Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-01

-~~ - sensation, and the only person
 who had the least interest in keeping the real facts of the case secret has now been dead for some time, leaving
 neither relatives nor other representa- tives Therefore no harm will be done in making the inner history of the case public On the contrary, it will afford an opportunity of vindicating the pro- fessional reputation of Hewitt, who is supposed to have completely failed to make anything of the mystery sur rounding the case.
 The cameo, as may be remembered from the many descriptions published at the time, was said to be absolutely the finest extant. It was a sardonyx of three strata-one of those rare sar- donyx cameos in which it has been possible for the artist to avail himself of three different colors of superim- posed 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 a half inches by nearly six. In subject it was similar to the re- nowned Gonzaga cameo-now the prop erty of the czar of Russia-a male and a female head with imperial insignia, but in this case supposed to represent Tiberius Claudius and Messalina. EX- perts considered it probably to be the work of Athenion. famous gem cut ter of the first Christian century.
 The Stanway cameo had been dis covered in an obscure Italian village by one of those travelling agents who SCOUT all Europe for valuable antiqui- ties and objects of art. This man had hurried immediately to London with his prize and sold it to Mir Claridge of St. James street, eminent as a dealer in such objects. Mir. Clarldge, recog- nizing the importance and value of the article, lost no opportunity in making Its existence known, and very soon the Claudius cameo, as it was first usually called, was as famous as any in the world. Many experts in ancient art examined 1t, and several large bids were made for its purchase. In the end it was bought by the Marquis of Stanway for f5,oo0 for the purpose of presentation to the British museum. The marquis kept the cameo at his town house for few days, showing it to his friends, and then returned it to Mir. Claridge to be finally and carefully cleaned before passing into the na- tional collection. Two nights after, Mir. Cartridges premises were broken into and the cameo stolen.
 Such, in outline, was the generally known history of the Stanway cameo. The circumstances of the burglary in detail were these: Mir Claridge had himself been the last to leave the premises at about 8 In the evening. at dusk, and had locked the small side door as usual. Ills assistant, Mir. Cut Ter, had left an hour and half earlier. When Mir. Claridge left everything was in order, and the policeman on fixed point duty just opposite. who bade Mir. Claridge good evening as he left. saw nothing suspicious during the rest of his term of duty nor did his sue cessors throughout the night.
 In the morning. however, MT. Cutler, the assistant. who arrived first. soon after Q o'clock. at once perceived that something unlocked for had happened. The door, of which he had a key. was still fastened and had not been touch ed, but in the room behind the shop Mir. Claridge's private desk had been broken open and the contents turned out in confusion. The door leading ou to the staircase had also been forced. Proceeding up the stairs, Mfr. 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 of the lock, which had been on the inside. In the ceiling of this room was q trap door, and this was six or eight inches open, the edge resting on the half wrenched of Eolt. which had been torn away when the trap was levered open from the outside.
 Plainly. then. this was the path Of the thief or thieves. Entrance had been made through the trapdoor. two more doors had been opened. and then the desk had been ransacked. AIr. Cutler afterward explained 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 Mir Claridge had himself undertaken the cleaning and Bad been engagcd on it, the assistant said. when he left
 There was no doubt. however. after Mir. Cartridges arrival at 10 o'clock. The cameo was gone. Mir. Claridge. confOundc,I at his loss, ex- plainel iRcohereutly and with curses on his own careleSsness that he had locked the precious article in his desk On relinqrishlns work on it the pre- viouS, erening.
 Tke police were sent for nt once. Of course. and every investigation male. Mr. Claridge offering a reward of E-n0 for the recovery of the cameo. By noon all the world was aware of the extraordinary theft of the StanwaT cameo.
 It was fin the afternoon of this day that LOri Stanway called on Martin Hewitt. The marquis was well knovru as member Cf learned societies aad a great patron Of art
 Probably you already R1eSs r1v business Nft- -4- ...- -4---.-- 20I have seen the ezrly evening paprs5 ] Just %. Then I needn't tell yOu agzz1 what you already know. Ny cameo Es l r--a and H.nssr~r vrra-t ff bars- AZ