DETECTIVES UNDER THE BED.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1922, 3 December 1913, Page 9

DETECTIVES UNDER THE BED.

CLEVER CAPTURE IX A HOTEL. The recent discussion in alio of tho London papers of the lives of mystery that are occasionally led by people who are "something in tho City" could not have better illustration than the case, of a man alleged to bo "the king of hotel thieves," who was arrested in Paris last mouth.

This man—grey bearded, of excellent appearance, fitty-two years of age, and named Unbain Tliaust is stated to have been sought for continuously by the police since June, 1801. For the greater part of that time ho lias been living in a well-furnished villa at Bois Colombes, a suburb of Paris, with his wife and four children, who believed that their father was a jewel broker in the city. His earnings as a hotel thief are alleged to have reached between £1200 and £1500 a year..

In June hist the police had reason to believe that the suburban jewel broker was a French "Raffles" wanted by the police of nearly every country m Europe for robberies of extraordinary daring and skill, but it was only on Sunday night (October 19) that they were able to arrest him with, evidence of his thefts upon him.

Tho story of his capture is more exciting than many detective romances. Tliaust, wearing the ribbon of a decoration and carrying a small valise, arrived on the Sunday nicht at a largo hotel near the Garo du Nord. He gave his name as "Ralle, jewel merchant, of Lugano." Four detectives, wiio had been able to keep track of him, engaged two rooms, one on each side, of his, at tho hotel. There were two detectives in each room. One or them got into lied to impersonate tho sleeping occupant, while the other hid underneath the bed ready to spring out and capture the thief should he enter. About two o'clock in the 'morning a noiso was heard outside the door of one of the detectives' rooms, and the officer in bed began to .snore loudly. Soon the door was gently tried and a tiny ray of light was seen through the keyhole. A noise outside must have scared the thief, for no more was heard at the door for half an hour. Then there was a scraping of tools in tho lock, and the door was being sdoivlv pushed open when the hotel bell'in the hail rang uiinuunciii'S tho late arrival of a visitor, and without a sound the door closed and the thief disappeared.

Satisfied with their niiiiil's watch, IIOWCVI-r, tile detectives Soiled ill.' IIjUII as lie was leavim; the hotel to catch an allowed early train at, /i a.m. In his linir they found a complete set of loel;nickiug; Itiols ami ClO in lioies blolcii from another bedroom. There was iilso a black silk handkerchief with which, it i.s stated, Thansl was accustomed In cover up his white heard. lime. Thaiist, leailiim a comfortable, life in lid- suburban linine. professed horror at the allegation flint her liusliaml is a notorious iiiief. "'.My Imslinnd lold me," she said. "Ilia! when he was out at uicjil, he had business .with a fruit broker at the market.".