The times., 1898-06-05
SEC belts, ieC.
STORIES OF MONTE CARLO.
Things seen and Heard by an Amer
lean Detective.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press

s"Cth atht bs hH
lean Detective.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press.)
To be a detective at Monte Carlo is
to be all things to everybody at one
time. The place is no sinecure. / spent
two full seasons at it, and felt an ex-
haustion when 1 finished as the veriest
roue did who had spent his time in
every dishonest game.
My life there was one absolutely be-
hind the scenes. 1 was not detective
for the gambling house. but for prom
inent jewelers.; a firm who had to
watch every jewel of note and value
worn in that rendezvous of adventur-
esses, ex-convicts, swindlers and sharp
ers.
The diamond necklace worn by the
beauty at supper would be rented from
US; 1 would have to keep ten PAGES
near her during the ball or dinner. Did
she dance. l glided about the room; did
she have a quiet filtration in a recessed
corner | was there; did she take sup
per a deux, l watched every mouthful
Was l afraid she would run away with
them? Possibly! But what l d. think
about was this, that the hand that
dangled the monocle was ready for the
revolver the instant some man at
tempted to take the jewels from her
throat.
Would she thank me forever for my
kindness2 Perhaps so; perhaps not!
She was most probably in the scheme.
She rented the jewels at a good price.
A man-her accomplice-Would rob her
of them in a dark corner; she was ac-
cepting his attentions ostensibly be-
cause he was Count Blank. She would
report IN tears Of her loss to the firm;
but what could she do? she would ask.
Her acc0mplice would have time to dis
guise himself and get to Paris, sell the
jewels and finally the two would divide
the profits They might actually be of
J noble birth.
And for these tricks l and my col
leagues watched and waited. 1t was
a madder. wilder life than any one
knows. That is why l can tell you stor-
les no one else has ever told you; tales
that have never yet appeared in print.
In ways that are dark commend me
to the habitant of Monte Carlo For
example, lock at the reported suicidesi
/ am not advocating the cause of the
Prince of Monaco when j declare that
stories about suicides are absolutely
absurd. In two full seasons / only saw
one authentic suicide from losses, and
heard of dozens. Every death by ac-
cident in Monte Carlo is put down as
suicide; a man with heart failure apo
! pleXy, the mass of consumptives at
Mentone, who sometimes end their lives
from nervous inability to stand the
ravages of the disease-all these deaths
are wildly reported to swell the bogus
| list of suicides.
Now, let me tell you story that no
hyIE
| These suicides are fakesI They are the
despair of those who are there to
catch uD with them.
I'll give you one of my hardest cases.
A man passed a forged draft at the
| jewelers. in Nice for jewels; then an
other at shop. l was put on mis- track.
Here's his history: John Jones was
swell in fashionable outfit, cane, mon
ocle and all the paraphernalia of dude
ISM" He went broke" at the table
and applied to the company for money
to return home (they always give
| thaD He was identified as a player
| by the banker-who watches every face
given sufficient money to take him
! home, pay his hotel bill and send him
| out of town in good manner. He had to
! sign a paper saving he would not re-
| turn to the table or allow the mon
| they had given him to be placed on the
carpet.
He returned from the first station,
bad a barber shave him; instead of the
| blonde mustache are black side whisk-
/ ers and jet black wig, a pair of coll
| ored glasses finishing the disguise. He
| boarded at new place, called himself
| John Smith and played his return
| money. He goes broke, applies at the
| office for return money under new
name and face. Now Mr.. Smith is no
more, but 1 had a widow, fascinating,
coy and young. The disguise was ex-
cellent. The veil had to be kept down,
| or when raised a fan kept at the mouth.
The poor widow was not lucky; she lost
again and again, and went to the office
| for her return money.
| The fourth disguise was that of an
old man, suffering pain, fearful of peo-
/ pie, shy. He was very cautious, avoid
| ed every one; he was registered James
White. He lost and could get his re-
| turn money, but says he would rather
Kill himself than humiliate himself.
! The next day hat. coat and note are