St. Paul daily globe., 1888-07-15
The PRICE OF A CRIME.


under his directions occasionally. These
plans they retained in their keeping and
when the two men who had been sent
! to Paris to fix the appliances returned,
they had an opportunity to learn from
their conversation with their uncle of
the strangely fortified apartments of NJ.
Montedour.
These young men got into trouble.
being suspected of having collusively
disposed of a large amount of valuable
metal belonging to- their employer
IhereupOn they went to Paris, and
were not long there before they became
the associates of famous gang of
skilled hOuSebreakerS. They were very
successful, their mechanical knowledge
giving them a very great advantage
over ordinary burglars.
AN EYE TO BUSINESS.
Slngularly enough, over year and
half elapsed before they thought of
Monsieur Montedour and his for uified
apartments. Then it recurred to them
that it might be worth their while to in
veStigate the gentleman and his estab-
lishment. The name of Monsieur Mon
tedour and his residence had been care
fully noted Oh the copies of the plans in
their possession, but his business was
unknown to them. Victor, the elder
and more self-possessed. watched the
place and saw a carriage stop opposite
the house and two ladies alight. APP
preaching the coachman, he said:
''Do you know where NJ. Montedour
resides?''
Yes, monsieur, in this house," was
the answer.
81 suppose it is the gentleman whom
mean," said Victor; pray, what is
his business?'
"He is a diamond merchant, mon
sieur," the coachman replied.
"Ah! thanks, that is the man." Vic
tor said, and slipped a five-franc piece
into his hand, adding: These are no
bic horses: whose are they, may l ask?'
The Countess d'EsnevaFs, mon
sieur," was the answer.
m. MontedOur has customers now,
so will call later en-" Victor said, and
strolled away.
disguised. paid visit to M. Montedour
and were received by Pierre Boumery.
They observed that Pierre addressed NJ.
Montedur as uncle, and they introduced
themselves as having been recommend
ed to him by the Countess d'ESneval.
"Ah, yes,' said NJ. Montedour, "she
is customer of mine. What can l do
for you, gentlemen?"
Victor said they desired to look for
some diamonds, and NJ. Montedour as
cended the stair leading from the par
lors and soon returned with the precious
stones. Having examined them with
great care for some time, Victor said:
1T we decide OH purchasing, we will
call IN the course OF day or two"
GETTING THINGS READY.
Then the brothers departed. The next
thing was to secure the apartments at
Nine. Rouffetard's. and with great luck
AS "a. they esteemed it-they found the
top floor vacant. They explained to her
that they were from the country, with
few friends in the city, and might want
the rooms. If they suited, for some time.
Once installed, they scrutiniZed the sit
uation and found it was quite practical
pie TO make their way from the roof of
their abode to the roof of NJ. .Montedour's
abode, which. however, unlike their
dwelling, had no dOrmer windows. In
vestigation showed that the roof was,
nevertheless, admirably fitted for opera
tlons, having skylight which could, no
doubt, be easily opened.
Still considerable care was necessary.
Having watched the widows of the sec
ond and third floors all night without
seeing any light, they reached the con-
clusion that NJ. MOntedour must sleep
in an apartment on the parlor floor, for
they were not aware of the fact that the
windows on the second floor were pro-
tected with iron shutters. while up to
midnight of each night light appeared
in one of the windows of the parlOr
floor.
Having beome satisfied that NJ Mon
tedour retired at midnight and slept on
the parlor floor, they suddenly remem-
bered that they knew nothing of his
domestic arrangements. A whole week
was spent in aScertaining that Pierre
Boumery quilted the house every even
ing about & o'clock, and that his abode
was at distance. To secure this
knowledge one of them in disguise
watched the house and followsd Pierre
three nights in succession.
But the house was also watched in the
daytime. No domestic was seen to
leave or enter, but occasionally waiter
in NJ. Montedour's meals.
From all these circumstances it was
inferred that only M. Montedour occu-
pied the house during the night.
Then something else, and the most
important thing of all, had to be done.
A key had to be made in exact accord
ance with the plans which the Grave
rendS had in their possession. This
took several days, but it was accom-
plished, and, in order that there might
be no mistake, four keys, varying in
size in only the slightest degree, were
prepared.
IN MONS. MONTEDOUR'S DWELLING.
In order to allay suspicion three young
associates of the brothers, members of
the same fraternity, came to their apart
ments. They had wine and a supper
from the restaurant and the landlady
was treated abundantly to the good
things. While the jollification was ap-
! their stocking feet passed through the
| dormer window to the roof and reached
| the roof of Mons. MontedOur'f dwelling
in safety. One of the panes of glass in
lhe skylight was removed and the hasp
was unfaStened. Much to their gratifi-
| cation the burglars found that a fixed
| ladder descended to the passage. Each
carried small pistol but they did not
! anticipate any encounter with Mons.
MontedOur. After the door was opened
! one of them was to watch while the
other, with the aid of dark
lantern, was to search the room
and, in case it was neces-
sary, to force any locks. Those were
not the days of safes and vaults let into
walls, and the BURGERS rightly Judged
that, as the doors were so securely fast
ened and the rear windows protected
with bars of iron, the precious contents
of the rooms were considered sufficiently
we'll protected.
| TWO HoRRoR-sTRICKEN BURGLARS.
AS they reached halfway down the
stairs they discovered to their surprise
intently and hearing no sound, they
descended. Not movement in the
room indicated the presence of any one.
Victor pushed open the door quietly.
and saw that the room was brilliantly
lighted.