Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-09-04


turned home. IL was not long after 10 !
O'Clock. and there was plenty Of time /
for the news 20 get into the next morn |
inc's papers. A list of the stolen arti- |
cles was published. and the value was
st as $4,000 Meanwhile | had heard
the story from Warren Ramsdell,
whom had met in club shortly after
midnight. lie had told me that the val
ne Of the jewels was about $4,000 and
had neglected TO mention a diamond
necklace which was the highest priced
article in the published list.
Montagu had been arrested next day
upon description furnished 10y the
Ramsdels OF mysterious and suspi-
cious looking character whom they had
seen lurking about the house.
Now, 50 far as | knew, the original
published estimate OF the value OF the
property, including the necklace which
| have mentioned, had never been con-
tradicted. Doubtless Montagu had seen
this list, and beyond question he was
I'm a position to know whether II had
been accurate. Supposing that the dia-
mond necklace had not been In the
strong box, naturally Montagu would
be unable to return II, and he would
insist upon a definite statement about
1t before opening serious negotiations.
Society women sometimes get into
debt and pawn their jewels without the
knowledge Of their husbands. l have
! faith to believe that the indiscretiOn Is
rare, but am told that 1t does occur.
| If such had been the fact IN this In
stance It was conceivable that Mrs.
Ramsdell might have told the reporters
a fib. 1t would be necessary to settle
this point before anything could be
done for my client. and with this In
mind | tried to find Warren Ramsdell,
since there seemed reason to believe
that he was In his slster-in-law's con-
fidence But as the young man had
gone to Chicago on business l was un.
der the necessity Of calling at the Rams
dell house upon this very delicate bust
ness.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ramsdell were at home
and, to use figure Of speech, they fell
upon my neck when | limited at pos
sibility of securing restitution Of the
property. They were perfectly willing
that | should compound felony by de
feating justice In the case Of Stanley
Montagu and even urged me to corrupt
the district attorney, the grand jury
the police and the court in the interests
of my client If he would only give W
the jewels.
Still, upon the personal side l was
much moved by the lady's great griei
at her loss. She seemed to be woman
of very strongly sentimental nature
There We're some Of those jewels, gift
from her husband in the early days o.
their love, that she could not speak O.
without bursting into tears.
When / left the Ramsdell house
was fierce partisan of the fair victim
Of this robbery, and yet we had decid
ed to do our best to save Montagu from
the consequences Of his crime. l wen
to my client and told him that restitu
ton would probably result in his re
lease, but was forced to add the In
formation Which l had received from
Mrs. Ramsdell in the most positiv
manner that the published list Of tn
stolen jewels was correct. His only re
ply was this:
"They amt doing right by me-"
l could not get him to explain tina
statement nor to say anything upon tn
subject except that he wanted a day 0
two for consideration. Surely II 1t ha
not been for pretty Mrs. RamsdelPs II
fluence upon me and the memory Q
her great Joy at the prospect Of recei,
ing her own again l should have ha
of Stanley Montagu.
To make a long story short, sper
more than Ave weeks In negotiating fc
the return Of those diamonds. woul
bring Montagu almost to the point, an
then he would slip back again. H
would declare that he was being tricl
ed or would insist that one or anoth'
of the articles mentioned in the prin
ed list had not been In the robbed safe
Finally the man coolly told me thu
he was dissatisfied with my conduct I
/, his counsel and had decided to get a.
/. other lawyer. I was discharged fro
the case, and shrewd little rat Of Il
law whose reputation is not of the be
y was engaged in my place. The int
n view which l had with the Ramsdel
opt nd har 7 hQH iSx
their hopes only to dash them dow
@ again.
n Meanwhile Montagu had been indie
f ed, and an early day had been set
e the trial. Old Ben Briggs. my success
J. In the case, made no move to open q
@ gotiations with the Ramsdells.
Upon the trial, which you may
sure that l attended, Montagu plead
II not guilty with bold front. Now.
=. tell the truth, the district attorney
case was not strong. His knowled
J. that Montagu was negotiating for
Il return Of the plumber had prevent
J. him from working up the evident
a. But that knowledge could not be us
:. In court. With me 1t was profe
sional secret, and nobody else kne
4" anything about 1t except as matter
v hearsay. The district attorneys peoT
le and the police knew only what Ran
l. dell had said, and that was not e.
dence.
l, Yet, considering that Montagu hi
been seen hanging about the hour
te that some trifles from the plumber h,
been found in his room and that
c, was known thief, it seemed to I
IF that a conviction might be expecte
De But to my utter amazement Monta
ae produced absolutely unimpeachable e.
&c dence of his innocence. A very ]