New Britain herald., 1930-04-10
Cardinals Ring Vanishes In Room Before Experts
The Disappearing Ring

HThe most astounding mysteries, Jacques Feselon, noted detective, once said to the writer, "have the most simple solutions. There are d. ways exceptions, but such eXcep- tons are rare"
 It was suggested that he give an example of what he had in mind.
 T had been working in the Unit ed States dozen years or so, most private work for very wealthy manufacturer. I will call him Jones' because it isn't his name at all Jones had a hobby, the collo@- ton Of historic objects-most'y small objects like jewelry, snuff boxes, fans and the like. They had to have once belonged 10 royalty or at least 10 personages whose deeds now adorn the pages Of history.
 Sometimes I had to look up the authenticity of some such objects before MT. Jones would make th2 purchase, although most of my work was along more prosalc lines that had to do with the business af- fairs.
 Once Owned by Cardinal
 Mrs. Jones got hold Of an an- tiaue ring. It was said to have been the property of Cardinal Richelieu, given to him by the Duke of Meyers. Mir. Jones had me com9 over to his home where he had 9 room he termed an office" ' was not large room. It had q few pictures of some of his manU- featuring plants, filing cases, saI2, table desk and some leather chairs. There was a fireplace. a easement window and a cased-in radiator. Mir. Jones wasn't certain of the man who was offering the ring for sale and he had an expert engaged 10 appraise It. l was wanted 10 sit about as one of Mrs. Jones guests and to see if I could recognize the man with the ring for sale, as ] knew by sight q. score or more oI internationally famous crooks wno often handled ake stuff of sup posed great value.
 T had never seen the man be- fore, I mean the man who had the r.ng to sell. The ring wasn't cN- tremely valuable, intrinsically, but ie it were genuine its historical as sociations made it of really great value.
 T signalled 10 Mr. Jones by q prearranged sign that l did mol know the man. This meant that he might or might not be honest, but that I didn't know.
 The expert arrived and eXam- fred the ring. He had some doCU- ments and drawings with him and he declared the ring to be genuine. He explained some special mar& ings. The man who wanted to sell it, one Henri Morin. was deeply in- terested in this explanation anl admitted that he had only the wo"d Of the old man in Italy from whom he bought it.
 Started with Surprise
 We walked about the rather bar ren office, admiring the picturc1 of the big manufacturing plants, sipping little cocktail, and finally got, ready to gt. The expert leaned over to take a last look at the ring and started with surprise. He examined it and became very grave.
 This he said, is not the ring l looked at before. This is not the genuine ring.
 Even Henri Morin admitted that t was different when the thing lras examined. The servant had brought in drinks and left while the ring was on the desk in plain view. He had not touched it. All the rest of us had handled it man, times.
 A search was made, every nook and cranny of tho room, in tlr safe, filing cases, desk draw CTS everywhere. The fireplace hal been swept out clean. The folds ot the drapes at the windows wc'e also searched as well as each m%l Of us there. The radiator easing vas removed, rugs taken mp and shaken. We were convinced that this ring was not the first one Na saw and the first one was not ll the room - that was certain. The windows were closed.
 Jones looked at me. T cant ol, IL