New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-20
SNEAK THIEVES GET 4 BIG PRIZE
JEwELRY WORTH $4,000 TAKEN FROM A
DEALER IN ANTIQUE GOODS.

JEwELRY WORTH $4,000 TAKEN FROM A
DEALER IN ANTIQUE GOODS.
Five months ago. Carl Wcrncike. dealer in antique
jewelry and bricabrac at Nos 10 and 12 West Twenty
eghth-st.. told Inspector Byrnes that he bad been
robbed of case containing diamond pendants. neck
laces and rings, worth $4,000, by young man and
woman who had called at his place Of business to
purchase ring and jewel box The robbery occurred
on February last, and since then Detectvcsergeants
Cotwe and Lauther have bean trying to down and
arrest the thieves but did not meet with much success
until Friday night. when they arrested a bookmakers
clerk named Robert Howe, who answers the descrlp-
ton OF the man who stole the jewelry.
Howe was brought TO jefferson Market Police Court
Yesterday. He closely guarded by the detectives
while he in court waiting 10 be ariagned before
the magistrate
Whom Howe was taken before Justice Kelly. the
detectives informed the justice that the prisoner was
wanted for diamond robbery, and Inspector Byrnes
would like TO have him remanded. Mr.. Moss who ap-
pearcd for Howe offered objection TO the detectives
request and Howe remsnded until to-day. and the
detectives left the courtroom refusing to say anything
about the
Two days previous TO the robbery well-drcssed
man and woman entered Wernicke's store. and asked
Mr.. wcricke to show them Jewel case. They in
troduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. DeFord, OF No.
ia West Fifty eighth-st. The case was shown TO
them, and while they examining ii Mr. Wernicke
went to the rear OF the store to wait on another
customer. A containing jewels worth about
$4,000 was lying on the table near where Mr.. and
Mrs. DeFord were examining the Jewel case. Mr.
DeFord called Mr.. wernicke over to him and pointing
to the case containing the diamonds. said:
n wish you would put that case away. III you
should miss ring out Of that tray l would have to
be responsible for it,"
Mr.. WerncEe locked the and put It In the show
case at the same time thanking Mr.. DeFord for
calling his attention to the case. and assuring him that
IL had been left out by mistake.
at would have been costly mistake for you if it
had been stolen" said DeFord "snd after examining
number of paintings DeFord aud his wife went away
saying that they would return the following day.
On the following day Mr. and Mrs. DeFord purchased
pair Of vases for $50 from Mr.. Wernicke and
promised to return again on the following day and
purchase a diamond ring for $3.50, which Mrs DeFord
had selected. On February 6. MIR. and Mrs. DeFoTd
called at Wernickes place for the third time. and while
Mr.. Wernicke trying to assist Mrs. DeEOld IN
selecting diamond ring. her husband wandered around
the store Mrs. DeFord stin examining the ring
when her husband went out Of the store TO get cigar
He returned In few moments and as his wife had
concluded not 10 purchase the ring they left tue store
About an hour after their departure MIR. Werniche
discovered that the jewery case that Mr. DeFOd had
called his attention days before was missing
and then he remembered that when MI. DeFOu went
70 get cigar there was suspicious plugging under
Mr. Werncke immediately reported the case TO In
spector ByInes, and although the detectives worked
hard on the ii not until week ago that they
got cew TO tho thieves. II was then learned that
man ANSWERING the description OF DeFord had been
HoSWei With S two Women one of whom passed as his
wife, and the other posed as the sister OF Mrs Howell
and was known as Mrs. Kirby The detectives reached
The hotel too late 10 make arrest. and it not
until Friday night that they succeeded IN arTestng
Mrs. Kirby had gone from the Hotel Metropoe to No
66 West Thirty hst.; but when the detectives
reached there they found that the birds had flown