The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-02
THIS WOMAN HAD NERVE
COW A GREAT SINGER ENTER
Tanned A GREAT CRIMINAL.

der the Table While She Coolly
Urote a Letter to Summon the Po-
roe-An Episode in the Career OF
the Celebrated Nine. Vestris.
from the Cincinnati Enquirer
The following episode In the career Of the
celebrated Nine. Vestris happened in the
.r,otar of 1S47, when tho star Of her genius
,vss still in the ascendant, in spite OF her so
,-asrs. She had married the famous Charles
Mathews the younger only short time be-
fore. and was visiting Paris In his oom-
many. The chief object of their visit was
20 secure a ballet troupe for spectacle, the
r,-onarations for which were then in progress
a. one of the large London theaters, at the
time under their united management. But
q an CHANGED that the selection Of the ballet
Tsll principally upon Mathews, because his
his was temporarily disabled by an unlucky
snraiu Of the ankle. She was confined to
their hotel in the Rue Sainte
uopore. where, of course, she could console
herself by giving receptions to her admirers,
who we're quite as numerous in France as in
England.
Her waiting maids were within call, and
conld now and then hear from one of the
Srrther rooms the playful bark of her King
Charles spaniels, Flock and Floss, which
always accompanied her on her travels.
Taking up newspaper, her attention be-
came absorbed by the first article on which
her glance ahghted, for it was upon sub
ieot that had evcited all Paris for a number
OF days.
number OF robberies had taken place in
ouick succession. whose perpetator had not
been discovered. 1t was evident, from GER
tain characteristics common to all the
crimes, that they were the work of one
man.
His favorite, and indeed only, method had
heen to secrete himself in close proximity to
some fashionable and wealthy lady's Sleep
ing apartment and then possess himself Of
her Jewels and other valuables after she bad
fallen asleep. When his victim happened to
awake he had not hesitated to use violence
TO prevent her giving an alarm.
The only clew to the villain as yet lay In
the knowledge that he had but two fingers
on his left hand-a circumstance that had
the nerve to simulate Inconsistencies while
secretly observing his felonions operations in
the ST. bdued light OF her boudoir. A panic
of fear was said TO be existing among such
ladies as were noted for the number and
value Of their jewels; and sarcastic COM
ments were passed upon the ineffectiveness
of the police authorities.
Mime. Vestris was a woman OF except
iOnally strong nerve, but she could not res
strain little humorous thrill when, having
finished the article, she limped across the
salon to the door of her boudoir, intending
to summon her maids and retire for the
night
Before entering her boudoir, however, she
turned to extinguish the wax lights of a
candelabra that had been left burning in
addition to the small shaded lamp by which
she had been reading.
The candeabra stood upon bracket aud
cast a strong, level light upon the floor,
throwing out the shadows of the interview
ing pieces of furniture, especially of the
table at which she had been sitting, In
pretty strong relief, inasmuch as the shaded
reading lamp in the middle of the table shed
its lesser luster in a small, circumscribed
circle.
As she cast q final glance over the room
she was suddenly filed with fear on per-
ceivinR, cast out upon the floor directly
across her stool, the unmistakable shadow
OF man crouching under the table at
which she had been sitting. She remained
perfectly quiet, but her terror was in
creased hundredfold as she saw, or though
she saw, the image of a hand that possessed
but two fingers. She was convinced that
the mysterious criminal, whose deeds had
so excited the city, was lying concealed
there, and had 30 lain, probably In contact
with the folds of her dress, the entire even
ing.
Having come to this conviction, through
a swift and dreadful train of reasoning,
which every woman understands, Nine
NestriS remained for MON mt almost pet
rited Her jewels we're noted for their
splendor and costlnesS and she was known
to always have them in q casket at her bed
side upon retiring; and since her arrival in
Paris 1t had also become pretty well known
that she was in the habit of retiring COM
paratively early, while her husbands du-
ties kept him away from the hotel until a
late hour. Her maids slept at the further
end of an outside corridor, and thus for a
considerable time she was virtually alone
upon the third floor of the hotel
OF course the robber had made himself
acquainted with these circumstances, and
was waiting his opportunity to enter upon
his course of pillage and violence, possibly
to end in murder. These thoughts aud con-
customs flashed through Nine Vestris' mind
with terrible rapidity. Then, by tremen-
dous effort of will power, she not only re-
covered her intrepidity and GOODNESS, but
also formed plan TO extricate herself end
Outwit the villain.
Without extinguishing the lights she be-
gan TO carol q light operate air, while re-
suming her seat, and touched the silver
spring bell on the table with which she was
In the habit of summoning one or the other
OF her maids. This action alone cost her a
great pang of fear; for if the spaniels
should accompany the maid they would
doubtless at once sniff out the presence of
the concealed robber, who might then at
tack her without delay. Fortunately, how
ever, the maid who responded TO her call
was not accompanied by the dogs which had
romped themselves to sleep in one Of the re-
moter apartments.
Adele" said Nine. Vestris, sis the estab-
llshment Of Mons. Vernac, the jeweler, still
open, think you?"
20, yes, madame" replied the maid. at
Is Saturday nighU, when all the shops keep
open until IL, and it is now but little after
l0,n
VI shall then have to get you to take a
message to him at once,n said the actress
he has been repairing my costltest dia-
mond necklace and my tiara of sapphires
aud orllliants, which he promised to return
tnls evening. l shall not sleep without hav-
Ing them at my bedside tonight. Whether
repaired or not, he shall send them with you
oy one OF the clerks. Bring me the writing
materials from my boudoir."
Adele did as she was directed, and, still
cumming her song, Nine. Vestris, with a
urn hand, penned the following, which she
sealed aud directed to M. Vernac, the then
fashionable jeweler of the Rue des Ital-
lens:
MCNsEUR-The two-hngered villain is
concealed under the very table at which l
L. T.