Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-15
MIR. BURDEN GROWS ANXIOUS.
He Hears More Theories and Offers
$4,000 for Those Jewels.
New York WORLDLY

1t was reported that Acting-Chier
O'Brien and his Central Onice detectives
had caught the men who stole the Bur-
den jewels on the night of Friday, De-
cember 9th, last. The report y IS, un-
fortunately not true. Unfortunately, be-
cause the apprehension OF those robbers
would end a strange ana unhappy expert
ence for /. Townsend Burden. lie is an
amiabe old gentleman, who comes of
good family, and has no end OF money.
II is fond OF ease and social enjoyment.
Instead of fine dinners, Mr.. Burden has
lately been discussing theories of the
robbery; instead of listening to prima
dome. detectives have had his ear. He
has been deluged with letters from
cranks and worse than cranks, and ne
has Stunned his friends. each of whom
insists upon telling him juso how to re-
store his wife's jewels 10 her
If Captain O'Brien restores these jewels
he will not only win the handsome re-
ward. but an apology from Mr.. Burden
At the beginning of the search Mr. Bur-
den had not much confidence in the police
detectives
Charles Heidelberg was for long time
a detective-sergeant under Byrnes. II
happened that Mr.. Burden knew OF him.
Mr. Burdens nephew, James Abercrom-
bic Burden, Jr., was married to Miss
Florence Adele Sloane, William II. VAN
derbilts granddaughter. at Lenox last
June. Several hundred thousand dollars
worth of wedding presents were given 10
them. A special train carried the we'd
ding finery from this city. Heidelberg and
two other detectives were employed TO
keep thieves OF the swell mob out Of
Lenox.
December 2sth Mr. Burden wrote 10
Heidelberg. asking him 10 go TO his house.
III sidelberg answered at once. saying that
the Twenty-sixth-street house was full
OF newspaper-men and detectives. and he
did not care TO meet Mr.. Burden there.
The next night. Sunday, Heidelberg got
this letter from Mir. Burden:
Mr. Charles Heidelberg
Dear Sir.-Your letter of the 18th in
slant is received. will meet you aC the
Holland-HOuse entrance at 2:3) o'clock
this afternoon. and Will have a silver
handled cane with woman's head on 1t
for Identification. Yours truly.
l. TOWNSEND BURDEN.
IL may have struck Mr. Burden as
ridiculous for respectable old iron
founder to carry silver-handled cane
with woman's head on IL for identlfi-
cation. He did not carry It, He drove
to the Holland House in his own car
riage, and he and Heidelberg identified
each other without the aid OF the silver
handled cane. They talked together for
two hours and half. Mr.. Burden
urged Heidelberg to take hold OF the
case
'There'll be big reward" he said.
Heidelberg absolutely refused.
"O'Brien and his men Will do every
thing they can to catch these thieves"
he said. land probably will catch them.
At any rate I'll have nothing to do with
1t until the Central Office has had every
chance"
Mr.. Burden told Heidelberg that the
key Of the safe that contained the jewels
lay next to the safe on the night Of the
robbery. He showed the detective a key
like 10: an ordinar- copper key. Mr..
Burden asked Heidelberg for his theory:
for MIR. Burden did not then know the
deadly prevalence Of theories.
"A professional did it, answered Hell
delberg. land he probably got into your
house through the Brunswick Hotel after
he saw you SO to the opera. Such men
take chance for what they can pick up.
This one struck bonanza"
Mr.. Burden mentioned that a man SER
want Of his had been In his employ but