The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-22
eeX you may rest assured. Mr.. Con-
sui, that this department will


you see, they carry a very attractive
line of goods. but in the other cases we
traced the men and caught them before
they left the Colony"
The foregoing remarks were address,
ed by Inspector Wallace of the Hong
Kong police force, to the Hon. Mr..
Masuda, Consul for Japan. the lat
ter was about to leave the Inspectors
private office. He had been to inter
view him on the subject of a burglary,
a few nights before. in the establish
ment of one of his countrymen. This
was the well-known firm of Takimoto
& CO., dealers in curios and Japanese
works of art, whose show windows
were almost opposite the main en-
trance to the Hong Kong Hotel. and
whose store was a rendezvous for tour
lists and treasure hunters of every
kind.
"Thank you" replied the official
from Toxic, II am sure you will You
know that Mr.. Takimoto is one OF our
most respected residents in the Colony,
and he and his friends feel this loss
very keenly What especially worries
him is that there was not only the
theft of a very valuable work Of art,
but It was accompanied with wanton
destruction of property, as If some one
was trying to do him a personal in
jury"
IF there is anything of that kind in
1t, we will be sure to find It out. Sir.
but I am quite sure it could not have
been an agent of any of the other curio
dealers in Queens Road. for they are
our finest Chinese citizens. 1t would
only be some cheap shop-keeper down
on the water front that would descend
to that
These international jealousies are
pretty strong, sometimes. Mr.. Inspec-
tor
Yes know they are. but am sure
the standing of your firm is too high
for that. Sir. Messrs. Takimoto & Co.
are very popular with their Chinese
neighbors and subscribe literally to all
their charities. 1t must be just a case
OF simple villainy-the thief may have
injured himself in the dark. or he may
have been frightened away or some
thing else may have occurred to anger
him and he just took his spite out on
the first thing he came across; I've
often had them do it,
81 hope It is nothing more. Good
morning Sir
Good morning. Mr. Consul. and tell
Mr.. Takimoto that We are just as much
interested in this as he is and that
have put my very best men to work on
the case. We are sure to hear some
thing in a day or two"
The Japanese visitor stepped into hts
waiting jin-rik-sha and was whirled
away in the direction OF his Consul
late.
'Brownlow," said the Chief to his
Assistant. as they resumed their seats
in the Office, Our friend from Toxic
seems quite worked up about this
case
Yes, Sir. they feel very sensitive
about anything happening to one OF
their countrymen, especially in a port
like this. But, as 1 said to Mr.. Taxi
moto's head clerk. there's nothing per-
sonal in this at all-it's just plain out
and-out robbery, that's all, and it
might have happened to any English
firm Just the same as to yours"
Have you put the native officers to
work on the pawnshops?"
Yes. Sir, we're having a thorough
cleanup Of the whole lot"
Then have all the European hotels
warned to look out for curio dealers
and peddlers trying to sell to tourists
and have an officer at the gang-way OF
every steamer, to catch them If they
try to get on board. It's almost sure
to go to one of those two places, you
know"
las you say. Sir" replied the faith
full Brownlow.
Mrs Walter Weatherstone, wife Of
| the head of the firm of Weatherstone
& Co., Australian merchants, was very
proud OF her drawing-room and OF hel
wonderful collection OF art and curio!
which adorned It. She had been gath
! ering them here and there for a mum
Der Of years and now she felt quite
| fhat nOthinE
| finer in the Colony--or even in Shang
hal. Indeed. this was the tribute which
admiring friends and visitors paid, whit
! were her guests at teas and receptions
at which she presided with the grace
of a veritable Oriental queen. Need
less to say, she was one Of Messrs
| Takimoto & Co.'s best customers anC
they had a standing order to notify he
when any new and very attractive ar
ticle was to be offered for sale. jas
at this time they had put on exhibitio-
a superb piece of Japanese embroid
cry. and Mrs. Weatherstone had al
ready cast envious eyes upon it
center piece for the drawing-room.
was a screen. set IN richly carve
frame of lacquer and measuring som
five feet in height and four in widt'
! The figure was a peacock with out
| spread tail and the handiwork was b.
NlSnlmurd uneSt drtlSts- fOur Ilel
had worked continuously upon it 70
over three years and so delicate and s
perfect was the needle-work that tn
creature seemed to stand right on
from the screen and every individua
feather to be quivering with motor
Nothing approaching it in beauty ha
ever been seen in Hong Kong-but tn
price! All. that was what made eve
the richest resident and the most Law
ish tourist pause. for the figures 4
Mexican dollars ran up into the thou
sands!
MY dear Mrs. Atherton." said GU
hostess to her old friend who had jus
arrived on the mail steamer from Sgd