Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24


and business.
1t : the lack of these two qualities
OF character" said Vidocq, one of
the famous directors general of the
Paris Bureau of Police, that inevi-
tably brings a thief to prison and a
slayer to the headsmans block, or
makes beggarly failures of them. The
police are patient and they persevere;
that's why they conquer in the end"
Vidocq has gone to rest with his
IrIumphS over the underworld of
Europe. but his explanation of why
the police can combat the sinister
organizations of criminals that flour
ish across the Continent still is up to
date.
But Signor Campinini. chief of the
Surveillance Bureau of the Police De
partment of Naples, shakes his head
when this matter of patience and
perseverance is mentioned as some
thing in which the police have {
monopoly. He will, on occasion. take
from his memorandum books certain
references to that affair of the Hamil-
on amethyst and the fishmonger in
the Piazza Emmanuel.
One day there is great excitement,
Sisnor Campinini observes, there is
-reat eXcitement-conSter In
deed-in the ancient castle residence
uf q noble family far up in Scotland.
II Is the family of the Duke and
Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon. A
beautiful duchess and a gallant duke,
Ivy the way.
THE collection Of historic jewels
and antiques of great value because
uf their past associations which is
carefully preserved in the Castle OF
Hamilton and Bra ndon is one of the
most famous in the world.
People arrive in the old town of
Brandon from far places to look with
something akin to awe upon many
items OF this priceless collection; upon
The huge Hamilton amethyst, the larg-
est perfect amethyst in the world, cut
square, and tiawless: or upon the sad
umened box of tortoise and gold which,
il is said. was the last present made
TO Marie Antoinette by the Marquis de
Lafayette. II is the box in which
the fated Queen kept the dainty wrap
pings OF tobacco which the marquis
brought her from America and taught
her to Smoke-the forerunner Of the
modern cigarette. Perhaps this box of
tortoise and gold was the worlds first
cigarette case. 1t went with Marie to
her last prison.
so it is pardonable that there is
great excitement in the Hamilton and
brandon castle when the entire collec-
ton, the marvellous amethyst and the
IOIIldIlllc lOIlOlSG DoA anu All lIlt rest
of the rare gems and jewelry. is found
to have been stolen.
Nothing is left. Not even dia-
mond that is yellow and muddy, and
almost worthless as an ornament. but
precious because it belonged to Queen
Eliza beth. Clearly. the crime has been
the work of a foolish thief, for to
whom might the Hamilton amethyst
he soldn Since every jeweler knows
lar * 9th il-o in ln Il
And to whom might Marie Antoi-
nette'S tortoise box be traded-since
# is of value only because of its his
tory. and It's very history would at
once proclaim it stolen goods? \
foolish thief, indeed, who must have
sought desperately for booty and had
not the patience to persevere else
where until something more salable
and profitable might be found.
The village conStableS guard the
castle while the experts from Scotland
Yard. in London, are arriving. Surely
there will be a quick arrest and re-
Covery of the marvellous collection.
Almost Immediately the inspectors
from Scotland Yard announce that the
ornaments were taken, Individually, by
some one within the house who knew
every secret of the household, and who
had duplicate keys to many great
locks and who had spent many days
1ooseniug panes of glass on the sealed
cases III which the amethyst and the
tortoise box and other things were
kept.
The inspectors, each of them a
veteran In his line, set to work with
determination. y year went by: two
years passed. The mystery deepens.
Then it is permitted that I. humble
chief of department here in Naples,
discover just how patient and perse !
vering a thief may be- And l learn it
from tho fishmonger i'll the Piazza
Emanuel
60. this is the story of the theft of
~ the jewels that had been collected |
by the Dukes OF Hamilton and Bran |
don in Scotland crime that echoed /
around the world when it was an
nounced
The famous Chief Inspector Savage |
Of Scotland Yard then just becoming |
mediate charge of the investigation. |
The theft of the constableS had |
promptly thrown Gordon around the |
castle walls and had begun their |
search of the countryside-a thinly |
populated district where any pedes- |
trian would be noticed.
There had been no strangers, or |
~
not accountable, in the neighborhood !
for the previous "A hours. The con- i
stables and Inspector Savage We're |
convinced the thief still was in the |
house and the collection of gems also. |
The servants and attaches, many of |
them ancient Servitors who had been Il |
lifetime in the Hamilton Bra ndon |
family. We're confined to their |
quarters. For the time being the |
beautiful duchess and her two daugh |
+ers foraged in the pantries for the !
dukes meals and made their own beds |
which certainly they'd never done !
before. No servant or attache was |
allowed to leave his or her own room |
until each had been patiently ques- |
toned.
For some of her old servants the !
duchess pleaded, but Inspector Savage !
mas relentless. IF / do not find the /
thief among them. madame, | shall /!
oven suspect you and your daugh- !