Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-04-29
ROGUES IN UNIFORMS
Donned Official Clothes to Work
Their Victims.
CLEVER RUSSIAN SWINDLERS.
The Plausible Old Military Man Who
Made St. Petersburg Jewe,er Whom
He Robbed Act as His AeeompIiee.
The Energetic Police Agents.


Nowhere is uniform more potent
than In Russia. aud that fact has more
than once been utilized by swindlers
In their daring operations
Some years ago jeweler on the
Nevsky Pros,,ekt of ST. Petersburg re-
ceirtd visit one sunny afternoon
from en- old aud decrepit officer In the
uniform of a general The old gentle
man was assisted from his carriage TO
the counter 10y an attentive footman In
livery. The smiling ieweler received
him with the difference due TO his rank
and accommodated him with chair
The gentleman had come to choose a
birthday present for his wife.
The tradeSmIn displayed his most
valuable collars and tiaras. The vet
eran fingered over them lovingly. At
last he made choice of n costly suit
and intimated that II would meet his
purpose.
Tremblingly the old soldier sought In
his breast for his peck etbook He had
sailed forth without IL. The diSap-
pointment OF both shopman aud GUS
toner was acute. The general. how
ever. was not Il strategist without re-
source. With apologies he asked for
writing materials and essayed 10 pen
letter TO his home The excitement
acting upon his palsied hands made his
writing illeGible. The jeweler was I'm
despair. The old man sighed aud re.
marked upon the sad consequences of
campaigns. The jeweler w:s touched.
he had an Inspiration.
"Wili your excellency permit me to
write the instruction to your dicta-
tion?"
The general was delighted and most
gratefully accepted the offer.
On the business paper OF his firm the
jeweler wrote the stumbling words of
the veteran:
Dear Anna Il have need of money.
Please take 5000 rubles from my safe and
return by bearer. Lovingly yours.
IVAN.
The generals own footman was dis
patched with the note. The old man
sat admiring the jewels until In due
course the servant returned with the
5000 rubles. The tiara was bought
and paid for. The jeweler escorted his
distinguished client TO the carriage and
stood bowling as be drove away.
That evening when the jeweler re-
turned TO his home his wife asked why
be had withdrawn so large sum from
the family safe.
What sumg' asked the shopkeeper
I'm surprise
why. the 5000 rubles you sent for
this afternoon"
Five thousand rubles. don't un-
derstand."
Heavens. here's your letter.
The wife produced the letter In the
jewelers. own handwriting upon the
jewelers. own business note paper. and
he for the first time realized that the
common name OF Anna and the COM
mon name OF Ivan were respectively
those OF himself and his wife as well
as OF the palsied officer and his vision
airy spouse.
The jeweler had paid for the officers
tiara.
Or the same genre. though differing
In detail, was another swindle perpe-
trated upon a jeweler in st. Peters
burg. The mystery surrounding the
composition OF the secret service force
Is the most effective. too. In the hands
OF the intelligent Russian criminal
On the Grande Morskaln IS one of the
most magnificent jewelry stores I'm
Europe. the house of Fauberge. To IL
one day drove up spiendidly an
pointed eQuipage. I'm which were seat
ed two ladies. The ladies descended
at Fauberge's and; were received as
customers Of distinction. The older
lady introduced herself as the wife of
well known statesman recently re-
turned from abroad. She explained
that she had been authorized by her
husband TO choose collar OF dia-
monds. The jeweler spread before her
the gems OF his collection.
After much hesitation the lady nick
ed one OF the most expensive. but to
her dismay the price exceeded that
suggested by her husband. The sales
man dreaded to lose so profitable a
customer. Could not madam obtain
the consent of her excellency's hus-
band to the purchase? The lady medi-
tated and at length begged permission
TO drive to the Office OF her husbands
ministry-the distance was not great
TO show him the collar and gain his
permission to buy Ii. Her companion
would remain In the shop during her
absence as hostage. The jeweler was
delighted with the suggestion.
The lady departed In her carriage.
Time passed-quarter of an hour. half
an hour. threequarters of an hour.
Suddenly there rushed into the shop
two police agents. who announced
their authority and showed their off,
cial badges. They assured the aston
ished Fauberge that he had been
swindled. The jeweler trembled. He
produced his hostage The detectives
seized upon her. Protesting. she was
hustled into hack and driven away
TO the police office.
1t was the last the jeweler saw of
the woman. the police agents or the
diamonds. The detectives were the
coachman and. the footman of the
brilliant equlpage, who had changed
their clothes and returned to rescue
their accomplice.