The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-06-10

| All EFFORTS to discover the timer or
to ascertain the method by which the
robberies had been committed we're
without result. and was beginning to
fear that II was a case that could never
be cleared up when one evening the
telephone bell rang. and was wanted.
THE person at the other end Of the
phone was the owner Of the diamonds.
who wished me TO meet him In the
lobby of the Metropolitan opera house
"a soon az could get there. went up
at once and on entering tho lobby
the first person caught sight Of was
the owner of the diamonds. walking
nervousiy up and down and evidently
In an excited condition of mind. Hc
spied me while I was a dozen paceo
away, and with a smile Of recognition
! beckoned mo 10 approach him.
"I've found the diamonds and the
thief at tho same time. 40 said excit-
eddy
That's good said L; where are
they?'
leone with me and I'll show you
He led the way down the aisle on
one side of the building until he nearly
reached the orchestra. Handing me his
opera glasses, he said
I'm the eighth row. near the GEN.
ter, sits a stout, blonde woman wear
ing a pair of large diamond earrings.
Those are the earrings that formerly
! belonged to my wife. and the man who
Is talking with the woman is the Pine
street broker who Is supposed to be In
Europe.
II turned the glasses toward the
couple and gave a careful look at the
people he had pointed out.
"'Pine street broker said I. lower
! ing the glasses. That's no more the
Pine street broker than l am. That
| is
But recognize him positively as the
man who called on me and presented
his card as the broker?'
"'Ohr said l, that's the way you
obtained your introduction to the Pine
street broker, is it-gave you his card,
did he? Well, am not surprised at
that man there presenting somebody
VI,
made out Of it. That fellow is one Of
the sharpest confidence men of Chi
cago, and this is the first knew Of his
being in New York. And as for the
woman with him, she's a notorious
Tenderloin character who has gotten
the better of more than one moneybag
in this town If that man is your Pine
street broker, you can be pretty sure
those earrings she has on are your
property
81 gave the tip to one OF our men
whom l found in the lobby, and as we
didn't care to make a scene during the
performance, we waited until 1t was
over and then gathered the pair in and
took them down to headquarters.
1T was easy enough to hold the con-
fidence man, but 1t was hard to get the
woman to give up the diamonds. She
finally consented to surrender them
under protest, but, of course, she never
made any more fuss about it and the
owner kept possession of them.
This confidence man died in prison
about two years ago. and l never learn
! ed the solution of the mystery of his
getting both of the diamonds until a
! few months ago, when the story came
! out.
The impersonation of a wellknown
broker by presenting card with the
brokers' name on it was a simple de-
vice to get possession of one of the dia-
monds The thief had learned of the
brokers' intention to sail for Europe in
few days, and this fact was made use
! of to keep that part of the transaction
( in a fog until the brokers' return to
/ New York.
when the confidence man called
upon the owner of the diamonds to an
nounce the supposed robbery of the
day before, he had planned to secure
possession of the other stone for the al
! legged purpose of having a diamond ex-
pert make careful description of tit
being almost an exact duplicate in color,
weight and shape-and by this means
the missing diamond could be identified
by any pawnbroker or diamond dealer
to whom it might be offered.
THE owner of the diamonds was at
luncheon in the dining room below
when the confidence man called, and
the servant was directed to show the
visitor into the library. 1t was in this
room where the owner had met the
supposed broker on his previous visit,
and 1t was here that the safe containing
the diamond stood.
THE confidence man had carefully
watched the opening Of the safe the
day before, and he had noted that II
was worked by simple combination.
when the servant disappeared from
the library the thief glanced around
and. seeing that he would be unob-
served and could readily hear any ap-
preaching footsteps, he set to work to
find the combination. 1t was only Ave
minutes after he had been left alone be-
fore the owner entered the rooom and
found his visitor apparently highly agi-
tated over the mysterious disappear
ance of the diamond he had
taken away with him the day be-
fore, and leaving the owner in ignor-
| ~ Co. Aa