The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-20
MILLIONS In FINE JEWELS
Facts Recalled by the Great Diamond
Robberies in New York.
DAZZLING BAIT FOR DARING THIEVES.

like that of the Burden jewels takes place
and itemized accounts of the stolen articles
are published that the public becomes
aware of the vast fortunes in gems which
are possessed by the wealthy women of
New York
The Burden gems represented perhaps
halt of Mrs. Burdens magnificent collec-
ton. She sat at the opera on the night
of the robbery, Isssplendent with glittering
diamonds and eLleralds, while at her home
thieves were getting away with almost
$50, 600 worth of her gems.
The diamond fortunes of ''the Four
Hundred are as rule, we'll guarded
when kept at private residences. In all
homes where there are valuable collections
similar to the Burden jewels there are
safes for their keeping, apd in some in
stances strong rooms and vaults are built
in the cellars and imbedded in the walls of
the houses.
No maker of anarchistic novels or melo-
dramatic playwright has as yet chosen for
his sensational climax one of the most pos
sible of modern catastrephes-the descent
of an organized band of thieves upon the
Metropolitan Opera House upon an COM
night during the season, when millions of
dollars worth of diamonds are hung about
the threats Of New York fair women, com
paratively unprotected and unguarded No
better proof of the civilization and prog
ress of our time and country is needed
than this security.
A dozen detectives in citizens clothes
watch the doors of the opera house as the
carriages let down their occupants each
night and then retire to peaceful slumber
and tho consciousness of duty done. Per
haps half as many remain in the house
and do so through tho evening. Yet tho
jewels on show at this house on opera
nights represent an actual money value
greater than that of the historic gems pos
sessed by princes and potentateS the world
over. The New York women, en- masse
possess more valuable diamonds than the
women of all the world.
Tho American woman's love for dia-
monds is something more than passion.
1t is a craze, which has something of
fever in it's poison, and the fire that burns
in the center of a flawless stone hypnotizes
her soul like the magic crystal of eastern
sorcerers. ct is Il national disease Max
O. ReII says, (which, when it gets above
the first knuckIe, is FATAL
If marriage means one thing more than
another to New York girl, it marks a
time when she may, with propriety, pin
diamonds in her hair and entwine them
about her throat and hang them upon her
breast and grid herself with them until
the sun, and the moon, and the stars,
must bow down and acknowledge her su-
perior gorgeousness.
Fifteen New York women own 81, 275,-
600 in diamonds, as follows:
Mrs. William Aston $780, 600
Mrs. Bradley Martin. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1900
Mrs. Henry Sloane. Observation-Disclosures. 12500O
Countess Caste1lane. Observation-Disclosures. $50 eco
Mrs. Oliver II. p. Belmont .............. 100 eco
Mrs. Townsend Burden. Observation-Disclosures. 100, eco
Mrs. Seward Webb, Mrs. H. Mckay
Twombley, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt,
Mrs. Ogden Goelet, Mrs. Robert Goelet,
Mrs. John Jacob Astor, Mrs. George
Il III
Warren, $780, 600; total, 81, 275, 600.
When Anna Gould became the Countess
Castellano last spring, she was made the
possessor of a wealth of magnificent jew
els, which rivaled in splendor and value
the collections of Mrs. Aston and Mrs.
Bradley Martin. Besides the Castellane
pearls of fabulous value she received tiaras
and necklaces of rare diamonds and
wonderful pear shaped pink diamond of
great value, the gift of her brother How
ard.
A fashionable Fifth avenue jeweler is at
present constructing a. great coronet for
the Countess Castellane, all the gems for
which are to be specially selected. A long
pear shaped emerald forms the apex of the
crown.
When Mrs. Astor appeared at the opera
several seasons ago crowned with dia-
monds, she created a veritable sensation
and set the fashion which has since be-
come old. Every society woman in New
York added a tiara, crown or a bandeau
to her casket. Then Mrs. Bradley Martin
stunned some great assembIage by appear
ing in rSsplendent stomacher of diamonds
and eDcralds, and presently diamond belts
became the rage. Mrs. Martin owns one
of the star collection of diamonds in New
York and when. she is in town she keeps
them at her house. The Bradley Martin
robbery, which occurred few days after
the marriage of Miss Martin and the Earl
of Craven, proved the fact that Mrs. Mar
tins costly gems, as well as an almost
priceless collection of old watches and the
family silver, were left in most unpro-
tected state, in care of the servants, hard
ly under lock and key.
Diamonds-so easy of ooncealment and
always possessing a high market value
are, next to cash money itself, most great
ly desired by professional thieves, and to
getting them much daring, ingenuity and
skill are devoted. The recent great dia-
mond robberies in New York and the fail
ure of detectives to land the thieves have
caused a great deal of bad feeling on the
part of the reform police commissioners
and their detectives This was given pub
lie expression when a few days ago Com
missioner Parker, who has a sort OF per-
sonal supervision over the detective bu-
reau, gave through the columns of Tho
Evening Post a list of robberies in the
past, the perpetrators of which were never
detected, he claimed. Unconsciously he
paid tribute to ex-Inspector Byrnes by
selecting that great thief catcher as an OBJ
ject for the exhibition of his spleen.
Byrnes was abroad, and of course could not
defend himself -Cincinnati Enquirer.
McBride's Formal Farewell.
John Mcbride has written out his formal