Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-03-18
WAS SHEER LUCK.

! When the great pink diamond Of
/ Guznec reached Europe il created
widespread interest and took immcd-
! ate rank with the historical stones of
the world. II was compared with the
| finest gems i'm the royal and imperial
regalia. Savants wrote learned diS,lu-
sitionS upon it's beauties. and the naga
zines and newspapers spoke of it's
value in a way that made ones mouth
water
Among others whose envy was
aroused by the descriptions Of the
stone was a Mr.. Lamorock. II gentle
man who had PASSED under many
aliases in his career AMI who had only
recently been released from Portland
As he read of the great diamond
his eyes sparkled at the thought Of
It's worth. There il was SJn0.O0o
and YOU could put II in your waiStcoat
pocket
The eX-convict. rs he pondcrcd over
the subject. knew the task was not an
easy one.
Without more ado he wrote n short
note To Conglcton & Co. the celebrated
diamond merchant of IIatton Garden.
asking them il they would care Ia buy
some old fancy jewels. and received
reply expressing their willingness 10
inspect them. After stuhiouSly exam
lining the caligrapLv of their letter with
n maCnifying lens he set himself To
practicing number OF curves and
fourishcs on sheet of paper IN
hours work seemed 10 satisfy him.
and he then ind!ted the following
epistle:
'Hatton Garden. Jan. 1. 1876
'Mcssrs Bonsficld Brothers
Dear Sirs: As II client Of ours 10
sires TO inspect "our pink diamond
known as The Light of GuZnec. with
view TO purchase. we should feel
Obliged II you would send il to us.
Our Mr.. Lamorock will call upon YOU
few hours after YOU receive this
letter. and will bc"r note vouching
for his identity. We shall be happy
TO undertake all risk and responsible
ity for the stone from the time il is
intrusted to the custody Of our repre-
sentative. and we beg to remain .,ours
faithfully. ''Conglcton Il CO."
When this production Of his pen and
brain had been c.:"cfully Scrutiniacd.
he composed another short letter.
which stated that :he bearer was Mr.
Lamorock. the req sentative of Cong
Teton & Co. He then went out and
bought half dozen cigars. four Of
which he steamed open and unrolrd
Smearing the interior portion over
with dark. treaciy liquid. he rolled
them up again With expert fingers
and put them into his ease.
The first letter he had written he
sent by registered rost going down 10
al Inv thA l.
the mail. But on lis arrival there he
waited for three hours so rs 10 allow Of
II being delivered before calling. He
then went to their office and presented
his credentials. the genuincncSS of
which We're not for moment suspect
cd
The Bristol firm thought il safe that
the stone should hc under the custody
Of their own representative. and de.
termincd that one of their partners
young Harry R"''siicld Sh"..lI ~.
company Lamorock up to London. TAX
ing Il with him.
They had just seated themselves
comfortably and the train was already
in motion. when an elderly gentleman
with jovial red face and black hushy
whiskcrs opened the door and bundled
himself in.
After the lapse of quarter of an
hour he had talked their reserve away.
and proved himself So amusing n com.
panion that ,ncy all became quite
friendly and l.amorock. who had
grown suddenly amiahlc. pressed the
others into accepting cigar apiece.
The jolly faced Intruder was moi TO
be Ouidonc in hospitality He opened
his hand bag and with merry wink
produced flask of curacna. which the
intense cold made particularly accept
able To them all
Lamorock. indeed. found the liuuor
so delicious that he took two glasses.
BEFORE they got half through their
cigars he noticed with suspicion that
the conversation hogan Ia slackrn. and
that his companions showed II DISPOSE
tion Ia 70 to slccr.
BonStield was the first tu Succumh tn
somnolencc. and I.amorock even began
80 feel sleepy himself
The intruder ais" began To look aS IL
he would soon follow Bonsii"ld'S cx-
ample. He vainly tried to look wide
awake. hut his lids would droop hcavi.
ly. his head would sink down nmnn
lis chin and he would then pun him
self together by supreme effort and
try 10 sit up straight.
When the train arrived NJ Swimdon
Junction the guard discovered them all
asleep. and after trying i'm vain 10
rouse them up. the conviction dawned
upon him that il was II ease of foul
play. The three patients were taken
out and removed To the hospital. ar
rangcmcnts being made hy the police
that on their recovery all three should
be detained in custody pending inves-
l.gation.s
Harry Bonsficld easily established
his identity. and was SET nj liberty
but the information thar the police |
obtained about his companions. the
revolvcrs they foupd in both their |
overcoats. two telltalc cigars and two |
equally damning cigar StumpS. the |
remnants of curacoa in the flask and |
very suspicious false beard. all these |
incidents led TO their arrest. trial and |
subsequent conviction
Scotland yard keeps the flask as a |
curiosity. for II has two compartments |
from which the contents can hc drawn |
at the will of the owner by slight |
pressure on secret spring Both |
compartments contained curacoa: hut |
what was left of one sample was |
found to be drugged while the other |
was pure.
The iovial gentleman. like Lam |
crock. had had his imagination fired |
by the accounts that the newspapers |
gave of the great pink diamond. He |
had wormed IL ont OF Il clerk in MeSsrs |
Bonsfield's office that the junior part |
ner was taking il up to town. aDd he |
thought that the opportunity for which |
he had waited 50 long had AT length |
arrived.
When the whole facts were revealed |
in the police court the natural aston |
ishment of Lamorock and the jolly |
gentleman was past description. II |
beat even that of Harry BonStield. All |
the three actors in this scene are now |
firmly convinced that one Of the In. |
calculahle elements controlling mans |
destiny Is sheer luck.