Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-05-18
HOGUES N UNIFORMS
ponned Official Clothes to Work
Their Victims.
CLEVER RUSSIAN swlNOLERS
The Plausible Old Military Man Who
Made st. Petersburg Jewsier Whom
He Robbed Act as His Aeeompiies.
The Energetic Police Agents

The Energetic Police Agents
Nowhere Is a uniform more potent
than In Russia. and tina, fact has more
than once been utilized ny swindlers
iu their daring operations
Some years ago ieweler on the
\evsky rrUSpekt of 81. Petersburg re-
celved visit one sunny afternoon
from on old aud decrepit officer In the
uniform OF general. The old gentle
mau was assisted from his carriage to
the counter by an attentive foctman In
livery. The smiling jeweler received
him with the Difference due 10 his rank
and accommodated him with n chair.
The gentleman had come to choose a
birthday present for his wife.
The tradesmLu displayed his most
valuable collars and tiaras. The vet
eran fingered over them lovingly. At
last he made choice OF costly suit
aud intimated that II would meet his
purpose
Tremblingly the old soldier sought In
bis breast for his pocketbook. He had
sailed forth without It. The disap-
pointment OF both shopman and GUS
toner was acute. The geaeAl. how
ever. was not strategist without re-
source. With apologies he asked for
writing materials aud essayed to pen
n letter to his home. The excitement
acting upon his palsied hands made his
writing illegible. The jeweler was In
despair. The old man sighed and re-
marked upon the sad consequences of
campaigns. The Jeweler was touched.
He had an inspiration.
"Will your exceilency 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
teweler wrote the stumbling words OF
the veteran:
Please take 5000 rubies from my safe and
return BY bearer. Lovingly yours.
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 jeweier escorted his
distinguished client TO the carriage and
stood bowling rs he drove away.
That evening when the jeweler re-
turned TO his home his wife asked why
be had withdrawn so large n sum from
the family safe.
What sumT' asked the shopkeeper
In surprise
why. the 5000 rubles you sent for
this afternoon"
Five thousand rubies. don't I'M
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 aud the COM
mon name OF Ivan were respectively
those OF himself and his wife as well
us 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 n jeweler In st. Peters
burg. The mystery surrounding the
composition OF the secret service force
Is the most effective, too. I'm the hands
OF the intelligent Russian criminal.
On the Grande Morskala is one OF the
most magnificent jewelry stores In
Europe. the house OF Fauberge. To IL
one day drove up a splendidly ap-
pointed equipage. In which were seat
ed two ladies'. The ladies descended
ar 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 10 choose collar OF dia-
monds. The jeweler spread before her
the gems OF his collection.
After much hesitation the lady pick
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. three-quarters 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
swiDdled. The jeweler trembled. He
produced his hostage The detectives
seized upon her Protesting. she was
hustled into a hack and driven away
TO the police Office.
Ii 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 equipage. who had changed
their clothes and returned to rescue
their accomplice.