Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-17

cameo made it's sensation, and the only
person who had the least interest in keep
ing the real facts of the case secret has
now been dead for some time, leaving
neither relatives nor other representatives.
Therefore no harm Will be done in making
the inner history of the case public; on the
contrary it will afford an opportunity of
vndicating the professional reputation of
Hewitt. who is supposed to have complete
ly failed to make anything of the mystery
surrounding the case. At the present time
conuosseurs in ancient objects of art are
often heard regretfuNy to wonder whether
the wonderful cameo suddenly discov-
cred and so quickly stolen, will ever again
be visible to the public eye. Now this
question need be asked no longer
The cameo, may be remembered from
the many descriptions published at the
time. was said to be absolutely the finest
extant 1t was sardonyx of three strata
one of those rare sardonyX canoes in
which It has been possible for the artist
to avail himself of three different colors
of SuperimpoSed Stone-the lowest for the
ground and the two others for the middle
and high relief of the design. In size it
was, for a cameo immense measuring
seven and half inches by nearly six. In
subject 1t was similar to the renowned Con-
zaga cameo-now the property of the Gar
of RUSSIA male and female head with
imperial insignia; but In this supposed
to represent Tiberius Claudius and Messa-
ma f-ApeIlS considered II pr0DaDly De
the work or Athenion, famous sem-cutter
of the first Christian century, whose most
notable other work now extant is smaller
cameo, with NEUROLOGICAL subject. pre-
served in the Vatican.
The Stairway cameo had been discovered
in an obscure Italian village by one of
those travelling agents who scour all Eu
rope for valuable antiquities and objects of
art. This man had hurried Immediately to
London with his prize, and sold it to Mr..
Clarldge of St James street, eminent
dealer in such objects. Mr.. Claridge,
recognizing the Importance and value of
the article, lost no opportunity of making
It's existence known, and very soon the
Claudius cameo. it was at first usually
called was as famous as any in the world.
Many experts in ancient art examined it.,
and several large bids were made for its
purchase.
In the end it was bought by the Marquis
OF Stairway for 9J,000 for the purpose of
presentation to the British Museum. The
marquis kept the cameo at his town house
Tor a few days. showing it to his friends
and then returned it to Mr. CIardge to
be tnally and carefully cleaned before pass
ing into the national collection. Two nights
after Mr.. Claridge's premises were broken
into and the cameo stolen.
Such in outline was the generally
known history of the Stairway cameo The
circumstances of the burglary in detail
We're these: MIR. Claridge had himself been
the last to leave the premises, at about s
O'Clock in the evening, at dusk and had
locked the small side door as usual His
assistant, Mr.. Cutler, had left an hour and
haIf earlier. When Mr. Claridge left
everything was in order. and the policeman
on fixed-point duty just opposite, who bade
MI CIarldge good evening as he left saw
nothing suspicious during the rest of his
term of duty, nor did his successors at the
point throughout the night
In the morning, however, Mr. Cutler the
assistant. who arrived first, soon after .
O'Clock at once perceived that something
unlocked for had happened. The door of
q a Epy Sfin 70 Il
had not been touched but in the room be-
hind the shop Mr.. ~-aridges private desk
had been broken open and the contents
turned out IN confusion. The door leading
on to the staircase had also been forced
Proceeding up the stairs, Mr. Cutler found
another door open. leading from the top
landing to a small room This door had
been opened by the simple eXpedient of
unscrewing and taking off the lock. which
had been on the inside. In the ceiling of
this room was trap-door. and this was
on the half-wrenched-off bolt. which had
been torn away when the trap was levered
open from the outside.
Plainly, then. this the path of the
thief or thieves Entrance had been made
through the trap-door. two more doors
had been opened. and then the desk had
been ransacked. Mr.. Cutler afterward ex-
planned that at this time he had no precise
idea what had been stolen, and did not
know where the cameo had been left on the
previous evening. Mr.. Clardge had him
self undertaken the cleaning, and had been
engaged on it, the assistant said, when
he left.
There was no doubt however, after Mr.
Claridges arrival at 10 oclock-the cameo
was gone. Mr.. Claridge. utterly confound
ed at his loss. explained incoherently. and
with curses on his own carelessness,
that he had locked the precious
article in his desk on relinquishing work
on 1t the previous evening, feeling rather
tired, and rot taking the trouble to carry
II as far as the safe in another part of the
house.
The police were sent for at once, of
course, and every investigation made, Mr..
Claridge Offering a reward of $500 for the
recovery of the cameo The affair was
scrubbed of at large in the earliest edi-
tons of the evening papers, and by noon
all the world was aware of the extraor-
binary theft of the Stairway cameo and
many people were discussing the probable
tiles of the case. with very indistinct ideas
of what a sardonyx cameo precisely was
1t was in the afternoon of this day that
Lord Stairway called Martin Hewitt.
The marquis was a tall, outstanding man of
spare figure and active habits We'll known
as a member of learned societies and
great patron of art. He hurried into Hew-
tits private room soon his name had
been announced, and, as soon as Hewitt
had given him a chair, plunged into busl-
ness.
Probably you already guess my business
with you Mr.. Hewitt-you have seen the
early evening papers? Just so; then l
needn't tell you again what you already
IL back. OF course the police are hard at
work at Claridge's, but I'm not quite sat
isfed. / have been there myself for two
or three hours and can't see that they know
any more about it than do myself. Then
OF course, the police. naturally and prop
erly enough from their point of view. look
first to find the criminal, regarding the re-
coveTy of the property almost as a sec
oEdary consideration. Now. from my point
OF view, the chief consideration is the
property. OF course L want the thief
caught. If possible. and properly punished;
but still more l want the cameo"
Certainly it is considerable loss. Five
thousands pounds
All but don't misunderstood me! II
isn't the monetary value of the thing that
l regret. As matter of fact. am indem-
nified for that already. Claridge has be-
haved most acknowledgements than honor
ably Indeed. the first intimation l had or
the loss was check from him for $4,000.
with a letter assuring me that the restora-
ton TO me of the amount l had paid was
the least he could do to repair the result
of what he called his objectionable care
Iessness. Legally. I'm not sure that could
demand anything of him. unless could
prove very fragrant neglect indeed TO guard
against theft" a.