The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-28
Clever Diamond Thief Changes His Clothes
and Hat Too Late

Clever Diamond Thief Changes His Clothes
and Hat Too Late
Atlantic City, y. J.. Aug. 27.-A bold
and sensational diamond robbery at
the Hotel Majestic, followed by the cap
ture of the supposed thief, under melo-
dramatic circumstances, formed STIR
ring incident of life for the summer
colony today. The police of the city
would proba bly, have known nothing of
the robbery but for the fact that De-
tective Harry Bond, of Philadelphia,
who was stopping at the Majestic, was
soon on the track of the thief. Max
Berbaum, broker in the Bullitt build
ing. Philadelphia, is stopping at the
Ma jestic with his wife, child and nurse.
Mr.. Bierhaum goes to Philadelphia
every morning on the 6:45 train. This
morning about o'clock Mrs. Bierbaum
was awakened at her room by man
entering the door, which had been left
unlocked when her husband went out.
Thinking that the man was a broker
and had made a mistake in the room
she covered up her head, not wishing
to be recognized by the stranger when
she appeared at breakfast. She thought
; however, that something was wrong,
and as the man left the room the knob
dropped off the door and he hurried
down stairs and out. She hurriedly
examined her jewelry case and found
that nearly all her valuable diamorHs.
amounting to about 81 200, had disap-
peared.
Mrs. Bierbaum gave the alarm, and
Edward Wolf, a nephew of City Treas
urer OelIers, answered her call. Mr..
Wolf hurried down stairs and saw a
man answering the description furnish
ed by Mrs. Bierbaum going up Virginia
avenue. The man was Swallowed to
Wahl's shoe store, Atlantic and Pensyl-
vania avenues, and from there to the
Mansion house, where his watchers lost
sight of him. His arrest followed later
1t kuehnle's hotel. where, last night a
guest had been robbed of a small sum
of money. Mr.. Kuehnle, suspecting
that his guest of the night. who register
ed as "W. II. Morgan, Philadelphia"
was the thief, reported the matter to
the police. and Detective Bond, hearing
of the circumstance. brought the porter
of the Majestic down. The detectice
and the porter stationed themselves at
kuehnle's porch and waited for the
man 10 return 10 dinner.
Morgan, ais Morse Of Chica go"
turned I'D about > o'clock.a and as h>
came in kuehnle walked up TO several
detectives who We're eating dinner
They took a good look at the man and
waited for him TO finish his meal and
go to his room. While up stairs he
shaved off his light mustache and also
changed his sack suit of blue for a gray
sack suit. The straw hat he wore on
his arrival was changed for cap. As
he came out he was arrested by Sargent
Of Police Jesse Leeds. while Detective
Bond, two policemen and Proprietor
kuehnle stood by. He was locked up
at Central station for a hearing.
Several OF the employees of the Ma
jestic recognized the prisoner as the
man who was in the ladies buffet in
the morning and passed up stairs. The
{ straw hat he had worn upon entering
was found where the thief had left il.
II was brought down to the station and
placed on the prisoners head and fitted
him nicely.
The prisoner, who registered. gave
his name 10 the police as Dave Mar
tin. and afterwards Charles Morse. He
said he was a SaloonkeeDer on Adams
street, Chicago, and told several con-
fiicting tales. The officers think they
have made a clever capture. and that
Morgan, alias Morse. alias Martin. is
one of a gang Of clever rouges working
the large cities. None of the Valua bieS
were found on his person or in his grip.
and he is believed 10 have had an &C
complice in waiting 20 whom he deliver
ed the stolen diamonds He wore a
I fiashy paste ring on his finger and had
$50 IN cash.
Mr.. kuehnle suspected his guest be-
cause he was the only stranger in the
house and did not eat breakfast this
morning. hut left the hotel early. \
, fortunate thing for Mrs Rierbaum lies
/ IN the fact that three valuable dia-
Z mond rings that Mr.. Bierbaum brought
down last night for his wife to select
! one from did not suit Mrs Bierbaum
! and he took them back this morning
( They were valued al g zoo
The prisoner = described as 80 years
old, feet. : inches in height. sallow
I compleNioned. smooth face. bald head
and weighs about 179 pounds He was
Well dressed. At the police station to-
day he said - Nj Kuehnle: well.
landlord, you have me in a tight place"