The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-18
THEFT As FINE ART
BOSTON BURGLAR WHO USED EN-
ERSON IN LIEU OF A
JIMMY
MRS. BUNKERILL's DIAMONDS

Schopenhauer as Good as a Bunch of
Skeleton Keys, and Ibsen a Fair
Substitute for a Dark lantern
The Admiration of the Back Bay
District Aroused In Spite of Its
ScrupIes.
When some one in New York or Chi
cago announces that her family jewels
have been stolen people are certain of
everything except that there was thief.
eyes they say, ''she is going on the
stage or will shortly be heard in vaude-
vile. Perhaps she is trying to get into
society where stolen jewels are quoted
at 1884, while those not stolen are worth
only what the pawnbrokers think about
them" In Boston, however, when $1,000
worth disappears, it is different. They
know there was thief, an educated one.
1T couldn't be the stage, because man.
( ayers have sense, and it couldn't be So
siety. because in Boston every one is In
society of some sort, and that sort to
the member possesses infinite advantages
over Four Hundred and other kinds. The
people of Boston simply sigh and say IL S
lkeraturel" bemoan the martyrdom their
aesthetic standing has brought them to,
and think about passing laws deflnlhs
bound volumes of Ibsen, Emerson ana
kSchopenhauer as burglar tools. AS
I matter of fact these books are at the
bottom of almost every well conducted
robbery Just as in other places they are
the first cause of much lunacy.
An example of THIS was the Bunkerln
diamond affair in the Beacon district.
which took the name from the owner or
the gems, vafued at $4,999, rather than
from NIyles Wesley Brookline, A. M, VINO
is now serving the commonwealth for the
second time for his participation In the
matter The theft was generally ap-
proyed for its aesthetic quality, although,
of course. it greatly shocked puritanical
morals The president of the Worlds
Emerson society said that from a literary
point of view 1t was q chef d oeuvre
Even the president of the Universal
Browning league said it had certain lit
erary flavor, though he could not ap-
prove the burglars choice of books. This,
however. he explained, was not wholly
the burglars fault, and was an accident
due to his carelessness in selecting for
his operations a stratum Of society not
elevated enough to appreciate Browning
as the sole guide to the literary life, and
If his subject devoted herself to some
others, he could not be blamed for not re-
lying on the Ring and the Book as a pro-
fessional guide. Much credit, In fact,
was due him for using what material was
at hand so deftly. If it had been in
Browning neighborhood 1t would have
been different. His opinion. 1t is need
less to say, almost led to rtot1ng, and Tor
weeks the Emersonians cut the Brown
myers even at the elections. This was
the reason, probably why Hauptmann-
tie was elected inspector Of sewers IN
one of the most select districts
UNIQUE METHOD.
This burglary which was one of thir-
ty-eight carried out successfully by this
criminal, who pursued the same methods
invariably only with a rare change of au-
thors, so as to include Daudet in the
nouveau richie neighborhoods. 1T turned
out at the trial, was most carefully PLAN
ned The burglar had possessed himself
of an elite directory which is the only
book which includes the names and adj
dresses of every one in Boston, and
through it had located Mrs. Bunkerill in
a house with a Greek motto over the door
It turned out that the real estate agent
had reduced the rent on account of the
quotation, which was the doing of a
former owner, in order to keep her from
renting one with a line from Emerson
over the parlor windows, front. The bur-
glar then Swallowed Mrs. B. for three
weeks, In that time he traced her to the
fright to Reason Circle to the Chill
drens Schepenhauer Hour" where she
took little Quincy, who on one occasion
broke his glasses on the front steps, and
to the Ibsen plays at the Failure theater
This and a certain GOODNESS to lady who
read Browning fixed her social status
The criminal was then ready to begin OPP
erations.
On Thursday afternoon at about 2
O'Clock he took his stand near the Bunk
Grill residence. He knew two things:
First that it was the "Children's Schop-
enhauer Hour" day, and, second that
Quincy would accompany his mother,
which was essential for the success of his
plan. To accomplish his purpose the
house must be left in sole charge of the
house servants who. he calculated. would
be reading down stairs. Everything was
\ favorable to the venture At half after
their dwelling. A few minutes later the
servants heard the up stairs bell ring.
What followed is best told In the Ian
guage of the servant on the stand in
? court. She said:
"A short period had elapsed after the
3 peparturesSof Mrs. Buf7kerill and Master
Bunkerill, when the tinkling of the bell
%pprised me that some one desired at
tendance in the vestibule. Upon ascend
lag the stairs L found an apparent gen
tenan aestheically attired and of an in
Isllectual cast OF countenance at the door.
Ih~ansWer to my question as to what he
desired, he replied: is Mrs. Runl,eril az
home" To this 1 answered that she had
JUST gone out, presumably to the Schop-
enhauer Sodality
AS AN UNCLE.
He then said: How unfortunate r
am her brother. Quincy's maternal uncle
Did she not receive Geographic messae
this forenoon"
No, sir 1 replied.
have Just returned from South
America. Can 1 not await her return
here?"
ITO this 1 replied: 4 am not certain
of your Identity, sir
On, he said, L can easily convince
you. know this house like library.
For instance, on the parlor table there
are two copies of Emerson's severai
works; in the boudoir desk there is a
complete series of Ibsen while in the
nursery on the table there are two vol
umes OF Schopenhauer, well worm
Here the girl hesitated. What remark
did you proffer next?" interposed the
judge
Il said he was accurate in each particu-
lar, and, after surveying him carefully, |
said l was convinced, and admitted him.