $4,000 worth Of
actual money value-it seemed unlike
w. Then thought Of the shabby Ger
man, i far more likely subject for sus-
picion; in fact, should have been Ger
tain he was the thief, save that could
not understand how he had managed
10 appropriate my property under my
very eyes. Still, Us the pea and
thimble trick shows, the hand can be
quicker than the beholder's sight, and
it was possible that my German friend,
amid his angry gesticuations, had con
trived to slip my jewels into his peck
Ct Either he or Herr Schlossman must
have been the thief, and | could not
suspect Mertons friend However, ii
was useless 10 lose time rejecting. /
called Il cab, and hurried 10 the nearest
police court To give notice of my loss.
AS | stated my ease, the evidence
against the German stranger seemed to
grow more conclusive. His attempt to
gain money by false representation
looked very suspicious, and tine police
inspector smiled at the negative evi-
dencc that had not seen him touch
the jewels.
You never see Il conjuror put
watch up his sleeve when he makes be-
lieve TO slip it into cake, and you
don't know how lie gets i bow into a
cake and You don't know how he gets
Il bowl of water and gold fish out of an
empty cloak, do YOU sir?" he inquired.
''Why, those light-fingered gentry can
almost take the rings oil Your hand
without your knowing it. He did,
however, ask me whether anybody
else had been in the room during the
time the safe was opened, and an
severed, ''Only the real Herr Schloss-
man. the gentleman this imposter pre-
tended to represent | omitted to
add that had never before seen the
real Herr Schlossman"
The police authorities held out hopes
of the recovery of the property, as they
had been set SO promptly on the track
of the supposed thief; and after taking
all necessary steps in the matter, re-
turned home to wait anxiouSly for
further tidings.
breakfasted early next morning.
and was gratliied 70 see 4 hanson dash
mp 10 my door between ten and eleven
o'clock. fastening into the hail. hop
ing 10 hear that my swindler was
caught, and my presence required ut
the police station, | encountered Mer-
ton.
How about my diamonds? ?"
Hang your diamonds" was Ner-
tons most uncivil reply. What could
possess YOU to treat my old friend,
Herr SchloSsman, III thiS-this insane
manner, If you doubted the truth of
his story you might. mt least, have tele-
grlphed 10 me to ascertain II il We're
correct, instead of first insulting him,
and then giving him III charge To the
police on some absurd preteXt"
Il never insulted your friend. | re-
piled. He was most agreeable man,
and we spent pleasant hour together
have been robbed and ruined hy a
Swindler-a little dirty German, who
came here after your friend left and
pretended to personate him. He has
carried off the hest Of my collection,
and | viii certainly set the police on
his track. You seem under some ex-
traordinary delusion. Merton, and your
language is not the politest
Merton is an irritable fellow, and
make allowances for him; but my