The herald., 1898-08-31
4 DIAMOND SNATChfR
+. e. BROWNE LOSES A $3.50
DIAMOND STUD
The Robbery Occurred on a Main
b. Street Car I'M Front Of the
0rpheum

F. Il. Browne, the MANUFACTURER OF 1ur-
naces, Is mourning the loss of a $3.50 dia.
mond stud which was nipped from his shirt
front last night Just after he had left the
Orpheum In company with his wife. Ar
old man who gave the name of Henry Will
liams, is under arrest on suspicion of hav-
ing stolen the diamond.
After the conclusion of the performance
Browne and his wife filed out in the crowd
In the lobby Brown noticed an old man in
front Of him. The man Jagged and several
times Mr.. Browne had to warn him tc
move on, as second person was crowdine
from behind. Mr.. and Mrs. Browne walked
over to a Main street car which was stand
ing directly in front Of the theater entrance
and boarded the conveyance. There, to the
couples surprise, stood the old man, VIII
liams, blocking the entrance to the interior
| OF, the car. Browne brushed against him
and told him to move out Of the way. The
old man, whose right hand was gone. put
up his left hand against Mr.. Brownies
breast, directly over the diamond, and then
when Browne raised his arm to shove him
aside the fellow drew back.
Mr.. Browne had been at the excursion to
Terminal island last year when so many of
studs, and the action of the old man re-
called that occurrence, although Mr..
Browne had not been robbed on that occa-
sion. He Immediately looked down and
saw that his stud was missing. He grabbed
Williams. and before any charge had been
made against him Williams remarked:
"Oh, I didn't take your stud. Look, I
have only one ARM
Officer Matuskiewiz responded to the
alarm and Williams was marched to the
police station, followed by large crowd A
careful search was made of the fellows
clothes. but, as he insisted before the po-
lice officers began their work, neither the
diamond nor the nippers used in cutting
off the stone were found on him. He wore
two undershirts and two pairs Of
socks. Two Pacific express receipts
and two five dollar gold pieces
were found In the pockets Of the undergar.
ments. but nothing discriminating Just
what became of the diamond stud is mat
ter Of conjecture. williams did not throw
1t away, and as 1t was not found on him,
the only reasonable conclusion is that
somebody else N the crowd must have ia
ken 1t from him after they saw that Will
liams was suspected by Mr.. Browne.
Mrs. Browne wore a pair Of handsome
diamond earrings. and she thinks that an
attempt was made to rob her Of them and
her diamond breastpin as we'll. The thief
did not get chance to nip any of these
Jewels, although he brushed his hand sus-
pic.ously against her bosom when she
mounted the car Mr.. Browne thinks that
Williams observed the value Of the dia-
monds worn by himself and Mrs. Browne
and kept closely to them until they left the
theater lobby. Williams perceived then
that they were intending to take Main
street car, so got on ahead and stood wait
ing for them at the door. Williams is APP
parently 65 years Of age, and would not.
ordinarily. be suspected of doing such work.
His left hand Is partially gone, there being
but. two fingers and the thumb remaining.
He Is a stranger in the city.