Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-11-11
INGENIOUS THIEyING.
A CLEVER DIAMOND STEAL WORKED
BY A BRIGHT COUPLE.

|
| "Wbere have seen that face peforef
Tha answer to this inquiry, which every
-, s,,,,a time nut to himself at the
Ripbt of Il countenance once ialiiinai p
last siobt of for many years, does noo III
woys recall as interesting and tilieiy
story ms IL did to u gentleman VINO say vi
ono of the seats in the Pubic garuen
short time ago, endeavoring to place Vi'e
| face Of a man on the next seat.
The person who had aroused tie CURVE.
itv of the gentleman was tall, eioeriS
man of grave and distinguished bearing
His hair and beard were silvery gray ana
| His ewes. which occasionally met those Vi
Ma ne;gbbor in seemingly casual way
gave proof that their owner possessed oiio
sacultv of self control in noticeable de-
| gree.
On the seat with the stranger was =
vo,np woman some thirty years old, OF
nrepossessing appearance and charming
manner. Her attractiveness DIVIDED the
attention of the man on the adjoining
bench. who sat patiently puzzling ms
memory for the identity Of the two COM
panjons. 81,
The watcher OF the twain was also VS.
/ IL,
agent from Europe, whose business
brought him frequently to American clties.
He was convinced from the first glance
that his two neighbors were people whom
he had met PROFESSIONAL" somewhere IN
Europe many years before, but for many
minutes their names and the circumstances
which had brought him into contact with
them euded him altogether. At length
their identity flashed upon him, and with
| IT the conviction that the pairs visit to
America BODIED no good to any one upon
whom they might bestow their intimate
acquaintance.
| The man was one of the most accom-
plished diamond thieves in the world,
whose exploits had reduced the wealth OF
many foreign jeweler by thousands OF
dollars. and whose acts had been success
fully played throughout Europe for more
than thirty five years.
The presence of such a skillful pair of
| criminals in Boston induced the detective
to give publicity to one of many of their
successful thefts, accomplished in Naples
in 1875.
One day the pair appeared at Neapoli-
| tan hotel and registered as an English gen.
tleman and daughter.
| Among their baggage were two rose
wood chests of the kind used by English
officers in camp or barracks, and which,
when joined together formed a bureau,
with an open writing desk in its upper
part, capable of folding upward, and clos
ing with spring lock.
They took two rooms communicating by
a door, against which, in the mans room,
this piece of furniture was placed. There
was seemingly nothing to attract suspi-
cion in this, and they conducted themselves
in such an affable manner that in few
weeks they had ingratiated themselves
with all the guests and attendants at the
hotel.
The man soon became known at lead
ing jewelers. as an expert purchaser of dia-
monds. His dealings were small, but al
ways shrewd and judicious, and always
paid for cash down. 1t was his custom to
drop into the richly furnished store, &C
companied by his daughter (?), who, while
papa" bargained in the coolest and most
businesslike way for stone which struck
his fancy, did not fail to exert Che influ-
ence of her engaging manners and be-
witching eyes upon the susceptible mer-
chant.
In short time the man had established
his credit solidly with the jeweler, and
then he went straight to work to carry out
his scheme. He called on the jeweler one
day to negotiate for diamond necklace of
great value, which the jeweler had shown
him before and pressed him to buy for his
charming daughter. The latter was not
with him this time
Papa" said he wanted to surprise the
girl with the gift on her bridal day, which
was near at hand, and warned the mer-
chant that the purchase must be kept
strictly secret between them. A bargain
was finally struck, 1000 francs were given
in part payment and the necklace was left
for certain alterations, which were to be
completed in a few days.
On the day i'll question the young lady
called on the jeweler, saying that her ia
ther was unwell and wished to see him on
business. OF course the jeweler went,
bringing the diamond necklace with him.
lie found his customer sitting at the writ
ing desk, and after some conversation the
subject of the business between them was
broached. The diamonds were placed on
the desk and the supposed customer began
to count out the payment.
| AT this interesting moment the door of
the room was opened, and the girl. radiant
with smiles, bounded in. She paused on
| seeing the jeweler and pretended to retire
AS the diamonds were to be a surprise, of
course she must not see them, so papa"
hastily closed up the desk, diamonds.
money and all.
The merchant was entirely unsuspicious
OF anything wrong in this, and even when
the girl told her father that the Duchess
= awaited his immediate presence in the
reception room, no thought of theft en-
tered the jewelers. mind.
Papa" made feint of impotence at the
duchess Interruption but went out to see
her, leaving the girl to entertain her
caller, which she did in her most can't.
waiting style.
suddenly, pretending to take offense or
remark of her companion, she rose bnr,
riedly and swept out of the room in seem.
ing Indignation to fetch her father The
Je"eler was uneasy, not on account of tho
alamonds, but for having upwittinglv
offended the maiden, and he spent son,o
time In framing the most humble anolo-
gles and explanations for the father Il
was only after watching an hour or SO for
'ne return OF his customer that an inklino
vi the truth dawned upon him. and an ey-
ANIMATION of the desk showed that its
precious contents had been extracted
through an opening on the other side
reached by removing the panel of the door
leading into the girls room.
everything had been successfully planned
ana timed, and before the alarm was rive,
ana search for the thieves begun the latter
we're wei beyond the reach of capture.a
Matter of Opinion.
one mad been having fun with Dude-