The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-03-11
Thief DISPOSES
OF E:WELRY AT
HIS own STORE
Europe'S Master Crook Be-
hind Bars of Vienna
Prison.

VIENNA, March 11.-Europe's
master thief. Joseph Moransky, SO,
is again behind the bars; and the
Vienna police are determined that
this time he shall stay.
A goldsmith by trade, a front
door thief" by profession, Moransky
has been a source of concern to the
police OF almost every central Euro
pean city for several years past.
Many times he has been jailed but
never for long. He always escaped
after few days.
Several years ago, when almost
every one in Vienna was wondering
where the next meal was to come
from and when the bankers were
the only persons who were doing
any business, the Viennese were as
tonished to see a new jewelry bust
ness appear in their city. Concern
ing the proprietor of the store no one
knew anything except that he kept
1t constantly supplied with most rare
and beautiful ornaments which q
lady could desire. No order was too
extraordinary or too difficult for him
to fill. Whether 1t was for a dia-
mond tiara or a sapphire shoe
buckle, he guaranteed delivery.
Only Asked Time
All that he asked OF his customers
was few weeks in which to obtain
the necessary supplies.
In a room just over his store,
Moransky kept six goldsmiths busy
melting down old jewelry and max.
ing new pieces for his counters. At
times he would be away from his
business for several months. Where
he went no one knew.
All was going well with Herrn Mo-
ransky, the jeweler. until a notorious
thief in Budapest mentioned his
name during a cross-examination on
another matter. The Budapest DO
lice at once notified their colleagues
in Vienna that Moransky might bear
observation. The Vienna police
placed a detective on Moransky's
trail.
For a long time the detective could
get nothing definite against Moran
sky. He invited the police of all the
surrounding countries to send him
lists of valuables which had recently
been stolen In their districts. In
vain, however, did he search the
counters of MoraDsky's shop for
these jewels-the goldsmiths up
stairs had done their work too well.
A tiara stolen in Zurich proved
Moranskys undoing. 1t was so beau
tiful that he had placed it on sale
without reworking its setting. The
detective spotted it and arrested him.
Huge Loot
Following Moranskys arrest the
police of many cities were invited
to come and inspect his stock Here
they found jewelry from almost ev.
cry corner of Europe Afterwards
they visited Moransky in his cell.
There several Of them identified him
as a thief who had escaped from
jails in their country.
Among MOransky's possessions
was one Of the finest kits Of bur
glary tools ever seen by the Vienna
police. These tools were his IRE
serve" His usual method was to
carry with him hundreds of keys.
On Sunday he would pick out the
shop Of his choice, open it in broad
daylight, and take what he wished
from it as though he were a clerk
who had been sent by the owner of
the shop. The long periods of alb
sence from his Vienna business were
the times when he had been de
layed' in the jails Of foreign coun-
tries.
In the Vienna Jail Moransky has
been accorded the honor Of a spe-
| cial guard whose sole job is to see
that he does not cut his visit short
here as he has done In other cities.
In order that he may not get away
too easily he is given a different
cell each day.