Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13
THE ROBRER ROBBED,
Experiences of the Alleged Diamond
Thief I'm Philadelphia.

Experiences of the Alleged Diamond
Thief I'm philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Times gives the follow
ing interesting account of the short career
in Philadelphia of young Prentiss. who is
charged with stealing diamonds from Mr..
Horning.
On Thursday last, about 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. a young man about twenty-three
years OF age, nattily dressed and of very
good appearance, asked at detective head
quarters to see Captain Miller. To that
officer the stranger announced himself as
Luther A. Prentice and unfolded a tale OF
woe. He said that he had arrived in this
city on December and had taken a room
at Kelly's lodging house. No. II North 9th
street. He was, SO he stated, a travelling
salesman for a jewelry firm and had u
satchel with him containing $1,000 worth
of Set diamonds. This he was fearful OF
having stolen from his room, SO he depos-
tied it with Night Clerk Harry Smith.
Diamonds and Smith Gone.
The next morning he arose late, and after
luncheon went to the office to get his bag
from Proprietor Kelly. Kelly was there,
and so was the office. but the bag was not.
and hurried search disclosed the fact that
Smith was not in his room. Further in
vestigation showed, moreover, tnat nobody
had seen Smith since he went of duty.
yer. who, after hearing the facts, logically
adduced the conclusion that Smith had
stolen the gems. 1t quite upset my faith
in human nature to be told that such a
nice looking man would do such a thing.
afterward explained Prentice. The lawyer
advised me to at once see the police" con-
tinued he to the captain, SO here L am"
Captain Miller assigned Detectives Nc
kinty and Alexander TO the case. and they
cross-examined the young man, eliciting the
further information that all the diamonds
he had were in that satchel. Then the de-
tect:ves went to kelly's house, and found
that young Prentice had had enough dia-
monds exclusive Of the contents of the
satchel to present couple of diamond
rings to as many new found friends who
lived at the lodging house. This convinced
them that there was something queer about
the case. as travelling statesmen do not, as
a rule. give away samples of such a char
acter. So they asked Prentice what his
future movements would be, ana he replied
that he would stay at kelIys until he re-
ceived word from the perfidious Smith.
Gifts to His Landlady's Daughter.
The next day. when McKinty and Alex
ander called at the house. Prentice had
flown, and they started in to search for him
just as hard as they did for Smith. Yes
terday they located him in a furnished
room at 1921 North It'll street. While they
were congratulating themselves on this a
telegram was received from the superin-
terdent of police at Washington, d. c., re-
questing the arrest of Prentice as he was
under indictment for embezzling $1,000
worth of diamonds. The detectives went at
once to the It'll street house and arrested
the man.
They found that he had given four dia-
mond rings and pair of diamond earrings
to his landlady's pretty daughter, who was
greatly grieved ws1en informed that such a
nice young man was thief and would go
to a nasty cell. Then she turned over All
the jewelry to the officers.
When Prentice was searched a lot Of
pawn tickets for diamonds were found in
his pockets. He had a real good time for
three days, and Smith, who has not as yet
been heard from, is having the rest of the
fun.