Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-07-23
TELLTALE PICTURES.
PAINTINGS THAT HAVE DONE THE
WORK OF DETECTIVES.

instances Where the Canvas Of an
Artist Has Led to the Confession OF
Criminal-A Portrait and . Stolen
Diamond Pendant.
An artist who had suddenly become
almost famous by his production OF o
painting exhibited Mt the Royal acad-
envy was one day called upon by O
man whose visit was productive of the
most extraordinary and undreaht OF
consequences.
The picture represented a lonely
stretch of beach, upon which the sea
was beating in long, creamy rollers. In
the foreground, bending over a dead
body, was a man with wild express
sion on his face and with q naked
knife In his hand. A ships boat, evil
IDENTIFY Just beached, was also IN the
picture, and by the side Of the MUIR
dered man was a bag Of gold. The pic
ture portrayed the advent Of two cast
Always upon friendly shore. The one
had murdered the other 80 that the
treasure might be his.
The painters visitor was gray hair
ed, wild eyed man.
"In heavens name, SIR" he gasped
out, chow did you learn the dreadful
story that you painted? see you know
all. murdered my mate Bill to get
the money that was his. l threw his
body into the sen. / don't know what
impulse led me to tho Academy. The
first thing l saw was your picture rep
resenting the scene that took place 30
years ago."
Needless to say, the picture had been
the outcome Of Imagination. Yet MUIR
der will out, and the guilty conscience
of the man who had killed his comrade
for lust Of gold had convinced him that
the painting was no coincidence, but
was indeed the actual portrayal OF a
dastardly and unwitnessed crime.
There is probably no picture better
known in England than "The Doctor"
by Mr.. Luke Fildes, yet there are prob
ably very few people aware Of the fact
that that selfsame masterpiece was
the means of bringing to light the per-
petration of q crime that would other
wise never have been known.
A certain doctor In large town CON-
mitted suicide, and among his papers
was a letter which ran as follows: Il
have today seen Luke Fildes' Doctor.
The picture represents medical man
watching by the bedside Of child. II
has so haunted me that l am going to
TAKE away my own worthless life and
make q confession at the same time
When Arthurs"-his brother's-"boy
died, l came into money that my dead
brother had settled on him. He died
as all the world thought Of acute pneu
monia. Yet his life might have been
saved had acted. rs Fildes' Doctor Is
so evidently doing. with the use Of al
the skill that lay in my power. l has
tened the boys end and so got the
money. can bear 1t no more"
A well known artist was commission
ed to paint the portrait Of lady In ex
allied circles. who boosted the posses
sion Of q most unique Jewel In the
form Of pendant The lady was very
anxious that this heirloom should be
included in her portrait. The artist. OF
course, complied with her request.
Shortly after the painting had beer
completed daring burglary was per
petrated, with the result that the lady
lost her heirloom, and no trace OF tht
thief or thieves was forthcoming
Years passed by, and the lady gave uI
all hope of ever seeing the precious
heirloom again.
Now, 1t so happened that the artist
who had painted the portrait Of the
lady mentioned had occasion to trave
In India.
In the course of his wnnderings hi
came to Bombay and, as every visitor
to that place does. strolled through thu
native bazaar.
Suddenly his attention was rivetet
by a piece of jewelry In a jeweleri
shop that seemed familiar to him. L
was a diamond and ruby pendant
Where had he seen 1t before? He ran
sacked his brain, but could not remem
Der.
He returned to his hotel and hap
pened to take from his portfolio
sketch of the portrait he had made
years ago of the lady with the pendant
In a moment the enigma was solved
The piece of jewelry he had seen was
the peculiar pendant that his fair sittel
had been so anxious he should include
In his portrait.
He hurried Off to the chief of police
and told that worthy what he suspect
ed, namely, that the bazaar he had Wis
tied contained the long lost Jewel Of
the English lady. Inquiries were a
once ~ on foot with extraordinary re
suits. The jeweler in the bazaar con
fessed to having given years ago 6
quite Insignificant sum for the jewel
which he had bought from a stablemar
in the employ Of neighboring rajah
The stableman was sought for. ant
turned out to be none other than IN
nous English craftsman, who had ap
parently turned honest, but who
nevertheless, confessed to having beer
the thief Of the jewel that had beer
30 miraculously ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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