Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-08-05


John Sweeney. for tnany years an in
spector-detective at Scotland Yard. long
ago won reputation on both sides Of tile
Atlantic. He became connected with the
English police when quite young and
soOp earned a transfer to the Bureau of
Criminal Investigation which is better
known 10 the American public as Scot
land Yard" The case of the Hart gems
to which lie was assigned is given here
with more as an example OF the methods
pursued by English detectives than as a
specimen Of Inspector Swceneys indi-
Vidual skill The name of tile nobleman
has been disguised. and some permissible
license taken with the construction of the
story. but the main facts. though pre-
sented In composite form, are true. and
demonstrate that Sherlock Holmes has
his prototypes in real life among the pro-
fessiOnal police of Great Britain3 10. ~
Sir William and Lady Hart had the
reputation of being the most hospit-
able pair in all of Great Britqin-and
that is saying good deal They had
beautiful country seat just outside
OF London where they entertained on
paiatiai scale .D..,sls r.t p.
On the occasion, TO which the pres
emit story refers Sir William and Lady
Hart gave particularly elaborate af-
fair- 1t was severn day house party
concluding with brilliant ball. There
were some, 10 guests in all, & and four
OF them at least were related. to the
royal family.
J On the evening of the final day-it
must have been a F'lfday--theret was
a great ado over the preparations for
the bali No one was more excited
than Lady Hart herself. And well
might she be- for on that occasion she
s'to wear for the first time mag.
nificent creation from Paris. Be
sides. she was to deck herself out in
the Hart gems. Anyone who has ever
had The pleasure. of seeing these rare
old Family heifloom5 need rot be told
that they are both undue and costly.
My. lady Had been busi.y engaged in
her, boudoip with her maid for over
al hour, She, was -aA ready for the
ball. Everything was ia place ex-
-cept the gems-they lay on the dress.
ing, table ready TO be- fastened in
Lady Harris cofsaeeJ a. The clock Ion
the, nnntel rpealed opt seven ,siIyery
Strokes Lady Hart looked At her
maid sLe,S she was was a cqqnmp2Pssiqnptq WON.
my child you look thoroughly 2 oxE,
hausted I'm through wifi yiou1 Tor
the present. I can attach, the Ijeyels
TO my dress without Your aid. Go 10
sour rdom and rest and report. to me
again at midnight. 80 10" sl'hi 20
The girl rhahRed her mistress and
left ithef room.sf Lady yIfart gave Il
final SURVEY OF herself in ethe iilcne
pier mirtor, 1t was satisfactory. But
the feminine desire to set tho yjltdg
Snent OF some one else took posses
SiOQ OF her mind She picked up The
Jewels and was abopt TO ilAt them on
The large onetwaSE masnifieeptly, beau
tifGl 4 ii was a great !, ruby sur
moYnted with a glitteringt framewoyk
OF the purest diamonds. Two others
Ia the forms of cresceats. wefe pare
peatis-d Altogether they 'reprsS&ntel
a modest fortune Lady Hart hest
tated for 4 moment. She wanted tc
know What another / woman, ''woult
think Of her Partisan gown by Itself
minus the prestige which woald b,
given it by the famous gems. Lad,
Sutherland. her special friend. wa:
near by in q room GA hetqthef Sid;
of the corridor. She laid the, jewel!
on the dressing-tabfey and tripped on
OF the room, She was gone less thai
five minutes. $3.50 2
The Hart gems were CONS, l''.'f
AS the result OF that. John Sweeney
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF Scotland Yard
appeared on the scene ,4..{ ......-l
Sir William joined him in Ia
library and, the two men weat owe
all or the, facts in the case. Th
first order OF the detective was tina
TO lone should leave the house tina
night--it' was then about ten o'cloel
without the permission of the host
Detedtivel Sweeney z then inquire
ABOUT Lady Harris maid. . She SCENE
a natural iobject of suspicioH. , But. j
soon appeared that the, young voma
had a complete alibi. 1t was. prove
that she had gone to her room immj
diately AFTER being dismissed by he
mistress and being very tired ha
thrown herself on her couch and ha
slept sbundly amid an the excitemer
over the stolen jewels. Yesyvus fsd
Finally the servants were broHgt
n and crOss-questioned. They e,