The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-08-20

HERSELF TOGETHER
the owners of having taken the rings.
He seemed to feel 1t a duty to report
his loss, however. and after being
quietly advised to have an eye on his
employees and unknown customers he
was dismissed with the promise that
the matter would be looked into. As
matter of fact, no assignment was
made on the case. Some flash chap
had gifted" the jewels without even
his call being remembered and 1t was
no use to hunt for needle in hay
stack.
1t wasn't three days before another
case was reported by another Strand
jeweler This time it was diamond
sunburst, and he was positive that he
had shown 1t to only three ladies before
he missed 1t. He was reluctant to give
the names, but when pressed to do so
that of the marquis wife again headed
the list. The others were almost as far
above suspicion. and the inspector look
ed at the complainant in way to make
him feel like culprit. This time l
was put on the case, but l shall be hon
est enough to say that 1t was a mere
matter of form. 1t was more than any
officials head was worth even to hint
that one of the three ladies mentioned
might have carried the ornament away
in a moment of observation-disclosures
1t was about five days after this that
the third case was reported. This time
a jeweler had lost a pair Of valuable
diamond earrings, and he had to be
hard pressed by the inspector before
he would admit that the loss was de-
tected almost Immediately after the
marquis wife had left the store. She
had greatly admired the ornaments and
had partly decided to purchase them at
later date. Not for one instant, not
on his life, did the jeweler suspect the
lady of title of even taking the Jewel
away In fit of abstraction. but some
how he felt it his duty to report the
case. The inspector didn't bluff this
third tradesman quite as heavily as he
had the first and second. and he looked
grave and thoughtful when | was CIV
en- the case and he related particulars.
| was told to go my own way about it,
but If made blunder Scotland Yard
would see me no more as detective.
That wasn't at all encouraging, you
see. but had to go ahead and make
start. Much to my surprise, after
thinking the matter over came to the
conclusion that the marquis wife
might possibly be guilty of shoplifting.
The idea almost took my breath away
at the first go off, but when | came to
recall the many rumors about the mar
quis being a gambler, hard up, man
of miserish habits at home, and so
forth, there looked to be something In
1t from a detectives standpoint.
The lady was well known to me by
sight She was past 45, much faded,
and her face always carried a fretful,
worried look. | simply waited until
she appeared on the street in her car
riage. as If bound on shopping tour.
and then followed her. 1t was week
after the third case was reported that
she came out. and she went directly to
Bond street jewelers.. | followed
her into the store, where she was
known and received with great servfl-
ity. and when tray of jewelry was
placed before her 1 felt sure that the
next half hour would clear her Of all
suspicion or complicate the case still
further Her manner was that of lofty
condescenslon. She slowly and Ian
guidly inspected the jewels, and now
and then the proprietor of the store,
who was waiting upon her In person,
had his attention attracted for the mo-
ment elsewhere. My lady finally de-
cided to call again and was bowed out,
and she was hardly clear of the door
when revealed my identity to the
jeweler and asked him to be sure that
there was nothing missing from the
tray. He was at first inclined to adj
minister a snub, but when he found
| the finest ring of the lot conspicuously
absent he almost fell over In faint.
There was no room to doubt that the
the case worse in way. For trades
man and detective to charge lady
of quality with shoplifting was as bad
as treason against the crown. mere
word would bring financial ruin upon
the jeweler, and he was ready to stand
the loss ten times over rather than
speak 1t.
Twice more within the next fort
night l followed the lady into Jewelry
establishments and morally convicted
her of shoplifting. This made six cases
in all, and, no matter how the victims
felt, we of the Yard were quite deter
mined that something ought to be done.
I had been on the staff for ten years,
and my work had given. good satisfac.
ton, but was selected as a sacrifice.
l mean by that that was ordered to
secure an interview with the lady, In
form her of my discoveries and take
the consequences. must take all the
! burden on myself and clear the Yard.