Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-07
VICTIMS OF A Willy CROOK
TWO JEWELLERS TAKEN IN BY
DIAMOND SWINDLERS.

A Stranger Walks of with a S2S5 Dia-
mond Ring and a $500 Watch from NJ.
Sternberg's and Tries to Raise Loan
on them an Hour Working
an Old Dodge on an Unsuspecting Clerk
A. W. Meyer Loses $500 in Diamonds.
NJ. Sternberg, proprietor Of the jewelry
store at No. 157 BrOughton street, was
the victim yesterday Of bold swindle
adroitly perpetrated by an accomplished
''crOOk." Some time In the forenoon
we'll dressed stranger with
pleasing manners and address entered
the store and asked to be shown a dia-
mOnd ring. The proprietor was absent
and his brother waited upon the suave
customer. who selected a ring valued at
$3.50 and said he would take it. but
the setting did not suit him. and
he ordered il reset, giving minute
directions regarding the manner be
wanted the work done. He said he would
call for the ring in the afternoon and
went away. When Mr.. Sternberg re-
turned his brother told him about the
sale he had made, and the ring was reset
as the purchaser had directed.
About O'Clock in the afternoon the
stranger returned. Mr.. Sternberg was
him. He expressed himself highly pleased
with the work, and after looking around
| selected a gold watch valued at 500, and
said he would buy that also. He gave
Ms name as Z. ID. Marshall, and said that
he was from the interior Of the State and
was stopping at the Pulaski House. Sew
| eral lady members of his family, he said,
were at the hotel with him and desired TO
| purchase some diamond jewelry.
LAYING HIS PLANS.
Among other articles which he thought
/ they would purchase he pointed out in
| the show case a valuable diamond cross.
| He asked Young Sternberg to put up the
ring and watch he had ordered and bring
/ them TO the Pulaski House, where be
/ would paw for them, and asked him also
| to bring some jewelry for the lady mem
/ bers of his family TO look at. The young
/ man put up the articles ordered, taking
/ about s. 900 worth Of diamonds and other
/ ieWelrv in his pocket and went with the
| stranger to the hotel parlOr. Marshall
/ took the watch and ring in careless sOrl
/ of wav from Mr.. SternbeTg's hands, and
/ saving that he would bring in the ladies
/ 10 look at the Jewelry, which
| Sternberg still kept IN his pocket, ne
stepped out. That was the last seen OF
/ him at the hotel. Mr.. Sternberg waited
some time for him TO come back until II
| dawned upon him that he was the victim
/ Of an elaborate sWindle. He Immediately
| renOrted his loss to the store and the
/ matter was put in the hands OF detec
/ tiyes. with all the information IL was pos
| sible to obtain in regard TO the stranger
which at that time was very little.
WORKING THE GAME.
An hour or two after, however, ne was
| again heard from. 1t appears that imme'
| diately after obtaining the goods from
/ vOung Steruberg, Marshall went to Null
I berg's pawnbrOker shop and tried 10 OF
/ tain a loan on the ring. rms was the
] second time he had visited Muhlberg'
\ place during the day. The first time he
| told the broker that he had diamond
\ ring he would be compelled to raise some
| money on. and after describing 1t asked
about how much money, judging by the
/ DESCRIPTION, the broker thought be could
I lei him have This visit was doubtless
/ soon after his first visit to Sternberg's and
/ before he got the ring il his possession.
Mr.. MuhIbeTg, who is brother-in-laW
of Mr.. Sternberg. examined the ring
when Marshall brought it on his second
visit. and as the customer was anxious
/ TO get all the money he could on 1t, he pro-
/ nOSed TO send TO mis- brOther-in-law. who.
I he told Marshall, was jeweler on
/ BrOughtOn street, and knew the value OF
/ such goods. This opened up me lay oi
/ the land to the stranger, who had not DE-
I fore been aware that the paWnbrOker ana
/ ieweler were related, and were nkely TO
epOiI his game. AS soon as he zs4earned
| where he was sending he took the-rlng,
and in careless way sauntered INTO the
| street and disappeared. That was the
I last heard of him.
HUNTING THE swINDLER.
Mr. }. u. Cummings was the clerk on
/ dirty at the Pulaski House when the goods
/ were taken there. and as soon as he heard
[ of the swindIe sent for Detective kaul-
mann and had the house Thoroughly
I searched, thinking Marshall might he con
ce3led somewhere, but failed 30 mud MIN
/ or anV clue that might lead TO the dlscON-
/ cry of his whereabouts. He had not regls-
I tered at the hotel. but probably mad taken
/ advantage of the numbers OF people IN the
/ office ami parlOr and had mingled with
them without being noticed or exciting
any suspicion.
Marshall is described as middle-aged
man. OF medium size. with light com
/ pleXiOn, light mOustache and tashlOnablN
dressed.
Mir. Sternberg. when seen by News
reporter last night, appeared TO De taxing
I his loss philOsOphically. He said ne con-
graduated himself on the fact that his
/ brother was sharp enough not 10 allow
I the rogue TO get possession OF the Sj,Oy0
worth of diamonds lie took TO the hotel in
MS pockets.
ANOTHER JEWELEB VICTIMTZED.
A. W. Never, at No. l20 BrOugh-
ton street. was the victim of similar
swindle three or four days ago, operated
hv a small sized. fair cOmpleXiODed man,
wearing a silk mai. TO the tune Of about
$500. sfr. Never said TO a NEWS reporter
that a stranger called at his store and rep
resented himselt to be drummer, ami
said he was stopping at the ScreYen
House. and asked that some diamonds be
taken there for inspection. The drummer
said that he was going TO leave the city by
one Of the Northern steamers. The eWelry
was taken TO the hotel. and while eXami-
ming the iewelry the stranger had coca
sion to 20 into an adjoining
room. taking several diamond rings
with him. and disappeared.
Mr.. Meyer endeayOred to lind him, but
was unable to get any clue. All he could
learn was that he did not leave the city
By any steamer. He is certain, however,
that he can identify him and has hopes Of
securing him yet.
SHIPPING IRON NORTH.