New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1911-11-08
DIAMOND Thieves
Women Are Experts In PurIoining
the Precious Stones.

Women Are Experts In PurIoining
the Precious Stones.
SOME TRICKS OF THE TRADE.
Clever Scheme Of . LIGHT Fingered
Lady Who Worked Nearly Every
Dealer In New York - Ingenious
Trick Of . Smooth Berlin swindlsr.
A former State street jeweler who
is now member Of jewelers. pro
tective association and travels over
the entire world In search Of dia-
mond and gem thieves told some Of
the interesting methods used by the
expert thief to steal jewelry, says the
Chicago News.
"Women make good diamond
thieves" be said. "as dealers must
not take chance Of offending Gus
toner, lest she be rich mans wife
or daughter whose trade II obtained
regularly would amount to thousands
a year. Any woman well dressed and
possessing a certain amount OF re-
fnement can see the entire stock OF
almost any dealer In the country.
When she Is clever enough she can
get stone or piece Of jewelry during
her inspection.
Zone New York woman came into
large store and asked to see some
unset diamonds. The proprietor OF
the store waited on her and showed
her large collection Of fine stones.
She displayed a monster roll of bills
and was about to. purchase an expen-
sive Jewel when she asked whether
her husband could see it. Why, GER
tainly.' replied the proprietor. We
will send 1t over to him now The
woman hesitated and finally asked
whether they would hold the stone I'M
til that afternoon and she would make
deposit of $40 on it.
This appeared perfectly proper to
the owner. but when she left two val
liable stones were missing. The wo-
man was hailed. taken to the police
headquarters and searched. The gems
we're not found on her. and in her in
dignation she threatened to bring suit
against the proprietor. He had been
sure she had taken the stones. but in
his profusion of apology offered to give
her the one she had been looking at
and at the same time refund her $40.
This was better than suit and the
loss of all the supposed friends OF the
woman. thought the dealer. She &C.
companied him back to the store and
while there. watched by detectives.
made her way up to the case where
she had stood before and. slipping her
hand along the under edge. recovered
the two missing stones. stuck there
in little ball of chewing gum.
"The detectives did not know posi-
lively at that time whether she had
taken anything from the counter. but
decided to keep further watch over
her. At another store several days
later. while she was inspecting gems.
stone was dropped on the floor 'ac-
cidentally.' and this also was lost
Gum on the front Of the shoe had
got this one. The woman was ar
! rested and confessed that she had
swindled nearly every dealer in New
York with her gum trick
"One Of the most ingenious thefts
was made in Berlin. where n fellow
walked into general jewelry store.
Knowing the owner had a fine dia-
rnnnd The thief wore an expensive
| diamond himself and went into the
store, apparently TO have an old Ger
MIN watch repaired. He started to
talk Of diamonds and exhibited his
uv, as ). choice stone He was shown
the o., her stone by the dealer. They
discussed diamonds III every phase
until the watch was repaired. when
{ the stranger started to pay for the
repairing. he exhibited II large roll
of bills and purposely overpaid. Dur
ing the slight confusion Of counting
his money and paying for his watch
he had substituted for the genuine Ola
mond paste stone. which was being
carefully wrapped up and placed II
its box by the dealer. while the
stranger was sauntering out with bis
watch.
.'The dealer saw a slight carbon
spot in the paste jewel as he was
closing the box and. knowing his
own jewel to be fawless. hurriedl!
examined the stone and apprehendee
the thief before he was half a blocl
away. secure in the thought that hi
was safe.
"He was taken to the store ant
every particle of clothing removed
and he was searched thoroughly. bu
the missing jewel could not be found
More through curiosity at the ole
time watch than anything else on
of the police opened the back of tn
case and found glittering up at hin
from the handspring the lost jewel
The thief confessed and got heav!
sentence.
There are just thousands of thi'
kind of cases." said the gem THE