The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-05
JEWEL BOX MISTAKEN FOR BOMB,
Such Care to Keep Those Diamonds
From Exploding-$7,OO 900 Worth, Say
POlice-HObOken Clerk Picked Them
Up I'm a Brooklyn Street, but Wasn't
Taking Chances.
(New York Times.)

(New York Times)
Harry Svensen, clerk in Hoboken
store, went to Brooklyn yesterday to
visit his sister, Mrs. A. Norwood, Of
$50 50th street. He spent the after
noon with her, and soon after supper
babe her good-by, saying he intended
to take Hamilton avenue car and go
to see brother who lived in another
part OF Brooklyn.
He walked from her home to Third
avenue, and, no Hamilton avenue car
being in sight, strolled along until he
reached the corner of 18th street.
street lamp, a cigar box. He stopped
to pick it up, when his attention was
arrested by the fact that it had slid
ing top. which had evidently been fitted
to it after it had been rid of it's orig
inal contents.
before him, and he decided that 1t was
no part of his duty to find out what
was under the lid. He saw Policeman
Edward ]. Connolly, Of the Fourth
Avenue Station. half block away. and
called to him.
By the time the policeman reached
him Svensen was ready to swear that
in communicating his fears to Con-
molly. Connolly too. saw something
sinister about the arrangement Of the
top, and hesitated to open 1t.
Some boys were coasting In 48th
street, and the policeman borrowed one
Of their sleds. upon which he placed
the cigar box. lashing 1t SO tightly that
there was not the slightest chance OF
Its slipping off. Accompanied by Sven
sen, Connolly pulled the box-laden sled
to the police station, where he undid
the lashings and carried the object OF
his suspicion to Sergt. Dealy. who was
at the desk. Capt. Patrick Murphy,
commanding the precinct, was in the
station house at the time.
The Captain and the Sergeant agreed
with Connolly and Svensen that the
box probably contained bomb. They
took 1t to the backyard, where they
measured 1t upon piece OF plank, and
then drove in four nails, which held it
securely, when 1t was placed between
them. A tack was then softly driven
into the end Of the sliding cover and
string tied to the tack. The idea
was to pull the cover of by the string
when the policemen had withdrawn to
safe distance.
Everybody moved off to shelter.
tugged at the string and the cover slid
on. There was no explosion. The po-
licemen waited few minutes. and
then cautiously approached the box
The sight that met their eyes was SO
unexpected that they drew back in sur
prise.
From the box there came the SHIN
mer OF gold and the flash OF diamonds
1t was heaped full of all manner OF
precious stones, gold watches and Jew
elry.
Capt. Murphy picked up the treasure
and carried 1t back into the station
house. There he inventoried the find
and announced that 1t was worth be-
tween $4,000 and $1,000. There were
half dozen watches, several diamond
bracelets, necklaces and rings, pearls
in prOfusion, and other kinds OF stones
too numerous to mention.
you're an honest man." said the
Captain to Svensen. IF nobody claims
that bunch Of jewelry inside Of a year
1t belongs to YOU"
THANK you" said Svensen.
On the theory that to give out a list
OF the contents Of the box would be to
Invite all manner OF fraudulent claims
Capt. Murphy declined to make public
the result Of his inventory.
THE stuff's worth every cent OF
$4,000 or $1,000, though" he declared
There are some Of the finest diamonds
] ever saw"
Svensen walked out of the station
house in a daze. The boy who had
loaned his sled to Connolly said he was
going to put in a claim for salvage.
Some OF the jewelry and diamond.
were in regulation jewelers. boxes, but
there were no names on them and alb.
solutely no clue to the owner Of the
property.