Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-09-11
The Stolen Diamond
Observation-Disclosures

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G CRIMINAL who has any pecu.
I1\ liarity about his person, such as
%'@ missing finger, club foot, or
any mark made by his trade, such as
the mark on the hand of barber,
where the scissors had constantly
pressed against the roof of his thumb,
should be careful lest these means OF
Identification are not the means of his
downfall. Most of the cases which
have come under my notice have been
cases where the culprit has had some
bodily deficiency which has left its
mark on something with which he has
come in contact. The experience
which am about to relate embodies
this truth, and had not the criminal
In the case had the misfortune of los
I Ing one-half of his-but / am anticipat-
Ing events.
had just returned from the conti-
nent, where had been sent in con-
nection with the Duchess of Mentone's
stolen jewels, and was prepared to en-
Joy rest, when l received wire from
hy chief asking me to report at once.
Upon arriving at the Office he told me
that robbery had been committed at
/ the summer home of Mr.. George Mid
deton, the millionaire oil magnate, and
that detective had been wired for. AS
to the particulars, only one diamond
had been stolen, magnificent stone of
great value intrinsically and of meal
culable worth to the family as an heir
loom.
Mr.. Middleton's place was somewhere
/ up the Hudson and set out at once.
When | arrived was at once taken
TO Mr.. Middleton, who appeared very
much upset over the affair, not so much,
he assured me, on account of the value
OF the stone, but 1t had been so long in
The family and had so much to do with
The history Of the family, having been
passed down as an heirloom from one
generation to another, that he viewed
'he loss as a very great calamity. The
points of the case were briefly as fol
lows: On the previous night he had
taken the diamond from the safe to
snow 1t to some Of his guests, and Mrs.
Mlddleton, who was to wear it at a
oall on the following night, had taken
from him, and, not thinking 1t nee
essary to place it in the safe for so
snort time, had taken it to her bed.
room and put it In q small casket on
aer dressing table.
Ihe next morning before going down
stairs she thought she would see if it
was all right, and was astonished to
And the casket empty. There were
many guests In the house, and at my
request | was to be introduced as u
friend of Mr.. Middleton. Before going
in'o the drawing-room l asked If he
Nould be good enough to give me some
PARTICULARS about his guests. Let me
zee" he said; there are about twenty
guests, mostly gentlemen. With the
eAeepton of three they are old friends
Tue family and above suspicion. The
'elnaining three are gentlemen of higl
'Aaracter. One Of them Is Russian
Ount' who came to me with letters
noni intimate friends abroad, and one
VI the others is an Englishman whom
met In New York, and our kindred
@''es led me to invite him here few
"eeAs' the other is gentleman fc0n
""n' greatly interested in dynarAlcs
suu whom | met in my club. These are
4e only acquaintances that are here
WON have met during the last year.
was then taken to the drawing
'OOnl and introduced to most of the
suess' among them the three new ac
suaihtances. l gained nothing tha
snt and noticed nothing suspicious
sovut any of the guests. l was rather
-'iihed to think that the robbery haC
ecu committed from the inside, by
.'ner one of the servants or one CT tn,
ss1es's' as all the doors had been fount
stened ON the morning after the rob
~, ana no one knew that the dia
r. nu was in the house Qt was alway'
~. at the bank but the members o.
y, household and the guests to whom
,.t4 au been shown on the night of th'
Doery' In the morning asked thu
NH. .ant who brought me my coffee ant
.. s 70 come in, and questioned hin
sn i" the guests, and If he had noticed
os Vi the servants were in trouble
',er a money matters.
Aoas sow'" | said to him, "have you no
ua anything peculiar about any .
Astsf No matter how triiiing !