The herald., 1894-09-29
STORY OF A WORTHLESS STONE
How a Ring Got Several Per-
sons in Trouble.
Grand Jury, Jailers, Prisoners and
Constables Mixed Up.
A Twsnty-fivs Cont Jewel Finally
Caused Pasadena Man to
Flee the Counrry-A
Scheme Foiiod.

A Pasadena justice of the peace has in
his possession an imitation diamond
ring that has caused an endless amount
OF trouble. The ring is scarcely worth
25 cents, yet the annoyance it has
caused represents hundreds Of dollars.
The owner of the ring ia in the states
prison.
The story is long one, dating back to
April 10th, when young man named
Lewis Ewing was arrested for stealing a
buggy from Captain Darcy and selling it
to A. Nickerson OF Also street. 1t was
on account of the money Ewing secured
from the sale of the stolen buggy that
Deputy Sheriff Vignes WAS dismissed
from Sheriff Cline's Office and other
deputies wrongly ceneured by the grand
jury.
When Ewing was taken to the county
Jail and searched, O ring was found in an
ileide vest pocket. which he said was set
with diamond and was present from
his mother. A few days later the late
Detective Benson was Rt the county jail,
and learning that Ewing had what he
supposed wac diamond ring, asked to
see it. As Ewing was a notorious char
acter. it was not very hard to suppose
that he might have stolen ring in bis
possession. Immediately on seeing the
ring, the detective thought he knew the
owner, and showed it to Detective Auble,
who pronounced it common glass, worth
perhaps % cents. Detective Benson re-
turned the ring to the county Jail, and
laid it upon the table where sat Jailer
Kennedy.
1t is supposed that Kennedy forgot to
replace the ring with Ewing's other
effects in the Office, for nothing was ever
heard OF it again until the other day.
Ewing was convicted OF his crime and
sent to Folsom.
A few days after Benson returned the
ring, q man named Decker, who was
cent to Jail from Pasadena. asked Assist
ant Jailer Jack Henry to go with him
out to the Grown of the Valley, wi here he
thought he could secure bail, which the
committing magistrate had fixed AT $50.
Decker was ''trusty" in the jail, and
worked around the Office in cleaning up
the jailer's desks, etc., every evening.
He was given especial privileges and
had an opportunity to pick up anything
that might have careiessly been left
lying around.
The grand jury was in session about
this time, and gave Mr.. Henry good
censure for come unknown reason, now
alleged to have been on account OF the
loss of the ring which Ewing valued
30 highly and which proved worthless.
Decker's request to go to Pasadena to
secure bail was granted. and Mr.. Henry
accompanied him to that place. Decker
went to groceryman named Burnham,
and, showing him an alleged $75 gold
ring, asked him to put up $50 aa bail.
Mr.. Henry wac out of hearing distance,
so Burnham asked Decker to call him
in and they would talk the matter over
together. Decker said: mo; it would
never do; the jsiler don't allow a pris-
oner to have anything, and If he caught
me with the ring, he would take it away
from me-" Upon this statement Burn
ham, who afterward declared he knew
about as much about diamond rings as
he does of the millennium, put up the
$50, and Decker went free.
The ex-prisoner worked hard, raised
| the money and redeemed the ring. TAX
ing the supposed diamond to Pasadena
jeweler, Decker was told it was worth
not over 80 cents. That was o sumner.
The ex Jail inmate entirely collapsed,
aud, on recovering, Rccueed Burnham of
having changed the stone in the ring.
The groceryman admitted having kept
it in tissue paper, under his pillow, and
all that. but he positively denied having
substituted glass stone for diamond.
Decker finally thought of q scheme.
He brought civil action against Burn
ham to recover the stone or its worth in
gold He secured the services of Con-