The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-03
DISPOSAL OF STOLEN DIAMONDS.
Many Opportunities in Large Cities
Story Of q CONSPIRACY.

Many Opportunities in Large Cities
Story Of Conspiracy.
NEw YORK, July 28.-Some recent offers Of
reward for diamonds and jewelry indicate
that the sly and agile summer resort bur-
glar 10 making the most of the seasons OPP
portunities. C0incident with the offers OF
rewards the police authorities of the vari-
Gus cities of the country are furnished with
as complete printed statements of the rob
berry as can be made, and with descriptions
of the stolen property. Everything is done
through which such property could be dis
posed of by the thieves, and yet it is seldom
recovered through the agency of the police.
How Is it disposed of by the thieves9
Are they able to dispose of the booty at ap-
proximately market prices" These are
questions asked by correspondent.
jewelers. Protective association. said yes
terday:
s'The offer of a large quantity of dia-
monds to a member of the trade by a
stranger would naturally put the merchant
upon his guard, for the fact is we'll under
ing around. The jewelers. Protective asso-
citation includes all the manufacturing
jewelers. of this city, and no such quantity
of diamonds as s. 600 worth could be Of
fered to the manufacturing trade without
danger to the thief, if thief it was, who
made the Offer.
bot the association does not extend to
the retail trade, nor does it include pawn
brokers. There are opportunities enough
in nearly every large city for the disposal OF
diamonds and jewelry without approaching
the wholesale jewelry trade at all, and even
without exciting suspicion. The ease VIII
which even large quantity OF diamonds OF
jewelry could be transported and concealed
is the special attraction which this class OF
property has for the thief.
1.-The circumstances of conspiracy in
1880 to despoil the diamond dealers of this
city of a large amount of stock have Just
come to light. A clever young philadelphia
Hebrew had made great record as sales a
man, and upon the strength of it and
small capital launched in business
the Quaker City, who knew
of his high standing in the trade, proposed
to him to buy as large quantity OF
diamonds as he could and pay as little cash
on them as he could get the goods for
They proposed to make good his checks or
Philadelphia bank for whatever cash pay
ments he had to make. The young mer.
chant yielded. He came to New York and
bought 900 worth of precious gems pay
ing on them only about $4,000. The pawn
brokers took the gems and in about month
told the young Hebrew merchant that he
would have to go into bankruptcy. The
diamond dealer acquiesced and went to his
lawyer and told him to put him through in
an assignment. with an offer to pay 10 cents
on the dollar.
with many alleged misgivings the Phil
adelphia lawyer undertook the job. Iht
young diamond dealer had story of peck
et-picking on the cars, of gambling losses
and losses on the race track to teil to &C
count for the disappearance of his money
within n month after the purchase OF thu
gems, and the lawyer told him it would moi
send him to prison. But the young mar
was rejected and he was arrested for OBJ
| tanning goods under false pretenses. anc
put under $4,000 bail. which he was un
able to furnish. Then he told the whole
| story.
"Under the threat of exposure and pros
| ecution the pawnbrokers walked into tn,
| LAWYERS office one day where they me-
their would-be victims and restored So, COZ
worth of the gems and the proceeds of tn,
sales of the remainder. With the restora
ton of the gems the prosecution ceased
| The young Hebrew went into substantial
exile in the West, and Is said to hav'
profited by the dear lesson that he gained
in the big diamond case. The pawnbro
| kers having had no reputation to lose, con
tlnued on unmolested in the same old way.
The Colorado irrigating pump so VS. the. irri
| CATION problem. Send for circulars and lnfor
| formation. T. G. Power Il Co., state agents.