The San Francisco call., 1896-08-27
KEPT DIAMONDS
IN AN OPEN SACK
Mrs. Rafael Silva Thereby
Loses Thousands of
Dollars.
LEFT HER DOOR AJAR.
A Bag of Precious Jewels Left
Unprotected From Sneak
thieves.
ONLY ONE CASE WAS TAKEN
Through ignorance or Fear the Bur.
glars Overlooked More Than
They Took.
ONLY ONE CASE WAS TAKEN

Mrs. Rafael de la Silva, q wealthy Mexi-
can lady, whose husband, she claims, is
the Pooh Bah of La Paz and has so many
remuneratiye offices that he has to gather
in his salary of deprecated currency each
month in barrel. has had a painful ex-
perience of the woes that may befali a be-
ieweled and unsophisticated woman in a
wide-awake American city.
Mrs. Silva came TO this City few
months ago and upon the recommends
ton of friends took up her residence at
the Lariston, 621 Bush street. Mrs. Silva
could speak no English. but to the few
persons who could understand her tongue
she unburdened herself freely. Among
her proud possessions was a choice assort-
ment of diamonds. These she exhibited
to her Spanish-speaking friends and de-
clared that they were worth $4,000. In
this way the story of her wealth soon be-
came public property in the neighborhood.
A short time after Mrs. Silva advent at
the Lariston she formed the acquaintance
of Peter Salvador, the Italian cook who
runs the culinary department of the hos
telry as an independent venture. Peter
could speak Spanish almost as well as his
mother tongue, and he soon won his way
into the good graces of the opulent dame
from the South. Mrs. Silva had about
made up her mind that this town was
good enough for her, and when the master
of salads and sauces represented to her
the gaudy profits to be made out of cater
ing to the appetites of Lariston patrons
Mrs de la Silva readily consented to place
portion of her coin and all her confidence
in the boarding business.
1t was while engaged in the plebeian
business of tending the dining-room, a
calling which would have made the
naughty Don Rafael's blood turn cold,
that Mrs. Silva came to grief.
According to her story as told through
Peter Salvador as interpreter Mrs. Silva,
with the reckless disregard of wealth
characteristic of the Southern ladies, left
her diamond cases IN sack on a shelf in
her closet while she went to tend the din
ing-room during her partners daily mar
keting. In spite of the large amount of
jewelry in the room she did not even take
the precautiou to lock the door. Her
room is near the front entrance of the
house and dozens of strangers pass her
door in an hour. One OF the cham ber-
maids noticing the door was unlocked
notified Salvador OF the fact, but he didn't
consider the matter of enough Importance
to speak to Mrs. Silva.
About 1 o'clock in the afternoon
Mrs. Silva returned to her room
and noticing that the door of her closet
was open glanced toward the bag of gems.
The mouth of the bag was open. but other
wise nothing appeared disturbed. fur
ther investigation, however, revealed the
fact that one of the Jewel cases had been
opened and pair of diamond bracelets,
valued at $1,000, and pair of earrings,
valued at $500, had been extracted. The
remainder of the $40 900 worth of diamonds
was in the same bag, as was also $40 in
gold, but nothing else was taken.
The police were at once notified and
made thorough investigation of the
premises. The domestics in the house
have all been with the landlady, Mrs
Sheridan, for several years. and she ex-
pressed the utmost faith in their integrity.
The detectives searched all their rooms
and questioned them closely, but all were
able to give satisfactory accounts of them
selves. The notoriety which Mrs. Silva's
possessions had gained, and the advan-
tages which her carelessness and the po-
sition of her room presented for looting
make it improbable that the wife of Rafael
de la Silva will ever regain the Jewels
which she says she has lost.