Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-16
AReminiscence.
THE Work OF A CLEVER DIAMOND lHlEf
ON BOARD OF A MISSISSIPPI STEAMER

IN the year 1869 this writer was pub
| fishing q newspaper on the magnlncent
low pressure steamer Richmond. which
nlied between Louisville and New Orleans
The vessel was 1920 tons burden, nearly
five hundred feet long, and fitted up 10
trulv palatial STYLE She had two cablns
beside the Texas" brass band and
string band, and the expense of running
the craft was enormous. Being of such
Grand proportions and so elegant IN all
her appointments, and possessed OF many
novelties, among them a newspaper
printed on board, rich and titled people
from all parts of the world were her pas
sengers and guests, and many strange and
thrilling episodes were connected with her
career.
The writer is reminded of one OF these
nv New York letter which was pub.
lished in the Omaha Herald concerning
the future Duke and Duchess of Menches-
ter. now Vscount and Lady Vaudeville.
In the year mentioned at the beginning
of this article, the wife of a wealthy Cuban
was passenger on the Richmond, accom-
panied by her little daughter. child of
singular beauty, and they were going
from the North, where they had been
spending the summer, back to the hus-
band and father in their Southern home
on the Ever Faithful ISLE"
Late one night during the trip when the
Richmond was blowing majestically
along the quiet waters of the Mississippi.
in what is known as the coast region,
between Bayou Sara and New Orleans.
and while few gentlemen were yet
loungng about the forward part Of the
main saloon. suddenly lady in startling
deshabille, with profuse dark hair dishev-
elled and streaming about her neck and
shoulders. burst from the door of her
state room and ran toward the gentlemen,
almost shrieking: "My diamonds my
diamonds are gone !"
She was followed by her little daugh-
ter, the ! child of tender years, who was
crying pteously, more doubtless over her
mothers distress than her loss.
The situation was soon made apparent.
Some one had reached through the tran.
som of the lady's state-room, evidently
from the larboard side and had cut the
pocket from her dress, which hung be-
hind the door, and had thus secured
great mass of beautiful and costly dia-
tuOuuS, WOIlu uuuutcuS vi tuOuoduuS, duu
more than the traditional ransom of
prince.
Soon all were in commotion. The boat
and everybody on board were searched
for the lost jewels, but they were never
found. 1t was supposed that the thief had
followed the lady for weeks and perhaps
months, watching his opportunity, and
finally having succeeded in obtaining the
booty had left the boat at the earliest op-
portunity, when she made landing for
fuel or tor the discharge of freight, or he
may have sprang in the water and swan
ashore. AT any rate he escaped and the
diamonds were lost. The lady subse-
quentlv sued the owners of the boat for
tho value of the Jewels. and the case
was tried months afterward in a
Louisville court, with what results this
writer is unable to state, but it is probable
that she never recovered any thing, as
there was safe on the vessel, kept ex-
pressly for the care of the valuabes of
passengers, and the lady was certainly
very needless in leaving diamonds of such
quantity and value in the place from
whence they were stolen, and doubtless
no court would be liable to hold others
responsible for such carelessness.
The commander of the Richmond and
owner of a large interest in the vessel was
Captain j. Stutt Neal. who is an uncle of
the present Territorial Secretary of WV
oming. Hon. E. S, N. Morgan, from
whom he gets part of his Christian name,
and who is now citizen of indianapolis,
living in handsome home in the north
ern suburbs of that city
The lady who lost the diamonds was
Madame Yznaga, the mother of the
present Lady Vaudeville, and the little
girl who cried so piteously was the
present Lady Vaudeville herself, the
future Duchess OF Manchester. WILL
VIsCHER, in Cheyenne Mirror.