The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-04
How Diamond Dealers In London
Lost $125,OOO In Jewels.
WOMAN PLANS THE STEAL
MYSTERY OF HATTON GARDEN
HAUL IS EXPLAINED.
Mrs. Brunt Engineered the Job Be-
cause a Postal Clerk Was Rude
to Her-She Succeeded In Getting
Revenge and Secured a Rich Haul
As Well.
Chicago Inter oceanN

An interesting man in London jour-
nalism is Charles Windust, generally
known as the special crime investi-
gator" of the Weekly Dispatch. a
penny paper that circulates largely as
Sunday paper. He has done some
very clever things in the way of the
amateur detective work that is fire.
quently accomplished by American re-
porters. and he has the subject of Eng
lish criminals and criminal methods at
his finger ends.
Mr.. Wfndust has just told the story
or one of the most mysterious robberies
ever committed in London, a crime
known to the police and to the public
as the Hatton garden postoffice rob-
berry. Hatton garden is in that part of
London close to the Holborn viaduct,
and 1t is the neighborhood where the
wholesale diamond dealers have their
places of business. The robbery cost
those diamond dealers G25,O0 worth of
gems, money, and other valuables and
none of the booty was ever recovered,
nor were the thieves ever arrested for
the crime. Mr.. Windust, in telling the
story. says that he believes the Scot
land yard detectives will learn the
facts for the first time when they read
it.
He prefaces his account of the actual
robbery by explaining that a young
criminal named Brunt made the ac-
quaintance of a young woman outside
of Holloway prison, where both had
gone to visit prisoners arrested for
pocket-picking, the prisoner in the
girls case being her father. The ac-
quaintance resulted in their getting
married.
'Brunt's business" says Mr.. Win
dust, took him frequently to the con-
tinent, he being a member of a gang
of international crooks, who DISPOSED
of the proceeds of their scheme in
Hamburg, Antwerp, Amsterdam. or
Paris, and it was while he was on a
journey abroad that Mrs. Brunt took
lodgings in Castle street. HolbOrn.
There she received a postoffice order,
payable at the postoffice in HattOn gar
deI and she went to cash it. The lady
clerks were not very polite to her. and
Mrs. Brunt spoke rather sharply to
them, with the result that there was a
wordy battle.
Rudeness Leads to Robbery.
While this was in progress Mrs. Brunt
noticed a number of young fellows en-
ter the office and register packages,
letters, small parcels, etc, every one
of which was placed in a sack that
hung by an iron ring on a hook just
behind the counter, and which could
be easily reached.
Smarting under the rudenesS of the
clerks. she determined to have what is
known among criminals as "a bit of
her own back" The stealing of the
bags containing the registered letters
would enable her not only to have her
revenge, but also a fine haul.
That night she addressed a letter to
her husband, telling him she had got
a good thing" for him, and to hurry
home.
A few days later Brunt returned, and
when she had told her story he rose
and paced up and down the room for
a few seconds.
It's as good as done, girl. I'll see
the Old I'm this afternoon and ar
range the details" he observed as he
put on his hat and left the room.
The Old I'm was an expert continent
tai thief, known as Captain Preston"
and when Brunt put the scheme before
him he remarked, "A pretty little job
and no risk"
The mother of one of the Geographic
boys employed at the Hat
ton garden pOstoffice was a widow who
let lodgings, and a few days later
young woman took a furnished room
that was to let. The new ledger pre-
tended that she worked in the city
and, as her landlady's son and she
went the same way to work each
morning, they soon got on good terms
After work was over she would call at
the postoffice and they would go home
together If the lad was downstairs
in a kind of kitchen where the boys
had their meals, the ledger would walk
down and wait for him.
After about three weeks the boy
was entitled to a days holiday the
following day, and he impaired TO the
LOGGER that he was going to a friends
to tea, and then to the Princess the
atre. Later in the evening the young
adv lodger went into her landlady's
kitchen.
Batting of the Trap.
Here's a funny thing" she re-
marked: you know Johnny is going
to the Princess theatre tomorrow"
Yes" said the mother.
''Well, some one has sent me ticket
also, but l can't go. / have to go and !
see my sister. so L thought you would !
ike to go; it's a pity TO waste the |
ticket, isn't it?''
.'Wen. that is kind of you. I'll get |
ny work done and be ready as soon |
rs Johnny comes home: he's only on a |
couple of hours tomorrow, and then [ !
,an go with him to his aunts to tea. |
and to the theatre afterward. | don t !
think 1 can afford it. though" said the |
Yes you can; 1 have done very well |
this week. and had a good bit of over
time. and 1 am going down to my sis !
ter, who is very well off. 1 must stay !
there a few weeks, so 1 am going to |
pay you a weeks money in advance. |
and if I don't come back for a little |
while you can rent my room, and can
have another until that's empty"
The next day Johnny did his two |
hours duty, and in a quarter of an