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


ges, sharp lodges, or deceptions ever
saw" said Jeweler Johnston to re-
porter, twas one by which sharp fel-
low stole from me three pairs of dia-
nond earrings. He evidently knew
when | was not in the store lie came
in one day and said to one of my clerks:
"'Is Mr.. Johnston in?
"'No,' was the reply.
81 am sorry for that, he said. Il
wish to buy pair of diamond earrings
for my wife.
This was repeated on four or five
successive days The last time he said
he would not wait to see me-, but would
look at some earrings, The clerk showed
him an assortment, and he finally Sc
lected three pairs, valued at $3.50, and
said II guess ! Will let my wife Sc
lect from these. She will be at my store
in an hour, and | want you to tell Mr..
Johnston to bring these around himself,
as he is acquainted with my wife
"'All right, sir; / will, replied the
clerk.
"By the way said the fellow, ''if you
will permit me, | will write note to
Mr.. Johnson.
" Certainly said the clerk, who
showed him to a desk and pointed out
where he could get paper and envelopes.
He sat down, wrote short note, folded
it and put it in an envelope and directed
it to me. Then he went back to the
counter and said to the clerk ; Il think
you had better put the three pairs of
earrings i'll here and / will seal them up
so that Mr.. Johnston will be certain to
bring the right ones
Very well, said the clerk, who
handed out the three pairs OF earrings
and the fellow dropped them into the
envelope before the clerks eyes, and was
apparently about to seal the envelope
when he said suddenly:
"'Oh, | guess you may put in that
other pair, pointing to a pair which the
clerk had laid on the shelf behind him.
The clerk turned and got the other pair
and handed them to the fellow, who
dropped them apparently into the same
envelope, sealed them up, handed them
over and said Let Mr. Johnston bring
the four pairs to my store as soon as he
comes back, giving the address of a
well-knoTn store in the vicinity Then
he left, and the clerk laid the envelope
on one side until returned. OF course
we found but one pair of diamond ear
rings in the envelope, which was the last
pair dropped in. The other three pairs
were paste, about the same size The
fellow had taken two of my envelopes,
and into one had placed the three bogus
pairs, When the clerk turned to get
the fourth pair, the fellow had put the
genuine in his pocket and substituted the
Others. We never saw him afterwards
but heard that he had practiccd the same
game in other places
"Of course the imperative rule is tC
not let goods go out of your sight unit
you get the money The trick of having
goods sent to hotels and boarding house,
with bills for collection is so stale tha
the undertaking rule is to keep you
goods in sight But a shrewd fellow
once managed to get three watches from
me by a cleyer dodge, a bright, sharl
looking customer came in one day anC
said i am from Ohio, and have a com
mission to buy some goods for my sister
who is to be married there, lie picke,
out bill of $500 worth of various arti
cles and said; 'Just send them aroun,
to my store in Broadway at - o clock
naming wellknown carpet store il
Broadway. The goods were sent by
clerk, who found the customer apparent
ly engaged in showing carpets, and pei
fectly at home. lie recognized tn
clerk and said
Ah just step this way, and wi
give you Il check, lie went with tn,
clerk to desk, drew a check, and too
the goods. lie appeared to be so pei
fectly at home that the clerk had nc
the slightest suspicion, OF course tn
cheek was worthless, and we found tha
he had secured the desk privilege at tn
carpet store by pretending that he wa
buying large stock OF carpets anon
other purchases in the city. lie foole
five jewelers. in New York, andothers
other cities,