Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-06-30
THE BITTER BITTEN.
A Smart Young Man Breaks
Into the BastiIe.
STORY oRsoME STOLEN DIAMONDS

And How a Chicago Sharper Tried to
Make Stake Thereon-DeIuded Into
the Grasp of the Police by the Fair
but Plucky Loser-An Exchange of
Brick Jewels for Brown Paper Green
backs-'Yours in Distress" is Feeling
Very Melancholy Now.
CHICAGO, June ,0-Officers from the
Central and Desplaines Street stations
made good catch last night in the arrest
of a supposed diamond thief on the west
side. The arrest was tinctured with just
enough romance to make it interesting.
About ten days ago burglar stole from
Mrs. George Morganroth's bed room, at
1918 Calumet avenue, four diamond rings
valued at $500. Yesterday Mrs. Morgan
roth received a note dated SATURDAY, 2
p. m.," and signed "Yours in Distress"
which read as follows: eff you wish to
secure the gems and diamonds you have
lost, wear shawl over your head and
carry white handkerchief in your left
hand so that can recognize you, and meet
me at $50 this evening at the coner of
Sangamon and Monroe streets. Bring
1900 with you. If you do not l can easily
sell the diamonds for that amount. Do
not attempt to notify the police, as will
hare one man to watch you from the time
you leave your house and two men will
watch you at the corner of Sangamon and
Monroe
Made Another appointment.
OF course Mrs. Morganroth could not
keep that appointment Yesterday after
noon she received another note from
"Yours in Distress" 1t was dated Sun
day, 1850 a. m" and read: LAS did not
get the note | wrote you Saturday in the
mail early enough for Saturdays delivery,
l will make the time of meeting Monday
eve at the same time $50 and the same
place" But the police had already been
| informed of the robbery and Detectives
| Costello and Darrae, of the Central sta
! ton, were detailed on the cfse. Mrs MQr-
ganroth placed the mysterious letters in
the officers hands. To throw her watchers
, off the track she drove in a cab to her
/ brother in-iaw's trunk store as bS State
street, yesterday afternoon, and there met
| the two detectives. The officers arranged
, the plan.
Hatehed a Little scheme.
Mrs. Morganroth should drive in cab
| alone to Sangamon and Monaco streets to
meet the thief at $50 The officers would
be in hiding in the vicinity and arrest the
thief the moment he approached her. Mrs.
Morganroth, who is small brunette of
DELICATE build. was fearful that the thief
| or thieves might shoot her when the of
| ficers came out of hiding, but after much
/ persuation,she consented to carry out her
part of the programme if j. II. Morgan
roth, her brother-in-law, could ride with
| her in tho aah N hour tha
pointed time, Detectives Costello and Oar
| rae and Mr.. Childs, brother of Mrs, Nor
ganrQth, were in hiding in eX-Alserman
Harris house, at the southwest corner of
Sangamon and Monroe streets
Made II. Quite a show.
A dozen reporters had the "tip" and
were rllanted" in the dark alleys and
back yards of the vicinity. Desplaines
Street station heard of the intended ar
! rest and Lieutenant Wheeler. Sergea Mt
Roche. and Detectives Hoffman and
| Fleming quietly secreted themselves
around the corners without informing
| Officers Costello and Darrae that they
were in the vicinity. Promptly at $50
Mrs. Morganroth ana her brother-in-law
drove up in hanson cab. Mys. Morgan
| roth alighted alone and the cab drove
away. She was wearing prnk-colored
dress, with a white shawl thrown over
| head of dark-brown hair. As she walked
| back and forth under the glare of the
electric light, carelessly swinging q white
handkerchief in her hand, she trembled
and her face was as white as the silken
shawl.
| Enter the Heavy Villain.
Ten long minutes rolled by. which
seemed as if they We're as many hours to
Mrs. Morganroth, when the cab returned.
| and just then slim young man, wearing
a Derby hat and black suit of clothes.
stepped out from the northeast corner and
handed her a small match box. She
| handed him her purse well filed Just
then Sergeant Roche placed a glistening
revolver in the face of the young man and
told him he was wanted. why, what do
you want me for?"- asked the thief. with
the greatest surprise and utmost GOODNESS,
as he looked down the gun barrel. The
thief had no chance to run. and the Gen
| trail Station detectives We're surprised to
| see other officers making the arrest.
| The Diamonds Were Brick.
| The matchbox he gave Mrs Morgaproth
contained some pieces of broken brick. He
denies committing the robbery, ard says
he saw an lad" in paper offerinS re-
ward-for ehe return of the diamonds and
he concluded to play the trick with the
matchbox and get $500 from Mrs. Morgan
roth. But had he escaped he wouldn't
have been winner for the purse the lady
gave him was, filed with brown paper. At
the station his name was found to he
| Charles Burchard. He said he was a
waiter and sold sandwiches for Chaplin g.
| Gore at Washington park on Derby day.