The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-15
CAUGHT IN A DIAMOND STEAL.
ATLANTA AND SAVANNAH JEWEL
ERS SNINDLED.

The SwindIer Worked From SWANS
bore, Emanuel County, Where
There Is no Express ONCE, and
Used the Name of n Reputable Mer-
chant There-JeweIer SternberE
Out About S6OO-Messrs. Theus
Bros. Did Not Ship-AtIanta Mer-
chants Lose About $1,000.
There is a Savannah end TO a big
swindle which has been perpetrated by
some shrewd schemer In Emanuel county.
and the victim In this case is NJ Stern
berg, the jeweler. who found yesterday
that he was out about 500 by reason OF a
shipment OF some diamonds. which were
sent, as ne thought, 10 a reliable party
on approval.
1t seems that last Monday Mr.. Stern
berg received a letter from Swinsboro
signed with a rubber stamp y. c. Cole
man." beneath which in blue pencil were
the letters per +. W. c." The letter
asked that some solitaire rings be shipped
on approval. as the writer had a sale for
one, and asked Mr.. Sternberg If he would
allow him 10 per cent. for making ii. He
lNAtAA GU MN 70 AilF Al4NA NHAAAAAN eAHNAANANa
as 10 his standing. and on making an in
vestgation Mr.. Sternberg found that ].
c. Coleman was rated al above 100000.
Mr.. Coleman is a jeweler in Swainsboro.
and, thinking. of course, that the letter
was all right it bearing the stamp Of
genuineness, be boxed up four solitaire'
rings and two diamond bracelets. which
The jewels were sent by the Southern
Express Company, but as this company
has no ganet at Swainsboro. they were
sent as far as Midwife, where the COM
pany's agent turned them over to the
Melville Swainsboro and Red Bluff rail-
road. Mr.. Sternberg became anxious
about his property when ne received no
word from 1t, and yesterday he made in
quiries at the Office Of the Southern Ex-
press Company. He found that the agent
at Midwife had turneu the goods over to
the railroad. as above mentioned, for
transportation to Swainsboro, and so far
no further information with regard to
their delivery has been obtained.
The conclusion reached is that the thief
was at the train when it arrived at
Swainsboro. and there being no express
Office there. he found little trouble in
securing the goods in Colemans name
Mr.. Sternberg has placed the matter In
the hands Of his attorneys, Messrs. Gar
rard. Meldrim & Newman, who are look
ing into the case.
An attempt was made to get some
goods from Messrs. Theus Bros. in the
same way. They received the same sort
of a letter, and were referred to the COM
mercial agencies. They replied, however
that they did not do business with the
commercial agencies. and refused to send
out the goods. As Mr.. Coleman is highly
rated with the commercial agencies, it
is apparent that some swindler has Sc
cured one Of his stamps, and turned it in
this way to his own use.
Two Atlanta jewellers have been caught
in the same way. They are the A. L.
Delkin Company and Stilson a Collins,
who, IT seems, have been done out of
about 5000 in the same manner. They re-
ceived similar letters to those sent here.
and We're referred to the commercial agen-
cies Tor Colemans rating, which they
found 10 be irst-class, and they did not
hesitate TO make the shipments. The
loss Of the Delkin company will amount
TO nearly $1,000, and they having sent out
a number of handsome diamond rings,
and Stllson & Collins sent out several
rings, together with some gold watches.
Their loss,it is said, will be about 81 900. 1t
may be that jewelers. in other parts of the
state have fallen victims to the swindIe
and~they are yet to be heard from. An
EFFORT is now being made to ferret the
thing out and, If possible, to catch the
swindler.
As it seems that the goods were to be
delivered 10 some party other than to
I'M Z han i
intends to see If the express company can
be held responsible. The express com
pany, however, did not deliver them direct
but to a railroad as stated.
An Atlanta dispatch to the Morning
News says the Stillson & Collins Jew
elry Company and A. L. Delkin Jewelry
Company of this city are out between
$1,000 and $1,000 worth of diamonds ana
Jeweary through a very sharp crook.
whose base of operations was Swainsboro
Ca Last week both houses received let
tiers dated at Swainsboro bearing the head
ing Of ]. c. Coleman, jeweler. and signed
J. G. Coleman. The letter asked that a
lot OF samples be forwarded for the pur-
pose of placing an order. Bradstreet's
directory showed J. C. Coleman of SWANS
ooro to be rated at Sl75OOO, and naturally
enough the orders were filed There IS
no express office at Swainsboro and the
goods were put off at Midwife, where the
agent delivered them to man who called
for them and represented himself as
Coleman. Neither the man nor the lew
elry has been heard from. Investigation
disclosed the fact that the real j. c. Cole
man had never ordered such goods. A
clever sharper had done the work. maxi
ing rich haul by personating the SWANS
boro merchant. The jewelers. say thew
will hold the express company RESPONSE
BILE for the loss. The case has been nut
in the hands of the Atlanta detectives.
To-day it was learned that the crook
passed through Atlanta last Monday with
the booty in his possession, making off
with 1t.
AT THE THEATER