The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-02-16
Diamond Thieves.
Some o. IL. c.sys. Devices BY which They Ply rasa. II.

Some Q. the Clever Devices by Which They Ply Thsi. Trade
The thieves, both male and female,
who are frequently of very good appear
ance, says the New York ITIbu7le, hang
about the jewelers. stores until they see
some respectable-looking persons enter,
and then 60 in with them. They usual
ly say that some friend advised them to
come to that store to look at aparticu-
lar line of goods, and they commonly
ask for some standard article. Then, if
they can get some young and inexper-
fenced clerk to wait on them-and they
always try to get served by salesman
of that kind-the chances are that they
will carry away with them a great deal
more in value than they buy. Some
times they buy nothing, but usually they
make some small purchase SO as to COW
er up their game more efectually. The
umbrella trick was very successful
. device of the thieves a few years ago,
but is now pretty well known to the
trade, and is therefore but little prac-
tised at present. Before its secret was
detected, well-dressed thief would en-
ter a store with an umbrella in his hand,
closed but not rolled up; he was usually
accompanied by one or two confederates.
Seating themselves by the counter, they
would ask to be shown a variety of Ger
tain goods, and, in passing the articles
from one to another, the principalwould
dexterously drop one now and then
within the loose folds of his umbrella.
When a number of chains, rings or
bracelets had thus been slowed away,
the man with the now valuable umbrel-
la would suddenly remember an engage
ment, and bid goodbye to his compan-
ions, who would cover his retreat by
buying some trifiing ornament. Some
years ago q clever rogue was successful
in robbing several diamond merchants
in this city, of costly gems, having
equipped himself by smearing little
wax on the end of his nose and provid-
ing number OF handkerchiefs in his
pockets. He was further prepared by
wearing spectacles, and appeared to be
very near-sighted. When package of
small unset diamonds was shown to
him at his request, he would take it to
the window and hold it very close to his
face. simultaneously he would bring
the end of his nose against 81 diamond
and make use of handkerchief to con-,
ceal and remove the stone which had
adhered to the wax. By affecting to
have bad cold, and always using q
different handkerchief, he was able to
abstract number of stones from the
same package. Ills last operation or
this sort had an unsuccessful ending
through his mistake III taking cut
handkerchief which he had used al
ready. A diamond fell from it and
rolled upon the floor Hoping that this
was unnoticed, but not daring to remain,
he hastily excused himself and went to
the door, but found it securely fastened.
One of the firm of diamond dealers, by
pressing an electric button under his Ia
Bile, had shot bolt at the entrance, and
when the thief turned around a revolver
was pointed at his head. He was
searched, and number of diamonds
were found in the handkerchief distrib-
uted through his clothing. His arrest
followed, and he was sent to State Pris-
on. After this man with cane exc
euted theft very neatly in a New York
diamond house. Pointing over coun-
ter with his cane at an open package of
unmounted stones. and asking to be
shown a certain ons he lightly touched
a gem with the end OF the stick, which
had been dipped in some glutinous ce-
ment. A diamond worth $500 adhered
to the tip, and the thief got away unde-
tected. Some time afterward he was
caught while attempting the same trick,
in Philadelphia, and was identified by
his New York victim.