davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

At first the burglaries were con-
sidered separate, as the work of diff
ferent men. Then were discovered
several factors in common in all these
thefts. First was the fact that the
burglars In each case were themselves
artists in their line. Not a finger
print, not a careless slip. not the
slightest clue did they leave behind
for the police to work on.
Then the peculiar fact became clear
that in every case only one or AT
most two objects of art were stolen,
when it would have been compare
lively easy TO increase the haul with
little increase in the danger of getting
it away. Minor. but nevertheless
profitable. loot. like silver and even
gold objects, were clearly disre-
garded, not merely overlooked.
There was but one serious argu-
ment against the theory OF a single
hand operating on all these jobs. 20
lice know that criminals specialize in
their work as well as the rest of hu-
manity. A second-story burglar will
not go in for safe cracking: safe
cracker will rarely bother with pic
lures, and a midnight worker will
almost never venture on a daylight
robbery. But in this series almost
every ki1u OA uuIE itstd pNVh Nei
ried off with artistic finish.
I EFT us call the detective who was
a. given the case TO run down
Dornay He is still in the service, and
NJ Faralioue. chief of the detective
bureau of the Paris police. who an
alyzed this case for me, does not want
his detectives advertised: for the bet
Of hi q
the less value he is to the detective
force Dornav embodied all the gifts
and all the limitations Of the Paris
detective.
Highly ina ginative. he had little pa
thence for the patient. plodding, drudg-
gin thoroughness with which Scotland
Yard works on clue. SO that he
considered instinctively only those
methods which would win in a bril-
liant gamble Temperamental as an
artist, he worked best alone. A Paris
criminal hunt is more likely To be
solo performance than with almost
any other police.
Dornay sat down to study his case
almost as a fiction writer sits down
to weave his story when the first chap
tiers are already written, but the end
ing is still a blank. suppose / have
my villain do this or that" muses. the
writer Suppose my burglar--or is
It a bands after loot as loot, "
unused Dornay Then | must look
mainly to the receivers of stolen goods
for my results. But not single ar
ticle has been traced in all Europe.
So away with that theory.
"Oe course. they may be biding their
time and may sell only after they
think the affair has quoted down. But
81 know thieves at all. | know they
aren't patient about waiting TO cash
in their takings. Now suppose my
villain-or Yillains-are stealing Tor
themselves, for their own homes.
"Preposterous? Preposterous to
imagine in real life what the English
author imagined for his own burglar
hero. Raf1es? OF course not. Nothing
is preposterous for the imagination
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

stranger would never walk into the
trap. For while the police were in
terrogating Touchon at the police
headquarters in the early hours of
dawn, the lone Waterman who had
been left at the Aragio home was
knocked on the head by some one
who must have stolen in through the
very window forced by Touchon, and
the gold chalice was stolen
What added to the sensation was
that the Aragio home soon after dis
solved into thin air and the Aragios
disappeared. 1t was months later
that the real story came out. The
AragioS We're agents of Dornay'S.
Their lavish home had been stage
set gotten together at the expense
of the victims of the Etoile robberies
in the hope of trapping the perpe
traitors.
The whole. was n brilliant scheme
by Dornay-and brilliant failure
Now that the bird for whom the net
had been spread had actually flown
off with the bait. the Aragio fur
nishings were scattered to the places
whence they had been borrowed; and
the hackers of DornaY'S imagination
had the cost of the golden chalice to
bear.
But Dornay did not lose heart al
together. There had been a side line
to his experiment which up to then
he had not followed up, for reason
that is characteristic of the differ
ence between the Scotland Yard man
and the Paris detective. Dornay had
prepared the other plan to be used
only if his main and gambling chance
did not work out. The other scheme
required much laborious and CO.
operative working up and Dornay
did not want to have to resort to 1t
unless his gamble failed. Now, how
ever, he was forced to use it IL he
wanted to save anything from the
wreck.
x X 4
THE guests at the Aragio soirees
had been lavishly treated to re-
freshment. The two flunkeys who
served delectabe wines and tidbits
always wore gloves when handling
the bottles and wine glasses the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

The art dealer studied the list long.
Suddenly his hands went out in an
expressive French gesture. But this
man is a master of the art of arts
thu blending of many works Of art into
the perfect ensemble of a palace such
as only an artist would combine! For.
see! am imagining a room in which
are placed all these objects he has
stolen. 1t would be of a harmony and
beauty unsurpassed.
Every object stolen belongs with
every other, although they have been
taken from different homes. / see the
room, / see the style of the man
electric. widely cultured. rich in appe-
tite for color, yet sensitive to the
slightest discordr
Then it is some one and not
band that does the choosing" Dor
nay exclaimed. But how does he
come to possess 50 many different
kinds of skill in burglary"
LAS to that ! cannot help you" the
art dealer said. Il only know art
objects"
II was only musing aloud" Dornay
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

The hostess stared Indignantly at
the obviously amused detective, but
led the way to her room. When they
opened the door they found an ex-
ceedingly attractive young woman,
Mile. Saurel, comfortably clad in the
hostess peignoir, lying in bed, read
ing a novel and smoking a cigarette
with every evidence of enjoyment.
She was Coriot's mistress; had pre-
tended to be sick: had changed clothes,
or rather given Carrot hers to put on
when he followed her into the room;
and was now calmly asking for the
loan of clothes to go home in.
X X
Darts had it's laugh at Doorway over
the episode. Doorway apparently
was chagrinned; at least in public. But
privately he seemed little disturbed.
He had not been as stupid as Coriot
imagined. The "thickhead" of a po-
liceman who had trailed Coriot so
obviously had been selected for the
task by Doorway precisely because he
looked so "thickheaded. Having
eluded him easily Coriot thought he
had eluded all.
But one OF Dornay's cleverest
friends on the detective force was
Of sight. And from him Dornay was
still receiving messages that told him
where Coriot could be had any time
Dornay wanted him.
Doorway wanted him. of course. But
he first wanted Coriot'S collection OF
loot. Once arrested Coriot would
never reveal the hiding place OF all
the choice things he had stolen. So
Doorway sprang the trap apparently,
let Coriot escape and hoped that his
refuge would prove to be also the
hiding place of his loot. But thus far
Coriot had not revealed it. Doorway
possessed his soul in patience while
waiting word from his colleagues.
One of these colleagues was young
woman who was keeping watch. not
over Coriot, but his mistress, the
charming, brilliant, rather spoiled Mile.
Saurel, who had helped him escape by
her ruse at the afternoon tea. Dor
nays feminine colleague, a clever
Prussian actress OF less talent on the
stage than in the employ of Dornay,
played under his guidance a difficult
role with Mile. Saurel.
She had no difficulty meeting her,
for she went to Mile. SaurePs house
and asked to see her Mile. Saurel,
keenly on guard, had her admitted.
Mile. Saurel," Dornay's assistant
said bluntly, II have come to betray
Dornay. My motive is revenge. He
has betrayed me. He has played on
my affections so long as 1t amused
him. Now that he has found some
one else I no longer count. / will
let no man play fast and loose with
me. He thinks that because he is of
the service de surete that he Is safe
from punishment.
But he is counting without me. /
know that he is set on capturing your
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

CONSERVATION. Impossible! / was
watching the front of the houses"
|, He tore the note open and read:
Doorway: You're a man of intelli-
gence. but really you don't credit me
with any. Don't you suppose 1 took
means to find out who was working
on this case? once / knew 1t was
you 1t was not so difficult to realize
what was really behind that Aragio
domicile, with its sudden arrival on
the scene
poor Touchon, l simply had to
have some foolish pigeon to spring
the trap. l knew that once you took
him off to the station l could come
and nibble at the bait safely. But
you hurt my vanity when you set
such a thickhead to watch me as the
poor fool who is perhaps still waiting
for me to come out.
my compliments to you for your
near-succeSs. +.
DORNAY'S man rushed out of the
- house and gave him the note.
He read it. The poor young police
man expected a storm and braced
himself for it. Instead Doorway said
mildly:
at will be interesting to know just
how he got away. Let's go in and
see''
They interviewed the hostess, who
was greatly agitated by now.
st don't know what to make of
it," she told Dornay excitedly. Mile.
Saurel, who came to the tea with
NJ Fuchs, suddenly felt faint and
let her go to my room and lie down.
| Half an hour later she came out, her
cloak collar about her face, and
seemed so i'll she couldn't speak and
could only gesture that she wanted
to go home. l looked for M. Fuchs,
but he could not be found. / wanted
my husband to see her home, but she
shook her head violently. SO my
husband saw her down to taxi
Suppose we take a look for her
in your ROOM" Dornay Interrupted.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

At any rate il costs little To let the
imagination play. SO let us play with
the idea that the burglar or burglars
are stealing for themselves. Let us
consider then what sort of things they
steal"
lie made a infinitely descriptive list
of the objects stolen in the whole
series of burglaries. Then he called
in famous art dealer and said:
Look this list over and tell me
do YOU see anything in common to
all these objects. any taste that would
include them all. any interest in a
given period of art. or in any partic-
ular school or StVle?"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

volVing the sale of faxed and forged
paintings He had served three years,
left prison and was never heard from
aeain--until his fingerprintS on
wine glass at one of the Aragio
soirees brought him to Dornay's no
tiCe.
Dornay went to work investigating
Coriot with the stealth of a cat stalk
ing rat lie was living in a quiet,
tastefully furnished apartment in the
Etoile section, alone He was known
as Rene Fuchs, an Alsatian expert in
art and idling, something of a favor
tie in Etole drawing rooms and APP
parently possessed of comfortable
means.
:; 4 * *
CECRETED in a window across the
~ street from Coriot's house, Dor
nav watched him day after day until
he got to know what hours he usually
spent away from home. Then one
dav when Coriot had left, Dornay
went across the street and with skele
ton keys let himself into Coriot's
apartment.
The most diligent search failed to
reveal the least object taken by the
Etoie burglars in any of their nu-
merous jobs. Nor could Dornay find
anything that directly proved any
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

" IRST a duel of wits. brilliant,
l. fitful, temperamental; then the
flash of revolved fire - this
Il seems to be the typical story
when the Paris police hunt the
French criminal. Let us consider. for
example, a case that agitated Paris
not so long ago.
In the fashionable district around
the Arc de Triomphe. in what is
known as the Etoile section of the
city, series of robbeNes attracted
attention at. that time because of the
exquisite taste of the burglars. In
each case the home robbed was that
of some rich connoisseur. and the OBJ
jects taken We're always works Of art
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

guests had used. Those who gave the
matter a thought took this bit of
elegance as an exotic novelty. None
of them understood the real purpose
of this innovation.
The dishes and glasses handed the
guests were first polished perfectly
clean. When the guests received
them from the gloved hands of the
f1unkeys there was no trace of hui
man touch upon them. But when the
f1unkeys took the same dishes and
glasses back, there were on each
glass and plate the fingerprints of
the guest who had handled them.
These fingerprints were photo
graphed and recorded on cards along
with the names and other informa-
ton about each person whose i'm
prints the cards bore. Doorway, who
had arranged the scheme, thus ac-
cumulated a large number of finger
prints and data of guests who never
dreamed that they were being re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

CORIOT'S career OF art burglary was
labor OF love-love for Mile. Sau.
rel. He had promised to make for her
home such as only millionaire
lover OF art and beauty could afford
to fit up. He had kept his word. He
had bought the little villa in the Ita1-
ian Riviera and little by little, through
his taste for art and his skill as q
burglar, fitted up a little temple OF
beauty.
In pursuit of his plan. Coriot some
times engaged criminals TO do this or
that difficult bit OF specialized burg
larry. But most OF the jobs he worked
out himself, developing q virtuoEty
and versatility in burglary almost I'M
paralleled In criminal annals.
Coriot was taken back to Paris,
tended so we'll that he did not die OF
his wound, and was eventually given
a comparatively light sentence.
Dornay's reputation thrtved by this
case. But 1t was Dornay's reputation
that stood out, the work OF an indi-
vidual rather than that Of an organi-
zation. And therein lies the striking
difference between the police OF Paris
and those of Scotland Yard:
THE END.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23
etween Versatile BURGLAR and Lone Crime Expert

hall" the man said. There is no
need to disturb the whole party"
The maid went in and came back
with an envelope.
M. Fuchs seems to have gone"
she said, though it's strange l did
not see him leave. But he left this
note for some one he expected would
ask for him"
Hes left?" cried the policeman in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23
By Joseph Collomb.


Dornay of the Paris "Surete" Was Some
thing of an Artist IN the Detection Of Crime
Paris and the Art Burglar" Had the Laugh
Hin, for WhIe-or so 1t Seemed-But Dor
nay Laughed Last
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-23

corded as exactly as convicted Grim
inals are. The detective had let
these records accumulate, hoping to
be saved the trouble or having 10
work further on them. But he knew
now his trap had been sprung and
the bird would never return to that
particular snare.
So Dornay and a staff of assistants
went to work on the fingerprints and
looked up each of them In the rec
ords of French criminals already re-
corded in Paris and other cities. Sc
cret pasts of several men and women
who enjoyed exceedingly respectable
regulations were thus brought to
light.
But of the six or seven cases thus
revealed only one interested Dornay.
One set of the fingerprints was also
found in the files of the Paris police
and identified as those of Eugene Co
riot, convicted Of clever swindles in
New Britain herald., 1927-08-01
Dissertations
On The Weather

Washington, Aug. 1.-Forecast for
Southern New England: Partly
cloudy tonight and Tuesday, prob
ably with showers tonight. Not
much change in temperature.
Moderate southerly, shifting to
westerly winds.
Forecast for Eastern New York:
Thunder storms tonight and prob
ably in extreme south portion
Tuesday morning. Fair in central
and north portions Tuesday: cooler
Tuesday and in north portion to-
night; fresh south winds.
Conditions: Pressure is relatively
low this morning over the north
Atlantic states, ontario. the Lake
region and Ohio valley. 1t is
relatively high over the Gulf and
south Atlantic states. This pressure
distribution continues to produce
south and southwest winds accom-
panied by warmth and high mois-
ture content in the eastern states.
A strong area of high pressure is
overspreading the plains states from
the Canadian northwest. 1t is caus-
ing considerably cooler tempera-
lures over the northern plains
states and eastward into the upper
lake region.
Conditions favor for this vicinity
cloudy weather followed by fair and
slightly cooler.
New Britain herald., 1927-08-01

vantage the river gives to the city
water service and minimum freight
rates which the railroad strives TO
meet.
The state hospital perches on a
high hill alongside the river-and
there can be no doubt about it that
when this institution was built the
promoters had a good site to offer
the state. The state hospital hill is
the one eminence along the river at
Mddletown that stands out as a
place where nature did an especially
fine job.
Middletown commercially is as
piring; for a good part OF the spring
it broadcast its advantages and
achievements to the remainder of
the state. And the city has advan-
tages, without a doubt; but there is
a possibility it is overlooking its
points of natural beauty for COM
mercial possibilities.
Middletown is beautifully situated
upon a river Of Importance. We
should like to see Middletown take
better advantage of its opportunities.
New Britain herald., 1927-08-01
over 6 MILLION
IN AUTO RECEIPTS
This Is Half Year Report, Elk.
elusive Of Gas Taxes

Receipts of the state motor We
hicle department in the first six
months of this year amounted to
S6,174.2S1.93, exclusive Of the re-
turns from the gasoline tax, an in
crease over the income for the
corresponding period OF last year of
17.S per cent. The departments in
come for the half year was larger
than for the entire year 1925.
Fees for registration of 271,116
motor vehicles constituted the larg-
est single item of income, s5,O50,-
421,46. OF this amount. s3,546,773.70
was paid by 220,415 owners of
private motor vehicles.
From the licensing of 2S9,423 OPP
orators receipts of sS74,579 result
ed There We're 29,657 more oper-
ators at the end Of the period than
there We're a year earlier, an indica-
ton of the steady increase in the
proportion OF the population entitled
to operate cars on the states high
ways.
Examinations were given to 30,577
applicants who paid S61,172 in fees.
The various courts turned over
s105, 3S5.92 in fines and fees re-
ceived as the result of convictions in
motor vehicle law violation cases.
New Britain herald., 1927-08-01
rs Years Ago Today

At the meeting of the street COM
mittee last evening it was voted to
require the Connecticut Co. to lay
grooved rails instead of Trails in the
fire district. Mr.. Curtis asked Man
ager Terry if the company could sub
stitute the grooved rails for the ''T''
type within two years, and Mr..
Terry. who had on hand a large
stock of the banned type and did
rot like the turn of affairs any too
we'll, said he did not care to answer
the question.
A Herald reporter called the at
tention of Registrar Scheuy yester-
ton laws providing that a voter once
registered with one party stays on
the list until he asks for an erasure,
Formerly it was necessary to regis
ter for every caucus.
G. J. Parker and wife are al
Fishers Island for a few weeks.
Editor and Proprietor Doyle of the
Record and family are sojourning
at New London.
Chief Rawling left today for ST
Johns, New Brunswick, where he
will attend the national convention
Of the Temple of Honor.
\ cruising party left town today
intent upon q weeks sail on the
Sound The party is made up Of c.
Woodford GrisWold, Guy Fitch. Car
rett Z. Fitch, Howard Humphrey
Robert Parsons. and Win Bowman
Liieutenant-C ononel Thomspon is
one of the delegates chosen by
Washington Camp, p. o. S. of A, to
attend the state convention in Nor
Walk next week.
The Globe Clothing house on Main
street plans TO make repairs. build
ing nov front of metropolitan
style and lowering a step to the
street.
William Noble had II chickens
killed by dogs this morning. He has
had 40 chickens killed in this way
during the past week.
a hearing on the Arch street ho-
lCgna factory viii be held before the
health committee on August IL. II
should be spicy.
The Saturday half holiday has
become an appreciate institution
and those who predicted it would
used in riotous festiyity have beer
grievously disappointed. 1t is true
people use It for purpose OF amuse-
ment, but that vas the purpose oil
New Britain herald., 1927-08-01
SCUTTLING THE SHIP
AT NAVAL CONFERENCE

Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin,
asked If he and President Coolidge
might meet to discuss naval arma-
ments, replies that he has been
aboard ship for week and has been
out of touch with Geneva.
President Coolidge, vacationing at
Rapid City, has been devoting more
time to wearing cowboy costumes
and fishing than TO naval arma-
ments.
The British spokesman at Geneva
some days ago returned TO London
during a hiatus of the conference,
there to confer with somebody. Bald
win, supposed head Of the govern
ment, was on the high seas at the
time. Consequently who they con-
ferred with is not clear; anyhow.
they did not change their minds.
The American delegates, by cable,
have been comforting with Secretary
of State Kellogg at Washington.
One set of delegates blames the
other for failure to date of the con-
ference, And the people in Britain
are propagandized to blame the
Americans; the Americans are led TO
blame the British. Postpouemcnt has
revived hope Tor ultimate success;
but if that is eventually attained the
British must give up some of their
unreasonable contentious. At this
they are not adopts,
While protesting no desire to ex-
tend an iron fist across the ocean,
the American delegates, Hugh Glib
son and Admiral Hilary 2. Jones.
have staunchly upheld a reasonable
application of American rights to
build cruisers and auxiliary craft on
parity with England.
While still believing in the tenet
that blood is thicker than water and
that friendly hands should be ex-
tended across the seas, the British
delegates, the RI Hon. w. c.
Bridgemln, first lord of the admir-
atty, Lord Robert Cecil. and Admira
Jelicoe, have talked armaments
with the folly OF pre-war diplomats
To the surprise of many observers
Japan has had less OF an axe to
grind at the Geneva conference than
Great Britain. The japanese dele