The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-10
COLLECTORS STRANGE METHODS.
Petty Thefts to Which Some Mems Hobbies
Have Led Them.

The excuse offered by a man who a few
days z was arrested for breaking into a
house in Berlin was that he was desirous
of possessing a pair Of shoes belonging to
a celebrated Russian Lady pianist who was
on a visit there. That he spoke the truth
was borne out by the fact that on his room
! being searched a collection OF women
shoes carefully docketed and catalogued
was discovered.
A wear or SO since Paris lost a well known
character in Andre Sails, nicknamed Bib
Ia PURGE. His mania was umbrella collect
ing, TO crafty which he would proceed
to any length. Let one instance suffice
On the occasion Of Verlaine's funeral, Sails,
who was among the most distressed Of the
mourners, noticed a stack Of umbrellas
leaning against a tree. Resistance was
beyond his power. He dried his eyes,
saws London TIT Bits, slipped u~nperoeived
away and hurriedly left the cemetery
with the umbrellas.
M. Loubet, the French ex-President,
was on one occasion victimized by an Eng:
lishman, who contrived to possess himself
of that gentleman's umbrella, which he was
DESTROYS of adding TO a collection OF ging-
collector was, however, promptly arrested
to be released shortly afterward by order
of the President. who graciously presented
him with the object OF his desire,
A hobby for collecting celebrities hats lie
harmless enough when conducted by leRiti-
mate means. and many a characteristic
specimen Of headgear fell to Jules Durrier
through the fundamentally of servants
and second hand clothes dealers ere his
pursuit developed into a species Of klepto-
mania. under the influence OF. which no
ones hat that had once passed under his
observation was safe. For a while he con-
tinued undetected to add to his collection
but was at length caught leaving the
hat in his hand. The investigation that
followed revealed the limited extent of
his REGULATIONS and he was releaeed with
a caution.
In April of 1903 a man was arrested on
cutting a bunch Of ribbons from a lady's
| dress. On search being made at his house
a large collection Of ribbons was discovered
and it subsequently, transpired that he
never went abroad without a pair Of scis-
dresses. On his agreeing to compensate
the complainant he was discharged,
Some years back a respectable lawyer
was seized with a mania for collecting
| celebrities coat buttons, to obtain which
he not only hribed their Wallets but carried
with him a sharp knife, armed with which
he was wont to track do n the coveted
prize. On more than one occasion, how
ever, his ardor placed him in awkward
positions, as when he was detected by the
! late John Bright in the act of operating on
his coat. .,
Because in the autumn Of 1890 he had
been robbed OF his purse while on a visit
to the Eifel Tower a merchant OF Nantes
took the extraordinary resolve to indemnify
himself for his loss by stealing every model
of the edifce on which he had been despoiled
that he could come across. More than
Gfty models had he obtained in this manner
fortune and the law overlook him and he
was arrested in the act Of walking of with
his speciality from a shop on the Boulevard
Voltaire. His collection, which was stored
away in boxes and ~cupboards, wal subse,
ouently dispersed and the miniature Eiffel
Towers returned TO their me