The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-26
GEMS WELL GUARDED.
JEWELLERS TAKE ALL PRSCAU-
lions AGAINST THIEVES.

Eashful Customers and Those VINO
| Desire Secrecy.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean,
Do the sweet little maidens who spend 80
much Of their time inspecting various new
samples of the latest jewelry or the bashful
youths about to invest the residuum of six
weeks of hard work, CT the indulgent papas
and ldohzing mamams ever stop to wonder
what precautions are taken by the proprie-
tors OF such establishments to check the en-
terprising knights Of the Jimmy" and the
dark lantern.
The dazzling array OF silverware and
| brlc-a-b- ac, the countless radiant gems, the
| efulgent rows Of pretty stones, apparently
but scsntily protected by the glass covers Of
the broad counters would naturally seem 70
offer an inviting field for research to the
burglar. But strange as it would appear
there have been but few burglsriss of
| JeTelry stores in Chicago.
| The one visited yesterday by = reporter Of
the Inter Ocean is provided with more
vaults than an ordinary national bank.
These vaults are fitted up with the
most improved time looks, and the
combinations are changed every
week. The diamond vault is a CON
caten alton Of solid wrought iron doors and
gates, adorned with bewildering mass Of
| bolts and locks. Inside is an adamantine
| burRlar-prOof safe, also bristling with strong,
| heavy bolts, aud it is into this that the dia-
| monds from the showcases are emptied every
night.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST BURGLARS.
When locked this vault can only be
opened by the manager of the firm. Con-
| nected with 1t are electric wires communi-
eating with detective and police headquar-
ters 80. that If tempered with to however
slight a degree, the "tamperer" would
shortly find himself In the arms of the
police.
The large cases containing silver ware are
left exposed, but as they also have au cleo
trio battery attachment somewhere in the
region Of toe hinges they are not SO easy"
as they look.
The work Of removal at night and rear
rangement in the morning is very simple.
only taking about ten minutes to complete
Each showcase is fitted with sectional
trays, these trays are placed one on top Of
the other and carried into their respective
places in the vault As each is numbered
and consecutively arranged the work of re-
placing in the morning is easily accom-
plished.
In former days, when stage coaches were
synonymous with travel, and robbery but
an incident of a journey, burglary was
easily effected In almost every department
of commercial life. Nowadays the prinoi-
pal safeguards lie neither In locks nor in
watchmen, although both are handy adj
juncts to a well-ordered, well-behaved jew
elry shop. Modern iuvention has come into
play. Electric lights are of more value as
conservators than any other feature OF pro.
lection, consequently these stores are kept
brilliantly lighted.
JEWELERS. ASSOCIATION.
There are day watchnen and night watch
men, who make frequent reports that all is
we'll to police headquarters. All the doors
leading 10 the street are looked from the in
side, so that unless the watohInan knows the
person seeking admission, entrance is i'm
possible without forcing the doors or win
dows, which are also provided with alarms
Each show case is provided with lock TO
prove t the operations Of sneak thieves, and
over the Intel OF the vault is posted a little
sign which reads:
This sign is more of a dampener TO a
| burg lars ardor than untold locks or count
less barricades. Even the efficacy of the
| electric lights pale beside this legendary
placard The association is known to every
burglar in the land as one which has never
| failed to apprehend and convict those who
| seek to rob its members. The association
will spend years of time and thousands of
| dollarS to discover the perpetrator of rob-
| berry, aud lis efforts have always been
crowned with success. Therefore the burg
lar, IL he effected an entrance to such a
store, would. unless pretty desperate, hest
tate to oonsummAte his plans.
CONFIDENCE GAMES
What the jewelers. have to guard against
principally are toe depredations of sneak
thieves and confidence men. Nobody tries
to sell them gold bric$s xactly but as the
manager SAID yesterday: "If people can
carry off overcoats, hat racks and kitchen
utensils from other stores, why such small
goods as we deal in are all the more tempt.
Ing to that class of gentry.
Not long ago one Of our best and most
careful men was worked in great shape.
Two very gentlemanly fellows came in and
desired to look at watches, As they contem-
plated buying one for birthday present to
their brother. Well, they we're shown watch
after watch for ABOUT an hour, and after
nearly exhausting the patience of the at
tendant they finally choose one. But thew
did not want it until Saturday, so they
said, and then apologized for the trouble
they had caused and insisted on depositinR
$40 as a guarantee Of good faith aud that
they would return on the day appointed for
tue watch. They were very well bred and
appeared highly respectable, so the clerk,
who was ambitious to make sales, was salts
fed. After leaving the counter they held
consultation, and, hesitating little while,
returned and asked the clerk to show them
some diamond ornaments, as they desired to
make present to their sister when they
presented the watch.
SUBSTITUTING CHEAP RING.
Nothing but the best diamonds would
suit, so they we're shown the very hand
soonest gems in the house by the clerk,
whose confidence they had won completely.
"But they saw nothing to suit and fiaally
left the store. That night when putting
away the trays noticed a cheap ring in
the tray that contained only the highest
priced ones. OF course the diamond clerk
refused to believe that these splendid fell
lows who had deposited $40 would be guilty
Of such a trick as taking a $1,000 ring,
and insisted that they would return Satur-
day and that somebody else had done the
stealing. Poor fellow! he has lost faith
since, for be has been EXPECTING those
smooth, polite fellows to demand their $40
for over year That trick OF substituting
cheap ring for a valuable one is much in
vogue, and causes the major part OF eur
losses. AS a general thing the diamond
counter is subjected TO more attempts than
any other, but ! have known people to
steal silver tea pots, clocks and vases az
well.
TRIED TO STEAL A CLOCK.