The Opelousas courier., 1889-07-27
A SHREWD ROGUE.
His Ingenious Plan for Securing
Valuable Diamonds.

Valuable Diamonds.
From time to time the general pub
lie reads of some wonderful jewel rob-
berry, and marvels at the sagacity of
those thieves who prefer to turn their
talents, often of the highest order, to a
dishonest account, when they might
make an honorable and profitable live
lihood. But there have been n or
two audacious robberies which have
never found their way into the news
papers, from some cause best known to
the losers. Some days ago we had the
pleasure of meeting one of the part
ners in g wholesale jewelrY business,
dealing principally with the better
class of West-End shops, though they
are always ready to accept a private
CUSTOMER. In course of time the con
vessationsArned uPon jewel robbe~ies,
and for something owe two houla my
new acquaintance kept US int ested
while he detailed more than one au-
dacious plot by which the firm had
suffered loss. After the silence which
followed a tale of more than usual in
terest, one of the circle asked if aver
private customers were tempted to rob
them.
OF course WI occasionally have cases
of that kind, said the narrator, though
usually they are quickly detected. =,
But perhaps the greatest loss we ever
had was in a easur due to one of the
best customers of the fla, a member
of the Upper House, with a town resi-
dence in Arlington street, and no one
knows how many seats and estates in
different parts of the country. Proba-
bly, you all remember his daughter be-
ing married some four years ago-St.
Peters, Eaton square. Or the Savoy
Chapel. | forget which-with q royal
parsonage to sign the register, and
wedding presents from Her Majesty
downward. His lordship is a very rich
man and his presents were worth a
small fortune. But they cost him more
than he anticipated.
I was in the counting -house
morning some months before this mar
riage GANG off, discussing it with my
partner, both wondering If we should
have an order from the Earl, when a
slim looking gentleman came in and
laid a note upon the table. 1t was an
order from the Earl to repair at Snce
to Arlington street with q parure of
diamonds. of which we make a
specially. / arranged to call a little
later in the day, a fact of which I in
formed the slim gentleman. But toat
ward the afternoon / received another
note blythe same hand advising ne
stiat his lofusIIp had left town sud-
denly for M Castle, his seat in
Loamshire, and that II was to come
down there for INSTRUCTIONS in the
course of the following day. I re-
member being somewhat annoyed at
the time, forI had an important family
engagement on the morrow; but / had
TO swallow my Impotence and inform
the messenger that | would do myself
the honor of obeying his lordship's
commands. My partner was in the
inner office and it was my duty to show
him the letter. Judge of my surprise
when / could find neither of the EarI's
notes. though ] distinctly remembered
placing the second upon the desk
before mo while / was giving the mes-
senger my reply. | thought little of
it at the time, though how their loss
affected Us afterward you shall hear.
went down to M the following
day with more valuables than / had
eve carried before or since. / must
have had at least ESQ, 600 worth about
me altogether. But / am not q nerv-
u man, though men in my line have
been robbed in q railway carriage be-
fore now.
I knew the Earl very well by sight,
though ] had never had a personal in
teryiew with him before. / had occa-
sienally cen him in the counting
house and had listened to his peculiar
~ grating voice-a deep, stern voice,
with a rough rasp In it like the noise
OF a saw-a voice / could pick out
among q thousand. I had no occasion
to find fault with my reception. An
elegant luncheon awaited me in the
dining-room, and his lordship's own
mantle slim gentleman aforesaid
vas told of to administer to nv Great
ure comforts. He was extremely
chatty and agreeable. without being
the least forward. as ssgentlemen's
gentlemen" too often are, and asked a /
variety of questions about my BUSH
ness. commiserating me upon the anx-
iety must suffer in travelling the
country with so vast and tempting
treasures in my possession.
1 will not detain you with the result
ofSay interview with the Earl and his
daughter. [ was fortunate enough to
have IN my possession the precise or
namenfs they required; and as / re-
turned To town that night, well pleased
win NY journey and 4 big check in my
peskes eoagFstalassa myssli that nj