Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-02-15
THE RADCLIFFE
DIAMOND

II
I'r.-.:.,t'
am a detective. Among the queer
cases have had. the ease of the Rad
CLIFF diamond was. | think. "n the
whole. the Gu,+r">t | call ii the Rad
Cliffc TO distinguish il. for Mr.. Kdd-
clilfc was It's owner. one morning IN
reporting ut the Office tn" chief told me
that the gentleman had lost Il very val
liable diamond, not much smaller than
some of the famous diamonds of the
world. and wished detective to try 10
recover it, called on Mr.. Radcliffe,
who took me into his study and said
10 me-
"You have nothing to do in finding
out who stole the diamond. ! know
that already. What | want is its re-
turn \ diamond is 50 easily put away
where it cannot be found that the
greatest care must be taken to trap the
person who Possesses 1t. The chief
clerk at my Office Is the thief. l took
the diamond there and put 1t in my
safe The clerk name Is Cole
mainland myself alone knew the COM
bination. Coleman deliberately took
the diamond, knowing that could not
prove him the thief and If l did /
could not recover the property. l have
offered him $4,000 to return 1t. but he
will not admit that he stole 1t till
o..er him the price he has fixed for its
return, with indemnity against prose-
cution. / wish you to trap him with
the diamond on his person"
got an assistant to play detective
with Coleman, while l 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 In
q billiard room and made 1t appear
that he was watching him. Coleman
went ut once. not to his home. but to
the house Of relative. From there he
went to railway station. OF course
was watching him from a 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 1t.
Coleman went to the ticket Office and
bought ticket to New York. l was
in line behind him and bought a ticket
for the same place. l 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 of,
I keeping out of his way. One Of them
signaled me when he got on the train,
and as 1t pulled out got on myself.
had refrained from having him arrest
ed while in his own town, fearing that
he might have a confederate keep the
gem till the train started or to hand
it to in case Of arrest. preferred to
take my chances with him In q region
strange to him.
took along an assistant and when
We had been on the road a couple Of
hours told him to let Coleman see that
he was watching him. Then went to
another car. My object was to drive
him from the train. I also instructed
the assistant not to get OF the train If
Coleman did. I wished the fugitive to
think that he had eluded the detective.
AT every station I looked out for my
man, and 1t was not long before 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. remained on the car
Seeing that he would remain, jumped
of. He cast glance at me that told
me my game Of secrecy was up and
henceforth I must follow him as q sus-
pected detective.
But it did not matter. The station
was at small village, which was as
good a place as any to try to recover
the diamond. Coleman went to a ho-
tel. He did not enter his name on the
register, but sat down In the Office !
sat down opposite him. He knew, and
was willing that he should know,
that I was after him.
Presently he got up, walked out and
through the village and beyond, where
the road ran through a wood. I follow
ed him, keeping my hand on my re-
volver. Coming to a place where the
road turned through cut, was walk
ing with bank behind me when Cole
man suddenly turned and fired at me
SO quickly that l had no time to pro-
tect myself from the shot. 1 was not
scratched, and Coleman, instead Of fir
ing again, threw away his pistol and
called out that he surrendered.
Somewhat puzzled, I advanced, hold
Ing him covered, searched him for 9TH
er weapons and. finding none, for the
diamond.
1t was not on his person.
was satisfied that he had trIcked
me. But how? went to the side of
the road and picked up his pistol. It
was an old fashioned one barrel pistol
Of very large bore. What had he to do
with such a weapon? For a moment,
and moment only, was baked as
to his reason; then suddenly the whole
scheme flashed upon me-
Marching Coleman back to the vii
lage. put him in limbo. then returned
W VIC PAeANO WACAC hO A0u Ia cu dt lQc.
l searched for an hour In the bank and
below 1t, then. when was about to
give up. concluded to scratch away
the earth in a line extended from where
Coleman had stood to where I had
stood. Presently 1 was delighted to
see something gllstening roll out. It
was the diamond. Coleman had fired
1t from his pistol.
Having both Coleman and the dia-
mond. returned with him to the city
and handed the one over to the author
tiles and the other to its owner. I
don't know which was more pleased at
my success, Mr.. Radcliffe or l. He
gave me q special fee for my services
which was enough to buy me a small
house. EDWARD 8. GrI.SNEY.
Bachelor Ignorance.
aren't men the limit?" said young
Mrs. Wheel. when told my brother
this morning that baby had just cut
tooth, he asked me savagely why