St. Landry democrat., 1885-02-14
A STRANGE THEFT.
The Dodge by Which a shrewd
Detective Was Outwitted.


Detective Was Outwitted.
Several stories of crime, taken from
the notebook of celebrated English
detective, recently on a visit to this
country, have already appeared in these
columns. Many others related to the
writer are still untold, and among these
the following is perhaps the most inter-
>esting. It is written almost word for
word as taken down from the lips of the
narrator:
'|There had been a big robbery of jew
rels from the country residence of Sir
George NJ, in Warwickshire, on De-
.cember %, 1867. The residence of Sir
George was about four miles from
bennington and about two from War
wick, and stood in small park with
many trees. The entrance to the park
was at the east end corner, and the
drive was somewhat circuitous. The
house was a large irregular building,
and at Christmas it was always filed
with guests.
Son this occasion many visitors came
"a week before Christmas Day, and there
was, of course, the usual round of
amusements. On Christmas Eve there
was to be an old-time Notification, and
representatives of the best people in the
neighborhood were to be there It was
an occasion when the ladies Of the fam
lily were expected to look their best. and
some very valuable jewelry was to be
exhibited on their persons.
During the afternoon of December
23d the jeWelry was brought from its
usual depository and displayed in Lady
M. s apartments. Much of it was Yerv
old, including a magnificent set of dia-
monds of great value, presented to the
first Baronet's bride by Charles L The
chief feature was stomacher, consist
ing OF one immense gem of great purity
and beauty, surrounded with circle of
garnets and emeralds alternating. The
actual value of this ornament was, of
course, very great, but the family set
value upon it which could hardly be
represented in figures.
This piece of jewelry was laid on
cushion placed on Lady Ms bed, and
was gazed upon with great admiration
by her friends and visitors. The bed
room was upon the second floor, and
could be entered in two ways, both
leading from the gallery which ran
round that part of the dwelling where
the main stairway was, and below which
was the great hall or entrance-room
into which the main door opened from
the grounds. One door opened from
this gallery into Lady Ms dressing
room, which opened again into her
chamber, and another door opened
from the gallery into small ante
room, which in turn also opened into
the chamber.
CATER inspecting the iewelry Lady |
NJ. s visitors retired and employed |
themselves until dinner-time, according
to their several tastes. Lady M. and |
one of her two daughters remained in
the room and put away the jewels.
Miss Julia, the daughter, seeing the
case for the stomacher lying closed upon
the bed, and supposing her mother had |
restored the article to its depository,
placed the case in cabinet where it |
was usually kept, remarking to her
mother at the time that she had done so.
''When the case was opened the next
day, the inside appeared as it usually
did. Several layers of wool covered
the contents, but on removing these
nothing was found but handful of
silver and copper coins. was not
there, of course, to witness the scene,
but one may easily imagine what it was
like. What preliminary steps they took
don't know, but that same evening
received a telegram at my house in
Bayswater, requiring my presence at
Scotland Yard. There | was directed
to 60 at once to the residence of Sir
George M. Ipacked my portmanteau,
took all my stylish clothes and few
Of those inconsiderable things which
indicate a modern swell, and went
down by the London & Northwestern to
Lexington. ] received the telegram at
about six o'clock, and was at Lean
ngton by nine. Taking carriage,
drove straight to Sir George Ms. It |