St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-08
A NEST OF DIAMONDS.

Bv James Greenwood, 1.-The Amateur Cas-
ual."
1t was rare occurrence for eX-De-
tectiye Sergeant Hook to talk of his
past professional experiences, rich as
his budget must be after the three-and-
twenty years of active service that
earned him his retiring pension. Now
and again, however, as we sat. every
man acquainted with his reighbor,
sort of family party, in the snug old
parlor of the Blue Dolphin, the CONVEX
saton would accidentally take turn
reminding him of an apropos incident,
and then he would reel us off something
that kept the company mute as fish UNI
til he had finished.
One evening the all-engrossing topic
was a robbery that had taken place the
previous night in the High street. A
jewelers. shop had been burglariouslY
entered, and, among other goods. sew
eral loose diamonds of considerable
value were stolen. The assumption on
the part of the local police was that the
Job was not the work of a professional.
There were exterior evidences pointing
to the probability that it was the exploit
of mere novice. and the talk was OF
how such one would, without speedy
detection. attempt to turn his precious
booty into cash.
"Speaking of diamond rObberies,"
presently remarked eX-Sergeant Hook,
as he pulled placidly at his pipe. ''re-
calls to my mind one of the most singu-
lar and certainly one of the most puz-
Zling pieces of work l ever had hand
in. The premises IN that case were not
broken into, and it was known immedi-
ately who the thief was. A nam named
Burnside had for many years been head
porter and trusted messenger for a
firm of diamond brokers in Hatton
Garden, and one morning it was dis
covered that the safe had been tam
pered with, aud a single packet of
precious stones, valued at from $4,000
to $4,000, distracted. Burnside was
always the last man on the premises at
night. He lived at CamberWell, and, as
he did not make an appearance at his
work the next morning, prompt inquiry
was made, and it was discovered that he
had bolted.
"He was married man, with two or
three children, and his age was about
forty. Although he had held respon-
sible situation, his wages were not mach,
only "a ShlllingS a week, consequently
his home was but a poor one. The case
was put in my hands, and, as matter
of course, [ lost no time in interviewing
the wife. They lived in a back street
near Camberwell Green, paying 6shill-
ings week for three-roomed cottage,
and the woman did no kind of work to
help keep the family. Ali the same for
that, she did not appear at all dismayed
that her husband had run away under
such disgraceful circumstances. She
stuck to it, hard and fast, that she had no
idea that he contemplated committing
robbery. When he left her. she said,
on the Wednesday, he asked her to get
him some supper ready earlier than
usual. because he was going to his club,
and, being particular sober man, he
always liked to have something to eat
first,if he was going anywhere Wherehe
might be tempted to dring an extra glass.
He left her then, and she had neither
seen nor heard of him since, and knew
nothing of what had become of him.
But she did not cry or make a fuss, and
so far from expressing sympathy with
the firm in whose employ he had been
for more than eleven years, she
bluntly avowed she was glad to hear
they had been robbed, though, of course,
she would rather that any one than her
Bob had done it: 1t served them right
for giving man such shabby wages.
But l remarked, however that
may be, one would have supposed that
Burnside would have considered you
and the children before he did anything
so desperate. 1t wasn't manly of him to
leave you in disgrace, and poverty as
WE'LL
"'As for the disgrace returned Mrs.
Burnside lightly, we shall manage to
survive that | dare say. And as for the
poverty. we shan't go TO the workhouSe
this week, anyhow
Il could make nothing of her. which
was disappointing, because, in such
cases, if the wife knows anything, if
she is handled iudiciOusly. she is pretty
sure to provide you with clew or two.
l was perfectly well aware that her in
difference was affected, and came away
after that first interview with a strong
impression that the woman knew more
not say, the place was thoroughly
searched; no diamonds were discov-
cred. or anything else of value.
No article of jewelry that might
be pawned, but several pawn tickets
three. relating separately to silver
watch and chain, gold keeper ring,
and pair of gold earrings, the two lat
ter articles belonging to Mrs. Burnside.
There was a silk dress in pawn, too
and several parcels of children's under
clothing; and the chest of drawers that
should have contained such things was
nearly empty. [ mention this because
it has a bearing on the case. When,
after vainly fishing about elsewhere for
clew as to what had become of Mr..
Burnside, again paid visit to Brun-
n of r6 /
Mrs. Burnside stillin excellent spirits,
and, what was more. she was wearing
the gold earrings and the keeper ring
that few days before she had only the
pawn tickets to show for, and the silk
dress was In the drawers with lots of
little frocks and petticoats that were
left there before.
''You have received some money from
somewhere, ma'am, since l was here
last remarked.
III knew where to look for it, she