The San Francisco call., 1898-12-08
FOUND THE
 BOX BUT T
 WAS EMPTY How Mrs. Mahoney Lost Her ValuabIes. STOLEN GEMS AND COIN RIGGERS ON THE BALDWIN WALLS GO ON A STRIKE. Baldwin Has Finally Decided What He Will Do With the Site of
 the Ruined Struc-
 ture.
RIGGERS ON THE BALDWIN
 WALLS GO ON A STRIKE.

The strong box of Mrs. J. H. Mahonev widow of the late Senator, was unearthed yesterday afternoon at 2 O clock in the ruins of the Baldwin Hotel, and when the box was taken to her apartments in the Hotel Langham and opened nothing but a little heap of charred paper was found in one corner. The $S000 worth of dia- monds and s900 in com which were kent in the box at all times had vanished. and not the slightest trace of them was left. The only theory that can be formed is that the Valuables were distracted be- fore the lire reached the box at all It is absolutely certain that the same fire which reduced the private papers to a blackened heap would have melted lne coin, but the molten metal would ave re- mained in evidence. As to the diamonds though the degree of heat in the fire must have been intense, the most damage it would have done to the gems would have been to blacken them slightly, but they could have been restored to their former condition.
 When Mrs. Mahoney opened the box with a duplicate key and found it abso- lutely empty except as to the charred pa- per, she gave way to almost uncontrolla- ble grief. Most of the diamonds were gifts from the dead Senator, and were highly treasured by her on that account They comprised thirteen diamond rings each in separate case; three watches, a magnificent diamond necklace, two bracelets, sunburst, a pendant, a dag ger, all of diamonds; a pair of solitaires the theory formed is correct the thief entered her room while the fire was rag ing, opened the box, took the jewels and left the private papers as being of no importance. He might have opened it with skeleton key, or found the key in the lock of the strong box, as Mrs. Ma .sr,sr, r-l,. out on retiring that night. AS to the jewels being in the box she is positive as she was particularly careful with her gems.
 Three men laid claim to the finding of the box as it was expected a snug reward would be forthcoming. Laborer George J, tldnnery struck something hard with his pick, and on investigation 1t was found to be the strong box. Matthew Brown, who employs nine men to hunt for valuables belonging to Mrs. Seymour. J. Edlin and J. J. Groom, claimed the credit because Flannery was one of his employees. Charles Gallagher wanted a tlOrity from Mrs. MahOney. The three men waged a fierce dispute which threat ened to become exciting, and when the box was borne up to the Langham by Brown a small procession followed in US wake. The three-cornered dispute was seLded by Mrs. Mahouey. who very gra- oiously said that she would reward all t.r.a This was before the absence Of
 A1mOnds was discovered. What her III the matter VIII HOW De IS IlOl
 ury among diamond experts devel- l.al the fact that the fire, no matter how @-r0n-, could not dissipate the stones into the ar. Diamonds are unmeltable. As to the gold that would have been melted, but the metal in its changed state would re- main.
 only the other day Mrs. Mahoney asked an employe of .-.e safe firm of whom she purchased the strong box what would happen in the case of fire and he answer ed hat ha a V fireprOof, but some of the same kind of boxes had stood the test in other fires faintly discolored in that event, and that they would be worth nearly as much as before after they had been burnished. F I BaldS7n fo fear down the ruins of the Baldwin Hotel, refused to perform any more of the dangerous work because Baldwin reduced their wages to $l 5O a day. He had been paying them $3 and S2 50 since they have been working on the tottering walls, and the men went on a strike when he expressed his determina- ton to pay the lower figure. The conse- quence will be that the unsightly struc- ture. or what is left of 1t, will continue to be an eyesore for some time to come, although Baldwin said he could get any number of men to do the work for $1 day. This the riggers say is not so. He might get unshlled men, but from the dangerous nature of the work 1t is highly probable that some of them would be killed in Its performance, as it requires experienced triggers to do it properly. He succeeded in getting half dozen men at S1 50 a day, but very little progress was made. and the donkey engine used to pull the was down was stopped all the after noon The strike does not include the men who are digging in the ruins and re- moving the debris, as they are paid 8 a day by storekeepers in the burned build ing.
 rnI1ch exercised at Baldwin's course and say now that they will not return to work even at the old wages unless the un- sl,iIIed men are discharged They have ali done rigging on the water front and they do not care to take chances with in- experienced men: The foreman himself says the job Is the toughest one he ever undertook.
 An idea of the dangerous nature. may be gained from the fact that one day last week Baldwin offered one of the men