The Portland daily press., 1891-07-13
MoNCoLIAN GENIUS.
Clever Act of a Chinanan who
Stole a Box OF LeweIs.
[New YORK Trihnne l


Stole Box OF JeweIs.
New YORK Tribune.1
MY husband was, as you know, in
the Austrian diplomatic service" said
an american woman whose experience
or divers lands had been most extensive,
"and OF course the number of incidents
In our varying life has been legion. But
there was one adventure which occurred
while we were attached to the embassy
in China that so combined the ludicrous
with really serious that shall never for
get it.
"After we had been there about year
there occurred some grand jubilee or
other at the court to celebrate the en-
peror's birthday or some other festive
occasion, and Baron H. had been sent
from Vienna as special convoy to tender
congratulations, etc. He, of course.
stopped at the legation. The night be-
fore he was to leave he returned very
late for dinner. / could see during the
evening that he was distract and wor-
ried, and after our guests had gone he
confided to the count and myself his
trouble.
He was nervous, fussy little man,
and was evidently greatly disturbed. 4
have had some important Jewels con-
tded to my care he told us, to be given
TO our emperor as memento Of this &C.
casion. Tomorrow / sail, as you know,
in the government steamer for home,
and as soon as / am aboard ship shall
not feel any anxiety; but must confess
that tonight am nervous-why, l do
not know; but have the feeling, and I
thought would confide it to you, and
perhaps you would share my response
bility.'
my husband, who has inherited from
his Irish mother a bold carelessness
which has often stood him in good stead,
although disastrous in this instance, said
good naturally: Give them to me, if
you like. l have an iron box by my bed
where lock up any important papers
that l have in my room at night, and I
will keep them for YOU The baron.
greatly relieved, gladly handed over the
little case that held the costly trinkets,
and shortly afterward we all retired for
the night.
STORY OF THE BURGLARY.
"The counts room adjoined mine, and
the last thing l remember was seeing the
glimmer of his light under the door as
he sat writing at his desk, finishing up
his dispatches for the morrow. I was
awakened from deep sleep by the noise
OF scutfie, and Immediately afterward
the shout of my husband, and in a few
minutes the whole house was aroused.
Catch the thievesp shouted the count.
and for short time all was in confu-
sion, no one understanding the why and
the wherefore of the uproar, the count,
In the lghtest of attire, having torn
down the stairs and into the COURTYARD.
After useless pursuit he returned
breathless, to tell his story.
"The box was gone; that had seen
at once, and had already communicated
my fears to Baron H., who had also an
peared upon the scene, and who was
nearly frantic. Between gasps for
breath-for what with the excitement
and the chase and his embonpoint my
poor husband was completely exhausted
we finally elected the following facts.
After he had put the jewels in the strong
box, which stood on table at the head
of his bed, he sat down at his desk, and
finding that he had more to do than he
expected, wrote until the small hours of
the morning.
Notwithstanding the lateness of the
hour he was restless after he finally got
to bed, and did not fall into sound
sleep; so that the light noise of the OPEN
ing door aroused him at once, and by the
dim light from the hall he saw a muffied
figure approaching his bed, while an
other form, also shrouded In drapery,
stood by the door. Count A. is brave
man and strong man, and has always
been famous athelete; so rather enjoy
ing the idea of the denouement he lay
quietly in wait, knowing by flash of
intuition that the jewels were the object
of the midnight marauders.
A CREASED BURGLAR.
"The robber came steadily and noise
lessly toward the box as If he were per-
fectly familiar with the location, while
the count feigned sleep and allowed him
to come near enough to lay his hand
upon it. Then with a sudden movement
he threw his powerful arms around the
thief and shouted for help, but by an in
describable wriggle the creature slipped
with the dexterity of a serpent from un-
der the heavy sheetlike drapery, leaving
it in my husbands clutch.
with bound the latter was out of
bed, and for the second time he had the
miscreant in his grasp; but again he was
foiled, this time by a new device which
Will venture to say has never been heard
OF In the police reports of any civilized
country. The man was completely nude
and creased from head to foot with a
soft, buttery substance that made him
slippery as an eel. Notwithstanding that
the count caught him several times he
made good his escape, never relinquish-
ing the box.
"Yes; the jewels are gone" continued
the countess, in answer to an inquiry.
And what is more we could never trace
them; there is no detective service in
China that amounts to anything, and
the wretches were completely successful.
Baron H., although terribly afraid of
the consequences of his having relegated
his trust to another, behaved most hand
somely, and completely exonerated my
husband from all blame.
both gentlemen wished to give the
money value for the loss, but this his
imperial majesty would not permit.
The story of the CREASED Chinaman' got
about, however, and, we are told, vexed
the Chinese officials not little; and
whether it twas for this cause or for some
pther reason, we were shortly transferred
to another post. AS it was in the path
OF promotion we were more than salts
fed, and took no pains to discover the
reason"
Using Dirty Water.