Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-29
A Clever Diamond Robbery.
THIEF WHO ADOPTED THE GUIsE OF A PRIEST II
swINDLE MERCHANT.

THIEF WHO ADOPTED THR GUIsK OF PRIEST TO
swINDLE MERCHANT.
The smartest thief who has been heard OF In
this section for many years made his appearance
In the city yesterday afternoon. He Is about thir-
ty-two years old, and wore clothing similar To
that worn by catholic priests 1t was about . .ao
O'Clock In the afternoon when he entered the lew.
elry establishment Of Mr.. Salvatore Desio corner Of
himself to MI. Desio as Father McCarty. sed
wanted TO look at some diamonds Ne
showed Mr.: Desio the picture OF a hand
factured In New York and was to be presented
To Cardinal Gibbons In Baltimore. He wanted
ten diamonds set In the chaiice. He at first Sc
lected half dozen small stones, but seeing some
larger ones he liked better he selected TEN OF them
which he wanted to exhibit TO other priesfs for,
their approval. He told Mr.. Desio to send them to
oConnel to see them. The 1a%ouds dS seIscIea cne
were really worth $780, but the retail price charged
was loo; The bogus priest then visited st.
McGuirk, the pastor. He represented that he was
q member OF the Augustine order and that he
that he was rather late starting, to which the
visitor made no reply. He told Father McGuirk
that ne was here on short visit and that he had
brother who was Pension ONCE clerk. He had
arranged with his brother to meet him at the par
sonage, and requested the use OF his parlor for
half an hour to converse with his brother. The
walked over TO the church, where ne spent some
time on his knees. apparently engaged in prayer
Wulo u0 WAS III INC CuuICn II. DeSlO'S son called
&C the parsonage TO see Father O'ConneI The
latter was not In, and young Desio spent some
minutes about the place, and when the bogus
priest left the church he saw Mr. Desio entering
the door OF the parsonage. The alleged Father
McCarty met Mr.. De.o in the parior and ex.
planned to nim that there was an aged
Iather, eighty.four years old, upstairs
ana for that purpose M. Deeto handed him the
gemA Leaving Mr.. DeSio IN the parlor he LEFT the
room, but instead OF going upstairs he LEFT the
parsonage and disappeared with the diamonds
The police were notffed and Detectives Kan and
Horne are invesugaung. The thief had but ave
which IL h learned he LETT the city.
As soon as the ROBBERY was reported detecttves
were placed ct the depoee TO look for the thief
Al the Baltimore and Ohio depot Detective Ran
and Ofncer Quinlan overhauled several priesIs
who were leaving the city, and at the Baltimore
and Potomac depot Detectives Carter and Nahon
placed Father lcDevitt under arrest and escorted
him 10 headQuartefA The reverend Ren1ieman.
unlike many other innocent persona when placed
under arrest 01d NOT boc0me Impatient but rather
commended the of1cers for the zeal Displayed IN
their efforts 70 arroot the thief. The police think
that the thief lert here nor Baltimore On the 5:25
train, a. the ticket agent remembered seeing q
man In the garb OF priest who purchassda Cacket
and paid fun pr1ce for It. he thought at the time
that it was peculiar thaS he did noS ahow ~ card
and get reduced rase&