The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-19
STOLEN JEWELS.
Eighteen Thousand Dollars Worth of
Jewelry Recovered.

Jewelry Recovered.
On the tenth of November r. E. Kramig.
a travelling salesman in the employ of the
Herman Keck Manufacturing Company of
Cincinnati, Ohio, landed in Dayton, Ohio,
with stock of jewelry. He called on one
of the customers, Jeweler named Wahirab
and showed him his stock. After making
some purchases Mr. Wahlrab told the sales
man he had customer whose wife wanted
to buy him diamond for a Christmas pres
ent, and that he would send for him. He
came, looked at the diamonds, picked out
what he wanted and offered TO pay for it on
the instalment plan, to which kTamig would
not consent, and left, returning to the Beckel
House, just having time enough to pay his
bill and get TO the depot in time to catch the
noon train for Cincinnati.
On arrival at the depot he put his two
grips, one containing the jewelry, in first
class coach. and then went out, purchased
his ticket, stopped at the lunch counter, and
returned to the car, to find that the grip con-
tanning the jewelry was gone.
Kramig was nearly wild with fright, and
ran TO Chief Freeman OF the Dayton police
and reported his loss. Chief Freeman turned
out all the detectives and the police force,
but no clew was found to the robbers.
The Herman Keck Manufacturing Conl-
pany were members of the Jewellers Pro-
tective Union, an association formed num-
Der of years ago for the protection of trav-
cling statesmen against the Gepredations of
sneak thieves, burglars, etc. The assOcia-
TONS detectives. after investigation, con-
cluded that the robbery had been perpetrated
by Fritz Dhien and some Of his gang.
Dhen was raised in Dayton, Ohio, and is
the nephew OF thu notorious burglar Dutch
Engel. He is very handsome little fellow,
and about 30 years of age, About twelve
years ago he was well-known to the police
of Chicago, and was regarded as one of the
smoOthest bank sneaks and jewelry thieves
in the United States. About that time he
was arrested in Nashville, Tenn, for steal
Ing $4,000 tray of diamonds from a Jew
elry store in that city in company with one
George Ike. Both men were convicted and
sentenced to ten years in prison. Dbien
escaped from prison and was shortly after
ward arrested in New York by Inspector
Dyrnes for robbing jewelry storyi Albany.
y. y, Of tray of diamonds, He got out of
prison about eight months ago and returned
TO Dayton.
The detectives ascertained that Dhien
kept a saloon in Dayton, and, to their
amaz-ment, they found that Dhien was the
man whom Jeweler Wahlrab had intro
duced 10 kramig, the travelling salesman,
and who professed that his wife wanted to
buy a diamond on the installment sDlan
Dhien professed entire innocence of the
crime, and pleaded poverty, and said that
he had intended leading an honest life in
the future, and had given up stealing.
Gradually the lines were frightened closer
around Dhien, and it was found that he, in
company with thief known as Charles
Blondey, had been seen within a few yards
of the depot previous to the robbery. Wit
nesses were also found who had seen Dhien
and Blondey trailing the salesman TO the
depot just previous to the robbery. Trace
of Blondey was lost, but he was at last
found living quietly on the outskirts of
Dayton.
The culprits were at length taken into
custody, and the missing jewelry, valued at
$4,000, was found near Jacksonville Sc
GREETED in four jars.