Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 578, 16 November 1871, Page 2

A Clevek RoBUEfiY. —The story of a clever robbery is told iil the "Life of Adolphus," the Old Bailey ltiwyei, just, published—a case- of shoplift ing from a jeweller's. Two ladies c;»ne in with a little girl from a very elegant carriage, aud desired to- see some valuable jewellery for a present. They remained two hours ut least, and at last fixed on some diamond ornaments, costing about £100, for whicli they paid. The men in the shop had been very attentive, and shown thorn a great many costly and beautiful ornaments, among the rest a very large emerald set in five diamonds as a brooch. . When they had finished, the shopman enid —"I beg your pardon, ladies, but you did not return that brooch you were looking at." ,They declared they hud, and he was as positive it never crossed the counter on its .return. Another man, who wus near, said he was sure it had not been returned. The ladies got very indignant; and said they would not lie under buc:i au imputation, and insisted on being searched. Sir Richard Birnie, tho chief magistrate in those days, was applied to, and sent us quickly aa possible female searchers, who made, in a bed-room upstairs, a most thorough examination, and certified that none of the three had the brooch. The master and ehopraen apologised, buS tlie*broooh was gone ! The ladies gave their address at a v.>ry good houso in a fashionable part, of London. 0/ course, however, a watch was kept on this house by th'e-'police, ■ arid not very long after all the inmates decamped, having robbed and swindled in many direct-iocs. Not long after the very fine emerald was traced to Holland, and to tlie^e very people.; i'h<;y were tried at tho Old Bailey and found guilty, and transported for lite. Whilo they hiy in prison they were urged to tell how they hud committed the robbery. Whi:o they were making their purchases a beggar woman with a baby came to the door of the shop, and was very elamoroua for a " small trifle to save her and her child from starving." A.t, last one oi' the ladies said to the littlo girl, " There, give her sixpouce, and tell her to go away !" The sixpence was the emerald brooch, the beggar an ■accomplice, and a man in waiting went of! to Holland before t lie ladies had even been searched, Ifc was very/clever, yet iil judged to lake so extrordinary v eto.i,, as it was easily traced — thd value more than £3,000. The people in the shop only remembered the beggar when the confession was made.; tho circumstance had made no impression.'