The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-12-26
STORIES . rn,eves.


StORsES ABOUT THIEVES.
I've Instances Of Coabi.sa lngsnslsy asd
Dsspafatc Coolness.
Tho proprietor OF . largo fcwelry
house In Cincinnati can scarcely havo
forgotten his experience with an ex-
pert knavc, Gays tho Chicago Inter
Ocean. 1t was along toward noon one
very hot day in tho summer Of 1875
whom . ministerial happening follow In
black suit, with o white tic, entered tho
store. lie ~lcisurely walked 70 tho show
case and asked to see some diamond
studs. After somo hcsitation he bought
o small stone, for which he paid S35.
lilo then wished to look ct some rings
thought Of making his vito q present.
As he followed the clerk to tho show.
case containing tho diamond rings he DO
gan to cat IN apple. Several valuable
gems were looked at with dissatisfoc-
tton. Ono valued at $500 pleased him,
but was not just what he wanted. At
length he saw one in the case he thought
was just tho thing. As tho clerk reached
to got it tho parson-like customer
pressed the $500 ring deep into the
apple he was eating and clcverly tossed
1t u Of the door. The clerk didn't
notice the move, but . fellow who was
standing on the outside did, and hasti-
" picked up the apple and departed.
Tho diamond purchaser decided not to
get his wife q present till another day.
Hc was on tho point Of leaving when
Ii clcrs missed the ring.
"Wait q minute, please" called the
clerk, b was rcrvously looking ove
tho tray. II car not find that large dla-
mond ring you were looking at"
The sanctimonious gentleman in
black at once returned and remarked
that the clerk must be mistaken. Tho
search continued, but it was fr~uitlcss.
Tho proprietor was called, and in o very
austcrc and blunt way insinnated that
it might bc found in tho folds of tho
ring-buyer's garments.
II am Rev. DIR. G--n," said tho
customer, i'll tones of excited wrath.
naming o Clergyman who lived in a viii
lagc about thirty miles distant; land I'll
give you to understand that ] did not
conc hero to be insu.ted."
We'll, the proprietor became angry
and called q policeman, and the alleged
clergyman was rnmused to o back ROOM,
protesting ind:s nantiy at tho treatment.
\ short consultation was held, and a
Telegram was sen to the address given
10y the prisoner, making inquiry as to
his character and whereabouts. Tho re-
ply was SLOW in coming. and it was de-
cidcd 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.
Tic telegram to the village; thirty
miles away, came, saying that Rev. DIR.
G--n Was n OF tho most reliable
mon In tho town, and that no was visit-
ing friends in Cincinnati. Up to this
tine :na proprietor had boon Of tho
opinion tn AZ the customer was a pious
fraud, lut the telegram changed his
tune. II" waated To mako amends right
away. Tho pArson talked heavy dam
ages and law, but was at length soothed
to silence by four crisp 500 bills. In
son.c way the story Of the minister's
insult leaked out. His friends heard it
ana asked hlm anout 1t. In tho end no
called at h jcwc.ry store to sec about
1t. and the proprietor was not q little
amazed to find ne had been dupcd. De-
tectives were at acc put on the case,
and in a few days arrested tho bogus
Clergyman and his confederate trying to
pawn the ring. They wcrc the notorious
~''Frcnchy" La Mountain and Cal Dun.
can.
\ night Waterman who was employed
to protect a jewclry store in Denver
against the ravagcs of thieves was ncat-
~ outwittcl by tho notorious Billy For
roster some years before his dcath. Tho
firm carried an immense stock Of gems
ard kept them in u large old-fashioncd
safe. Forester had by long years. cx-
pcriencc become SO familiar with safes
of that pattern that he could tell when
to reverse Ind when to turn the knob
forward by placing his ear close to the
door above tho combination, and in this
way could open tho safe in q short time.
by taking a wax impression of the key
hole he made u key for the front door.
Having previously located the safe in
the store, he was now ready to begin. 1t
was a cod, snowy, stormy night about
ten O'Clock. and Forester walked up to
the store with an air of ownership and
unlocked tho door. lie carried a small
sample case in his hand. Going in, he
turned up the gas in tho rear of the
store and thcn shook down the stove.
lilo leisurcly worked tho combination to
the safe, and in less than half an hour
he had before him thousands Of dollars
worth of costly jewels and watches. At
this very interesting point the night
Waterman came in.
"Gucd evening" said the cordial
burglar, ;s lie continued to remove vel
uables from the safe to his sample case.
I'm packing up my samples went
on the thief, suavcly. ''Going out on
the road in the morning, and thought I
would get ready tonight. There! isn't
that a bcauty?" hc asked, holding out
an elegant Jurgensen for the watchman
to examine.
In this way Forester packed over
$4,000 worth OF gems and watches into
his sample-casc. chatting chccr:ully
with the night Waterman al! the while.
AS he was about to close his sample
case he stopped suddenly as if struck by
q happy thought and then picked up a
very pretty ring. Turning to the watch-
man no asked him il he had a wife. Tho
watchman had, and with q careless
laugh Forester tossed him the ring,
saying: .tiive her that, and tell her it
is . mark of appreciation for the faith
full services rendered by her husband"
Tho brilliant guardian Of other peo-