The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-04-10
THE ABILITY or THIEVES.
The Bold Game Of q WOUld.Be Clergy.
man At Cincinnati.
How BiIIy Forester OutWiGIed q
Denver Watehman..The Nerve
Displayed By CFackSmen.


well-known jurist chanced to ask friend
the time Of day as be entered the temple
Of justice, remarking at the same time
that be bad forgotten his watch at home.
At the conclusion Of his days duties he
returned home, and when he asked his
wife for his chronometer was not q little
surprised to hear that she had given 1t to
q young man who had come for ii, repre-
senting that the jurist had sent him. The
young man was thief. He had heard
the Judge remark that he had forgotten
his watch. Without o moments delay
the cunning rogue ran TO the judges
home, and told the good lady Of the house
that her husband had sent for his watch.
It was q clever story, plauslbly told, ana
It won the watch.
The proprietor Of large jewelry house
in Cincinnati can scarcely have forgotten
bis experience with an expert knave. It
was along toward noon one very hot day
in the summer Of 1875 when q ministerial
appearing fellow in black suit, with q
white tie, entered the store. He leisurely
walked to the showcase and asked to see
diamond studs. After some hesitation he
bought q small stone, for which be paid
S35. He then wished to look at some
rines-thought Of making his wife pres
ent. As he followed the clerk to the show
case containing the diamond rings be
began eating an apple. Several valuable
gems were looked at with dissatisfaction.
One valued at $500 pleased him, but was
not Just what he wanted. At length he
saw one in the case he thought was Just
the thing. As the clerk reached to get It
the parson-like customer pressed the $500
ring deep into the apple he was eating
and cleverly tossed It out Of the door.
The clerk didn't notice the move, but q
fellow on the outside did, and hastily
picked up the apple and departed. The
diamond purchaser decided not to get his
wife present until another day. He was
on the point Of leaving when the clerk
missed the ring.
"Wait a minute, please" called the
clerk, who was nervously looking over the
tray, II cannot find that large diamond
ring you were looking at"
The sanctimonious gentleman in BLACK
at once returned and remarked that the
clerk must be mistaken. The search con-
tinued, but it was fruitless. The ProPrie-
tor was called, and in very austere and
blunt way insinuated that 1t might be
found in the folds Of the ring'buyer's gar
ments.
81 am the Rev. DIR. G-n, said the
customer, in tones oi excited wrath nam
ing clergyman who lived In q village
about thirty miles distant and Ill give
you to understand that did not come
here to be insulted"
Well, the proprietor became angry and
called q policeman, and the alleged cler'
gynan was removed to back room' pro-
testing Indignantly at his treatment. A
short consultation was held, and tele-
gram was sent to the address given by
the prisoner, making inquiry as to his
character and whereabouts. The reply
was slow In coming, and 1t was decided
to search the prisoner. He was forced to
strip, and every fold and crease in his
clothes was searched. 1t is needless to
say the ring was not found. The telegram
to the village, thirty miles away, came,
saying that the Rev. DR.. G-n was one
Of the most reliable men in tile town, and
that he was visiting friends In Cincinnati.
Up 10 this time the proprietor had been
Of the opinion that the customer was q
pious fraud, but the telegram changed his
tune. He wanted to make amends right
away. The parson talked Of heavy dam
ages and law, but was at length soothed
to silence by four crisp 800 bills. In
some way the story Of the ministers in
suit leaked out. His friends heard it and
asked him about II. In the end he called
at the iewelry store to see about Il, and
the proprietor was not little amazed 10
find he had been duped. Detectives were
at once put on the case, and In q few
days arrested the bogus clergyman and
his confederate trying to pawn the ring.
They were the notorious "Frenchy" La
Mountain and Cal Duncan.