The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-19
A DETECTIVES STORY,

"a A. - y Z EL ~ ~ 4 " = = .
One morning, while was in the Tombs
poice-court Il tall fine looking woman
OF about thirty-fve WAS brought in
charged with shopliftiug. She WAS dress.
ed in what was evidently the remains of
better days, and her appearance, on the
whole, was not unprepossessing. She
seemed in no wise embarrassed by the
position in which she was placed. She
answered in clear, unfaltering voice all
the questions that were asked her. giving
her name as Alice Brown and her resi-
dence No. East Fifteenth street.
shes an old offender" said Detective
b., who happened to be standing by my
side, and she's sure to be sent up
"You know her?" queried.
'Dh, yes. She was Mt one time a 'klep
tomaniac.' It's queer. isn't it, that what
is shoplfting in the case of Il poor woman
becomes 'kleptomania' when the criminal
is millionaire's wife? know dozens of
these 'kleptomaniacs,' and they are near
ly all women, I'll tell you story about
one of them the first chance get
Two or three days later l met B. again
and reminded him of his promise.
"Ah, yes" he said, Il remember.
nc SlblI Is u'l II very oi',
but it has the merit of being true, and.
as it illustrates n phase of New York
society which is usually kept shady. it
may interest you.
"One morning, some years ago, Mrs.
Clifford. the wife of old Darrell Clifford.
the millionaire, had her pocket picked
while she was shopping at Stewards Her
purse. which contained nearly twelve
hundred dollars, was taken. Mrs. Cir,
ford was unable to tell exactly where the
theft had been committed. She had been
in the store some twenty minutes when
she discovered her loss. All she knew
about it was that the purse had been
stolen while she was in the store; she WAS
certain that it was in her possession
when she entered. OF course the police
were notified but there did not seem to
be much probability that the money
would be recovered until II valuable clcw
was furnished by Mrs, Clifford herself.
son her return home from Stewards
after the discovery OF the theft the lady
found a solitaire diamond ring in the
pocket from which the purse Ind been
stolen, 1t WAS a very handsome thing,
and was worth II couple of hundred dol
lars. Mrs Clifford had never seen il i'e~
fore. and was at Il loss how to account
for its presence in her pocket until it
occurred to her that 1t had dropped from
the finger OF the theft who had stolen
the purse. Old Darrell Clifford saw that
this ring might be the means of the de
lection of the pickpockeL and the recov~
cry of the stolen money. He directed
his wife to say nothing about it to any
one, and brought the ring to me. The
next morning the following advertise
ment appeared:
Found-A diamond ring on Broadway.
The owners can have it by proving props
erty and paying expenses. Call at room
3S,-Hotel, this afternoon, between four
and five o'clock
AS you have already guessed, the
occupant of room 80 that afternoon was
no other than your humble servant. 1t
was nearly five o'clock. and ! had begun
to fear that my scheme was destined to
prove failure, when there came low
tap upon the door.
Come in, cried and handsomely
dressed woman entered.
II have called in answer to this adver
tiseme nt, she began.
All, yes, said, You have lost a
diamond rngT
Unfortunately, yes, sir, she replied.
When did you lose it,?
Yesterday morning
And where?
L cannot tell exactly | WAS out
shopping all the morning, did not miss
it until was nearly home. | think |
must have dropped it somewhere be-
tween Stewards and my residence on
Twentysfourth street. TWAS too large
for the finger upon which | wore it and
slipped off without my noticing it,.
Exactly, madam, Please describe
the ring
Wei she did describe it infinitely
When she had finished I took the ring
from my pocket.
- Your description is perfectly correct,
madam, said handing her the jewel.
This is the ring, is it notS'
- 1. is, she exclaimed joyously. How
can l reward you, siry
"'Will you give me your name, mad
ann interrupted.
Certainly. | am Mrs. Ethan Jasper.
What, the wife of Ethan Jasper the
lawyer? | exclaimed.
The same, sir.
Il was not little startled; for. as you
are aware, Jasper was well known law
yer and a man of high social position and
great wealth.
L hui NSly Spill hiHbahi, Shli'
but have an unpleasant duty to pre-
form.
In an instant very yestige of color
left the woman's face, and then l was
certain that had the right person. 1t
was another case of 'kleptomania.' you
see.
What do you meanT cried Mrs.
Jasper in an almost inaudible voice.
Il briefly explained the situation to-
her She listened in silence. When
had finished she burst into tears. The
charge was false. utterly false. she said.
Surely | would not be so crua rs to
arrest her, and bring disgrace upon her
and her husband. The ring she eX-
planned. must have been stolen from her
by the person who had picked Mrs. Cliffs
ford's pocket. | informed her that she
would have an opportunity to prove her
innocence in court and that she would
have to accompany me. She then dried
her tears and began to abuse me. Ii L
dared to arrest her it would cost me my
position upon the force. This and many