The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-02-10
DIAMOND HARD STEAL
MOST OF THE statesmen KNOW
ALL The CROOKS TRICKS.

Women Thieves as Compared
with Men Thicves--Ore Way 10
Circumvent the stealers.
Says the sanF'ranclsco Chronicle:
Little does the average customer, as
he sees the clerks of the jeweler
lounging in apparent indifference be-
hind the counter, realize that they are
In fact amateur detectives, keeping in
operation an elaborate system of es-
pionage.
There are innumerable attempts,
more or less successful, to despoil the
jewellers on a small scaie, and every
clerk is carefully instructed regarding
all the "crook lodges" known to the
trade before he is allowed to handle
the more valuable stock. a clerk in
Market street store says that he has
even known professional presti1igita-
tors to be employed by European gold
smiths TO test the vigilance Of their
employees, and by giving them good
scare to make them more careful. Or
dinarily, the young man learns by long
experience to watch every move ol
every customer, and by the time he is
old enough to be intrusted with the
diamond trays is more than match
for any one but the most clever OF
the genus thief.
Fortunately, all schemes to obtain
gems without paying for them divide
themselves into few categories, and
after one has had his attention called
to them all he is not likely to be duped
by an immaterial variation. The chief
trick of the thief ia substitution, and
great skill is often displayed in play
ing II. A pawnbroker In the retail dis
trict recounts his experience with a
rogue of this class:
"One day." says he, "a Chinese
| called to see some solitaire rings. 1t
is not unusual for the better class of
Chinese to purchase secondhand jew
elry, so handed him out tray of the
| best had in stock. He picked up the
| finest stone had in the tray, and af-
| ter asking its price shufilel out. NUT
| tering, Come may be back tomollow."
"Sure enough, ne did come back at
| the time promised and again exam
| ined the same stone. But he didn't
buy It, and as he failed to return for
several days l forgot all about him.
But at the end of a week he came in
| again, and once more picked up the
| diamond which had pleased him on the
| former occasion. AS he turned to go
happened to notice that something
| N,yifh hn CT hn
turned to the tray. the rascal had
made an imitation and nearly palmed
II off on me. jumped over the coun-
ter and he handed back my property.
No, | didn't prosecute-what would
have been the use after | had my
ring?"
Il depend upon my experience with
human nature and upon observation,
declared the head clerk in a down.
town establishment where many costly
articles of the goldsmith's craft are
constantly kept in stock.
do you suspect women more than
men?" he was asked
| mo, | wouldn't say that. Women
are undoubtedly more given to petty
shoplifting, but we have only the pro.
fessional sharks to gear, and these are
mostly men. But whether it Is man
or a woman who asks to see anything
costly, there is always a second clerk
who appears to be doing nothing, but
who in reality keeps his eyes on the
goods, while the one who is trying tC
make the sale watches the customer
look particularly at the eyes. If the
eyes roam all about the room, 1t Is a
bad sign, as they are trying to see
whether anybody is looking or not
Even with all precautions there is a
regular annual loss in almost all bis
Stores. know of one firm in Chica
go which reckons on losing $500 tc
crooks over its counters annually, but
there is less of that kind Of crime in
San Francisco"
Most of the "cinch games originate
In Paris. 1t was there that the "ret
pepper trick" was fret tried. 1t has
been attempted once or twice here
and consists simply in blowing a quan
tty of the pepper in the clerks eyes
and making off with all the stock that
can be grabbed in the confusion. II
was in Paris. too, that the cause
celebre" in substitution took place.
man, whose name Is even now a mys
terry, called one afternoon at fashion
able Partisan goldsmith's and critical
ly examined a cluster of diamond!
wrought into a brooch and worth many
thousand dollars. He called on two
subsequent occasions, and finally sale
he would buy the precious ornament
but that he did not intend to have an!
substitute palmed off on him. So h
asked for box and some sealing wax
Before the propreitor's eyes the pur
chaser put the brooch in the box
wrapped 1t in paper, tied it securel!
B with twine and sealed the knots will
wax stamped with his own seal ring
He gave directions that it be put II
the safe until he sent for ii. which