The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-04-21
THE GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY

THE GREAT JEW Eli hOBBEh1 I.
The little world of fashionable
London society vas startled few
years ago by reports of a series OF
daring jewel robberies. The most
costly gems seemed to disappear US
il by magic under the vefy eyes OF
their owners. These robberies defied
detection. A clue in one case was
unset by the facts in another. When
my aid as private detective was
called in, resolved to confine my
attention to three distinct cases
though, of course, if useful informa-
ton came in my way concerning
other matters, | should know how
to take advantage Of it.
The first of the three on my list
was the case of the Dowager Lady
a., somewhat eccentric old lady,
who found her chief delight in
arraying herselfin her most valuable
Jewels and visiting in regular rota-
ton all the West End theatres. One
night, when returning from one ol
these expeditions, her carriage had
been overturned by colliding with
an omnibus. The Dowager was
seriously injured, and within a few
days she was dead. Then, appar-
emily for the first time, it was dis
covered that the whole OF the jewels
worn by Lady A. on the night of the
carriage accident had mysteriously
disappeared.
He maid was so overcome by the
sight of her injured mistress that she
failed altogether to remember what
was done with these jewels at the
moment when her ladyship was
undressed. 1t was even a question
whether they might not have been
actually lost in the street during the
confusion of the accident. At al
events no trace Of them could be
found, and it soon became evident
that in the excitement of summon
ing relatives, fetching doctors, and
very soon, nurses and undertakers
/ halt dozen persons might have
entered the house and walked of
with the jewels without any chanc,
of detection.
Then / turned my attention t.
the second case-thaJ of the young
Countess of B. There seemed les
room for doubt in this instance
The fashionable wedding of th,
Autumn had been that of the Eear
of b. with Miss Blank. There haC
been a churchful of people at ST
Georges, Hanover-square. and (
hest of guests at the breakfast a
the Unique Hotel On the mornin!
of the wedding, The Earl had pre-
sented his bride with magnifcen
tiara of diamonds. As the "happ,
pair " were to start almost immedi
ately for the Continent, these dia
monds, inclosed in a case, wer'
hastily packed in a travelling bag
which the brides travelling mai'
was never to let out Of her sight
On arriving at Paris the bag wa
apparently intact, but on opening
the jewel case the tiara was missing
Clearly it must have been cleverl,
extracted from t be case while lyin'
in the brides dressing-room, tn
empty case then being placed in tn
bag. Who had stolen the Countess
diamonds? The maid, the BRIDE
mother, and younger brother haC
alone, as far as it was known, enter
the room where the Jewels were ly
ing. l don't mind saying that hat
some difficulty in believing that
bona tide robbery had been com
mitted. You may not believe il
but | am convinced that many
startling robbery of jewels would b
explained if we knew of all the pri
vate debts incurred by ladies o
fashion, and of the sacrifices some
times made by them to screen from
disgrace themselves, or some deepl,
involved connection.
| Meanwhile / made inquiries con
cerning robbery No. 3. This was a
Colonel C's. There the only thin,
missed was a very valuable bracelet
There had been dance at the house
During the evening Mrs. c. hat
slipped and sprained her ankle s,
severely that a doctor had to b
summoned, and the party was some
what prenaturely brought to
close. Mrs. c. distinctly remember
ed wearing the bracelet, but wheth
er she had it on at the moment o
falling she could not remember
There had been naturally some con
fusion in the ballroom, and the ladl
| had been carried to her own room
/ 1t was not for some hours that til
loss of the bracelet was noticed
| Then a search was made, but alto
gether without success.
In the first and third of thes
cases suspicion seemed to point a
once to some member of the house
hold /; but all my inquiries failed t.
/ find any trace OF the missing prop
erty. The servants all willingi.
consented, nay, even offered to hav
their boxes searched. and for SOM
weeks | confessed myself baffied
The missing property bad disap
peared as completely as though
had never existed.
Again and again | went over tn
whole circumstances as they na'
been related to me. There was,
reflected, one circumstance common
to all three OF the robberies, if rob
cries they were. There had been a
the time some unusual amount Q
confusion, all lending opportunit..
for a theft to take place without i'm
mediate detection. The Dowage
Lady AS diamonds had been stolel
during her illness. or about the tim