The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1895-10-04

Ocean. 1t was along toward noon one
very hot day in the summer OF 1875
when ministerial-appearing fellow In q
black suit, with white tie, entered the
store. He leisurely walked to the show
case and asked TO see some diamond
studs. After some hesitation he bought
small stone, for which ks paid Ss5.
He then wished to look at some rings :
thought Of making his wife present.
as he followed the clerk to tho show
case containing the diamond rings he boz
gan to eat an apple. Several valuable
gems were looked at with dissatisfac-
tion. One valued at $500 pleased him,
but was not just what he wanted. At
length he saw one In thecase he thought
was just the thing. AS the clerk reached
to get 1t the parson-like customer
pressed the $500 ring deep into the
apple he was eating and cleverly tossed
it out Of the door. The clerk didn't
notice the move, but a fellow who was
standing on the outside did, and hasti.
ly picked up the apple and departed.
The diamond purchaser decided not to
get his wife present till another day.
He was on the point Of leaving when
the clerk missed the ring.
wait q minute, please" called the
clerk, who was nervously looking over
the tray. II can not find that large dia.
mond ring you were lookingat."
The sanctimonious gentleman in
black at once returned and remarked
that the clerk must be mistaken. The
search continued, but 1t was frnitless.
The proprietor was called, and in o very
austere and blunt way insinuated that
it might be found in the folds Of the
ring-buyer's garments,
II am Rev. DR.. G---n,r said the
customer, In tones Of excited wrath,
naming clergyman who lived in viii
lage about thirty milesdistant; s'and I'll
give you to understand that did not
come hero to be insulted."
Well, the proprietor became angry
and called policeman, and the alleged
clergyman was removed to o back room,
protesting Indignantly at the treatment
A short consultation was held, and q
telegram was sent to the address given
by the prisoner, making inquiry as to
his character and whereabouts. The re-
ply was slow in coming, and 1t was de-
cided to search the prisoner. He was
forced to strip, and every fold and
crease in his clothes was searched. 1t is
needless to say the ring was not found.
The telegram to the village, thirty
miles away, came, saying that Rev. DR..
G--n was one OF the most reliable
men in the town, and that he was visit
ing friends In Cincinnati. Up to this
time the proprietor had been Of the
opinion that the customer was pious
fraud, but the telegram changed his
tune. He wanted TO make amends right
away. The parson talked heavy dam
ages and law, but was at length soothed
tosilence by four crisp 500 bills. In
some way the story Of the minister's
insult leaked out. His friends heard 1t
andAsked him about 1t. In the end he
called at the Jeweuy store " see aoout
1t, and the proprietor was not little
amazed to find he had been duped. De-
tectives were at once put on the case,
and In few days arrested the bogus
clergyman and his confederate trying to
pawn the ring. They were the notorious
"Frenchy" La Mountain and Cal Dun
can. h..
Anight watchman who was employed
to protect jewelry store in Denver
against the ravages Of thieves was neat
ly ontwitted by the notorious Billy For
roster some years before his death. The
firm carried an immense stock Of gems
and kept them in large old-fashioned
safe. Forester had by long years ex-
perience become so familiar with safes
OF that pattern that he could tell when
to reverse and when to turn the knob
forward by placing his ear close to the
door above the combination, and in this
way could open the safe in short time.
wax impression Of the key
hole he made key for the front door.
Having previously located the safe In
the store, he was now ready to begin. 1t
was cold, snowy, stormy night about
ten o'clock, and Forester walked up to
the store with an air Of ownership and
unlocked the door. He carried small
sample case in his hand. Going in, he
turned up the gas in the rear Of the
store and then shook down the stove.
He leisurely worked the combination to
the safe, and in less than half an hour
he had before him thousands Of dollars
worth Of costly jewels and watches. At
this very interesting point the night
came In.
"Good evening" said the cordial
burglar, as he continued to remove val
uables from the safe to his sample case.
sim packing up my samples went
On the thief, suavely. "Going out on
the road in the morning, and thought /
would get ready tonight Therel isn't
that beauty?" he asked, holding out
IN elegant Jurgensen for the watchman
70 examine.
In this way Forester packed over
1000 worth OF gems and watches into
ais sample-case, chatting cheerfully
With the night watchman all the while.
As he was about to close his sample
'ase he stopped suddenly as II strrck by
! happy thought and then picked up