The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1899-07-07
ROB THEMSELVES
wealthy Woman Claimed That she
was Robbed, Bat Her Jewels
Were Really PaWned.


It may seem strange that persons
often rob themselves, but such is fact.
There have been eases Of that kind IN
Cincinnati, but for obvious reasons
names have always been suppressed
That other cities have similar cases is
evidenced by the following talk Of a
prominent eastern detective
There are some queer characters in
this world For instance, during the
past two weeks have been hunting
some valuable jewelry which was stolen
from a lady's bedroom IN her own
house, and it was only an hour ago that
1 was able to satisfy her and others in
terested IN the robbery that she took
them and sold them herself.
You may wonder why a lady Of arts
tOcratic connections, Of wealth, and
hitherto undoubted integrity, should
steal and pawn her own Jewels Wen,
1t does seem strange, but the queerest
fact is that II was the lady herself who
brought the robbery under our notice
'She came to us greatly excited, and
gave US a long list Of jewelry-wOrth
about So, OOO-which she said had been
stolen from her jewel case. was de-
tailed on the case. Failing 70 learn
anything at the house, went on an
other tack, and I have just discovered
that the woman herself Pawned it for
$500, with which to satisfy a dressmak-
er's opportunities.
Her reason for rObbing herself was
obviously TO raise a little ready cash
without the knowledge Of her husband,
who was getting anxious about her in
creasing demands for money. And, Of
course, her object in getting the police
toinvestigatet the affair was to aIlay any
suspicious he might have.
There are very many more society
scandals than those which find their
way into the newspapers I know Of a
case, though was not personally con-
nected with it, in which young wom-
an, famous for her mania for gambling,
to satisfy losses at cards, got up a sham
burglary at her fathers house to hide,
or to divert suspicion from the fact that
she had pawned not only all her own
jewelry but also some Of her mothers.
At the time Of the alleged burglary the
jewelry had been in the Pawnbroker's
hands three or four months, and no one
had noticed the loss.
After that time, however, her rela-
tons began to question her about the
humble amount Of jewelry she had
taken to wearing; and she, reaHz-
ing that the loss could not remain IN
discovered much longer, worked a sort
of bogus burglary in the dead Of one
night.
''She forced open a window, then
went to bed, and an hour or two later
started screaming that there were two
men in her room. She did very well in
making the room look as If 1t had been
rUmmaged, and the window was clev-
erly forced. But she overlooked the
fact that for men TO have entered by
the forced window, they must have
crossed a fOwerbed, and there left foot
prints
The first case Of seIf-robbery I came
across, however, was not committed for
the purpose of secret gain, but for quite
another motive.
"a wealthy Lady living with her
brother, had as a companion a well-bred
girl who was very attractive; indeed, so
much 50, IN fact, that the brother, who
was man some years younger than his
sister, and also very wealthy, fell in
love with her. For some reason the sis
ter greatly objected to the idea that her
brother should marry her companion.
''One day It was discovered that the
sisters jewels had been stolen, and the
inquiry set on foot at once threw
rather suspicious light upon the com
PaniOn's actions. Deeper investiga-
tons proved that the Jewels had been
either sold to or pawned with differ
ent brokers by a person very much re-
sembling the companion; but 1t could
not be discovered that she had recently
had any large sum Of money, or any
reason for requiring the same. think
it was only this that prevented her ar
rest.
Then, after some weeks, IL was
found and cOnclusively proved that the
robbery was a mere plot against the
companion. The sister had taken the
Jewels herself. Luckily, her shameful
conduct was exposed, and all the dis
grace fell upon herself.
These are only a few of many in
stances I could quote, and dared I use
names some Of them would cause an ex-
element very nearly approaching an
uPheavaI Of society. En-
ouirer-
Harvard Won Them All.