The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-07-09

well-known detective agency. 80
thAt the prevalence Of Jewel rohhes
len BY guests b mot even dimly ~.
Tied, and that the victims AZ ~
last people to be convinced, ris'
he says, II what makes life h;.rSS1
for detectives.
A society woman EMPLOYS a a.
to recover her $4,000 breas2
stolen out Of . dresser draw
ing . dinner party. He CO..
quixzes the servants and ovassis
her - to how many people ~ h.,
drop 1t In the drawer. Only -.
her friends, she tells him. ~ n
10 indignant when he insisfa
their names. He looks thsn :,
and finds that one Of the -
women has only q small incone p
money goes in that strata q
ciety. that she is In debt, and ti.i
she made . short trip to New r.;
the day after the party. Yet ~
he reports this to the woman r.
employs him. she, as likely q ~
refuses to allow him to ouesis
her friends. as it would be a =
suit. So the detective, havins =
lowed other clues to no purpose r
to give up the job and the an
burglar continues her social q
with her honesty unquestione
she has foreseen.
This sort Of thing. Mr.. Bird
says, happens all the time. 1
counts largely for the estimate ..
Of all the jewels reported q e
ing only about one-fourth IN
covered.
These amateurs rarely II eva \.
sort to burglars methods. n
is no business Of entering window
at night with fashlight and NH.
cambria mask. Theft for them 4
made ridiculously easy. Time N
again they have heard their hca
mention carelessly the fahulcm
cost of this bit Of vric-a-brac, Of q
that necklace, and so when chsnu
sooner or later leaves the gust
alone and face to face with the d.
ject of value, it is unobtrusivSly
stored away and the incident i
closed.
A Curious Casa
An interesting case OF this eogt
happened in Washington during 1
reception given by a wealthy naa|
we'll known in society. One Of q
guests was a popular youth whE
chief drawback to happiness
his small income. This youn
was alone in a parlor when he
seen by a detective present TO Z
a tiny Japanese carving. Pre-
he slipped it in the coat-tail n
| of his dress suit. The detectiy
formed the host, who begga
nothing be done.
But a few days later . cut
| dealer telephoned the owner q ~
carving. You remember" be I'll
II sold you a bit of japanese orI
ing for $500. Well, you know n
Japs rarely duplicate. and anyway I
know a mark on your piece. It M
brought here Just now by . ycslg
man who wants 500 for it. ! toll
him to come back for the money
This time there could be no ques'
ton of the young mans gut =
i the owner sent the detective to I
shop. When the young man q,
in the detective held up the carv,
and said pleasantly. This belc(
to Mr.. K" The society man
formally to the dealer and
.tective and left the store Wild
word. He has not been 90
these parts since.
Comparatively few robbers
this sort occur in Washington,
ever. Despite the more and -
wealthy people of national -
who spend part of their time b ..
capital, there is not a great dsal I
wealth in the city. Wash!ngtoa !
known as the thieves grayeyat
partly because Of this lack OF =
Iterial worth stealing. but mofs y
cause the city police system
known to be unusually free N.
graft, SO that a thief cannot 81
Iby political pull as is often done y
1.-THE big centers of underworld e
tivity.