The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-01-06
.lTELLTALE PICTURES,
Paintings That Have Done the
Work of Detectives.
BROUGHT CRIMES TO LIGHT.

Instances of Where the Canvas Of an
Artist Led to Confession of Guilt.
A Wonan's Portrait and : Stolen
Diamond Ornament.
An artist who had suddenly becoma
almost famous by his production Of a
painting exhibited at the Royal acad-
envy was one day called upon by a
man whose visit was productive of the
most extraordinary and undreamed of
consequences.
Inc picture represented a lonely
stretch of beach, upon which the sea
was beating in long, creamy rollers. In
the foreground, bending over dead
body, was a man with a wild express
sion on his face and with a naked
knlte IN his hand. A ships boat, evil
IDENTITY just beached, was also in the
picture, and by the side of the MUIR
dered man was bag of gold. The pic
1ure portrayed the advent of two cast
Always upon friendly shore. The one
had murdered the other so that the
treasure might be his.
The painters visitor was gray hair
ed, wild eyed man.
In heavens name, sir,'' he gasned
out, chow did you learn the dreadful
story that you painted? | see Won
know all. murdered my mate Bill to
get the money that was his. | threw
MS body into the sea- l don't know
what impulse led me to the academy.
The first thing saw was your picture
representing the scene that took place
thirty years ago.
Needless to say, the picture had been
the outcome of imagination. Yet MUIR
der will out. and the guilty conscience
OF the man who had killed his comrade
for lust of gold had convinced him
that the painting was no coincidence.
but was indeed the actual portrayal of
a dastardly and unWitnessed crime.
= There is probably no picture better
known in England than '"The Doctor"
by Luke Fildes, yet there are proba
Oily very few people aware of the fact
that. that selfsame masterpiece was the
means OF bringing to light the per-
petrat1on of crime that would other
wise never have been known.
A certain doctor in a large town COM
mltted suicide, and among his papers
was a letter which ran as follows: 81
have today seen Luke Fildes' Doctor
The picture represents a medical man
watching by the bedside Of child. It
has so haunted me that am going to
take away my own worthless life and
make confession at the same time.
When Arthur's''- brother's-"b
died came into money that nv dead
brother had settled on him. He died
as all the world thought of acute pneu-
monia. Yet his life might have been
saved had l acted, as Fildes' Doctor
is so evidently doing, with the use of
all the skill that lay in my power. 1
fastened the boys end and so got the
money. l can bear it no more.''
A we'll known artist was commission
ed to paint the portrait of a lady in ex-
allied circles who boosted the possess
sion of most unique jewel in the
form of a pendant. The lady was very
anxious that this heirloom should be
included in her portrait. The artist of
course. complied with her request.
Shortly after the painting had been
completed Il daring burglary was per-
petrated. with the result that the lady
lost her heirloom. and no trace of the
thief or thieves was Forthcoming.
Years passed by, and the lady gave up
all hope of ever seeing the precious
heirloom again
Now. it so happened that the artist
who had painted the portrait of the
lady mentioned had occasion to travel
in India.
In the course Of his wandcrings he
came to Bombay and, as every visitor
to that place does. strolled through the
native bazaar
Suddenly his attention was riveted
by piece of jewelry in jewelers.
shop that seemed familiar to him. 1t
was diamond and ruby pendant.
Where had he seen it before: He ran
sacked his brain. but could not remem-
Der
He returned to his hotel and hap
pened TO take from his portfolio Il
sketch of the portrait he had made
years ago of the lady with the pendant.
In a moment the enigma was solved.
The piece of jewelry he had seen was
the peculiar pendant that his fair sit
ter had been so anxious he should in
clude in his portrait
He hurried off to the chief of police
and told that worthy what he suspect
ed-namely. that the bazaar he had
visited contained the long lost jewel
of the English lady Inquiries We're at
once set on foot with extraordinary re-
suits. The jeweler in the bazaar con-
fessed to having given years ago a
fQuite insignificant sum for the jewel.
7 which he had bought from stable
hap in the employ Of neighboring
fa3ah. The stableman was sought for
faFd tl1Ened out to be none other than
n q fa4ehs English craftsman who had
fppa 3y turned honest. but who.
fneTl confessed to having been
I ting Hthe jewel that had been