The Sentinel=record., 1913-03-11
VISITOR ROBBED
 OF HIS DIAMONDS
eoLDEsT JOB THAT HAS BEEN PULLED OFF IN HOT SPRINGS
 IN MANY YEARS.
Followed Fsrpo Banker to His Room Where He Accused Him of Being a Thief and Took His
 Property.

night, through one of the boldest pieces Of trickery ever attempted here by confidence men or thieves.
 The fact that the thief got only the two diamonds was probably very disappointing, because Mir. Roach carried in his inside coat pocket, large and wei flied bank book, which was so bulky that 1t showed easily from the outside, and which the thief probably believed was filled with big fat currency notes
 Mr Roach was sitting about the lobby of his hotel until about 10;s0 o'clock when he grew tired and thought to retire. There had been number of men sitting about the lob hy Of the hotel, and MT. Roach had observed in very casual sort of way the man who also took q notion to retire just when he did. and who step ped into the elevator when he did
 Mr, Roach Is an elderly man, and not given to close observation, but he did note that the other man rode on the elevator to the same floor he did, and that when he stepped out of the elevator the other did likewise. Mir Roach went down the long hall to his room, and the other visitor walk ed somewhat slower.
 shortly after Mr Roach entered his room there was knock on his door, and someone said they wanted to see him a minute. Mr Roach opened the door, and the stranger, who had step ped into the elevator and come up with him. was admitted.
 ''Welr' said the stranger to Mr. Roach, q guess l have made no mis- take. I have you, and you have to go with me-
 ''I do not understand. What do you mean@ Mir. Roach asked
 T am detective, and I have you sure"
 But then I have done nothing" Then the stranger explained to NIT. Roach in emphatic manner that there had been big robbery in the hotel that he answered the description giv- en of the thief that the diamonds he wore answered the description of the diamonds stolen, and he was sure that he was the thief.
 Of course. Mr Roach knew there must have been a mistake. The de tective" wasn't sure of the mistake tt..::c.s.:;s!!; ard ard suggested that Mir. Roach might have some papers or something to prove his identity.
 | Mir. Roach reached for the big fat | pocket book, and started to open it when the stranger took it. and prob ably thought he was getting fat 'swag" but he was disappointed The Look was filled with important papers. | and contained some New York Ex- 1 change, but no money There was only one thing that fesembled money and that was a Canadian dollar bill.
 which the stranger appropriated. The stranger looked over the ere dentials seriously. then informed MT i Roach that there might really be some | doubt about him being the thief he
 was looking for, but that before he
 let him go he would have to be cer- | tain
 In order to be certain of the situa- ton, the stranger suggested he would take Mr Roaehs diamonds down to the offiee,' and have them examined by the parties who had been robbed. and of course if they were not the ones stolen they would be readily re- turned.
 Mir. Roach aequiesced in this all 1 right but the stranger then had an- other point to cover He would be sorry to do this if MT. Roach were not the man, but it would be better for the detective" to lock MT. Roach in the room for abont fifteen minutes. and he would take the diamonds and see if the parties who lost them could identify them
 The stranger went out locked the door behind him. walked down the hall, dropped the key in a cuspidor in the hall took the elevator for the office floor stepped ont through the crowd in the office. and has not been seen since
 Mir Roach waited about 25 minutes when he woke up Then he sum moned a bell boy, had the boy bring pass key and let him out of the room, and went to the office and notified the manager
 Of course if Mir Roach had not beea vietimized by the confidence feature Of the act. he -gould have notified the office immediately after the stranger left the room, and the l man would not have ever gotten 1 through the office
 Mir Roach was not worried as to | the loss of the diamonds. which were l valued only al about $500, but he did feel very chagrinned that he had been so victimized by total stranger Of course he thought Of a hundred things he might have done. after the fellow was gone.
 There was not a very good deserip ion of the thief given the police. and there Is little doubt that he will not get away. The New York exchange in the pocket book was probably not considered worth the taking. but the thief had observed the big fat pocket hook and no doubt expected to get sf.000 or more from it when he got into the room.
 Yesterday afternoon Mir. Roach spent some tine with Robert Ellis of the Police department. going over he roster Of the Rogues gallery. in he hope of iinding some one whose sace could he identified as the visitor to his room
 sTha .ohtarv s..at r,n .r tho .s,o-t