Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-02-14

| QOuUleuIy nave d very luPo oA'''Ao 'oAuN'
One who collects them after they have
been cancelled, paying many times their
face value for them, is in my opinion
somewhat crazy, since he pays fictl-
tious price for what has no intrinsic
value.
"You might say the same thing OF
paintings The intrinsic value repre-
sented in canvas and oil is little, yet
thousands of dollars are paid for pic
lures.
"That, too, is an insanity, one, of
course, which cannot be INDUCED in by
any save the rich. But tits not the
same as with the old stamp craze. Pic
lures remind us of nature and appeal to
the senses Of all mankind by recalling
recollections brought into being by the
scene presented There is therefore q
legitimate use for paintings, and rea-
sonable price as compensation for the
work and genius of the artist is perhaps
permissible. But should man pay
fortune for single canvas and then
hang it in a room in his own house
where it will be seen by few save him
self, that man I should consider de-
mented. So with JEWELS
"Ah! What of them?''
"Jewels have a market value, and a
place in the world. Eut when man
goes about buying UP every magnificent
specimen that can be found, and then
locks his treasures up in a safe, he is
simply a crazy man pure and simple.
"What has all this to do with the
case in hand?"
/ Everything. My friend is acrank on
the subject of jewels. Sensible and en-
tertaining on any other topic, if you
mention the name of any kind of jewel
he is off in a minute, giving a long his
tory Of this or that celebrated stone.
His especial craze in this connection is
to relate the crimes that have surround
ed every stone of any great price. He
has made my blood curdle at his ghast-
ly tales of cruel r1urder, committed to
gain possession of diamonds and rubies. "
"Then your conclusion is that by fill
ing his mind with such thoughts he
may have accustomed himself to the
idea of crime in connection with jew
els?"
Exactly. The worst Of it is that we
may become hatItuated to anything.
For instance, all ordinary men are
abashed in the presence of the dead. No
matter how strong minded man may
be or how much he may scott at the
idea of ghosts and the like, he will pre-
fer company if he must sit up with a
corpse. More than that, the slightest
sound in the room, as the moving of the
ice in the icebox, will cause shiver to
pass through him. Yet physicians who
study frequently in the dissecting room
come to have that contempt of dead
body that butcher has for the meat
which he sells.
"Your argument is not bad, Mr.. Ran
dolpb. 1t is not impossible that your
friend might be generous and gentle
and yet with a mania for the possession
of Jewels, and with the knowledge Of
all the crimes that have been committed
to gain them, the temptation to kill or
steal would perhaps become overpower-
ing, where his passion sees an opportu-
nifty to be satisfied. 1t is an odd world. l"
do you think that in case of that
kind the man would be excusable on
the plea of mania? Legally, / mean?"
"Well, no, I do not Psychologically,
I admit that you may be correct, and l
can sympathize with a man who became
criminal in such a way. But legally
he would be culpable. At least think
so. The question to be answered is, Did
your friend steal those jewels? You
slept with him that night. What do You
Think"
Il don't know what to think. He
could not have left the berth without
climbing over me, and, though sleep
soundly, that ought to have awakened
me. Then besides, if he did get out and
take the things, where could he have
hidden them, and how did they get to
New Haven? By the way, I suppose
you have the description Of the man
who left the satchel at the hotel? Does
it tally with that of my friend?"
II can't say. 1t is rather vague. The
clerk says the man was of medium size,
with red hair and beard, while the por-
ter who saw him also is equally posi-
tive that he had black hair and no
beard. The last fits Mr.. Mitchell better
than the first, but it is description
which would do as well for 1000 men
found in walk along Broadway
II almost think that after all the
thief is some one else. "
"Let us hope so, Mr.. Randolph. l
will say this much, if there is any COM
fort in it for you. At present there is
not enough evidence against him to war
rant his arrest. y
The detective said this with pur-
pose By relieving this mans mind he
hoped to make him more communicative.
After pause he asked:
"You have known Mr.. Mitchell for a
number of years, l believe:"
"No, not more than a year and a
half. He has not been in New York two
years. :"
ooh! I see. A Boston man."
"No, I think he came from New Or
leans"
A curious sensation passed over Mr..