Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-17
DAILY. STORY.
THE RADCLIFFE DIAMOND.

cases have had, the case of the Rad
cliffe diamond was, 1 think, on the
whole, the queerest. 1 call it the Rad
cliffe to distinguish it, for Mr.. Rad
cliffe was it's owner. One morning on
reporting at the office the chief told me
that the gentleman had lost very val
liable diamond, not much smaller than
some of the famous diamonds of the
world. and wished detective to try to
recover it. 1 called on Mr.. Radcliffe,
who took me into his study and said
to me:
You have nothing to do in finding
out who stole the diamond. 1 know
that already. What l want is its re-
turn. a diamond is so easily put away
where it cannot be found that the
greatest care must be taken to trap the
person who possesses it. The chief
clerk at my Office is the thief. / took
the diamond there and put it in my
safe The clerk-his name is Cole
MAINLAND myself alone knew the COM
bination. Coleman deliberately took
the diamond, knowing that l could not
prove him the thief and if l did l
could not recover the property. l have
offered him $4,000 to return it, but he
will not admit that he stole it till
offer him the price he has fixed for its
return, with indemnity against prose
cution. l wish you to trap him with
the diamond on his person"
l got an assistant to play detective
with Coleman, while / was to be his
real shadower. My object was to
drive him from his room and. indeed.
out of town, expecting that he would
take the diamond with him. My stool
pigeon found him the same evening III
billiard room and made it appear
that he was watching him. Coleman
went ut once not to his home, but to
the house of a relative. From there he
went to Il railway station. OF course |
was watching him from distance and
made up my mind that he had taken
the diamond from the house he had
visited and was going to try to get out
of the country with it.
Coleman went to the ticket Office and
bought n ticket to New York. 1 was
in line behind him and bought ticket
for the same place. 1 telephoned to
the office for assistants to keep him
in view till the train, which was not
due to start for an hour, should be off,
keeping out of his way. One of them
signaled me when he got on the train,
and as it pulled out l got on myself. 1
lad refrained from having him arrest
ed while in his own town, fearing that
he might have n confederate keep the
gem till the train started OF TO hand
it to in case of arrest. l preferred to
take my chances with him in Il region
strange to him.
took along an assistant and when
We had been on the road Il couple of
hours told him to let Coleman see that |
he was watching him. Then l went to |
another car. My object was to drive
him from the train. l also instructed
the assistant not to get off the train if |
Coleman did. / wished the fugitive to |
think that he had eluded the detective. |
At every station l looked out for my |
man, and it was not long before l saw
him, when the train stopped, alight |
and stand on the platform. When the |
train went on, he remained. Having |
fancied he would get on before the |
train started, l remained on the car |
Seeing that he would remain, 1 jumped |
off. He cast glance at me that told |
me my game of secrecy was up and |
must follow him as n sus-
pected detective
But it did not matter. The station
was at a small village, which was as
good place as any to try to recover
the diamond. Coleman went to no
tel. He did not enter his name on the
but sat down in the office. !
sat down opposite him. He knew. and
was willing that he should know.
that 1 was after him.
Presently he got up, walked out and
through the village and beyond, where
the road ran through a wood. follow
ed him, keeping my hand on my re-
volver. Coming to place where the
road turned through a cut, 1 was walk
ng with Il bank behind me when Cole
man suddenly turned and fired at me
so quickly that 1 had no time to pro
-ect myself from the shot l was not
and Coleman, instead of fir
ng again, threw away his pistol and
JAILED out that he surrendered
Somewhat puzzled, / advanced, hold
ng him covered, searched him for 9th
er weapons and, finding none, for the
diamond
1t was not on his person.
I was satisfied that he had tricked
ne. But how? 1 went to the side of
he road and picked up his pistol. 1t
vas an old fashioned one barrel pistol
If very large bore. What had he to do
With such n weapon? For n moment,
md moment only, was baked as
o his reason; then suddenly the whole
scheme flashed upon me.
Marching Coleman back to the viii
age, 1 put him in limbo, then returned
o the place where he had fired at me.
searched for an hour in the bank and
,eIOw If fhen when 7 was obout to