A SMART DIAMOND ROBBERY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1093, 1 April 1880, Page 3

A SMART DIAMOND ROBBERY.

: About a fortnight ago a handsome equipage drew up at the door of the first jeweller in St. Petersburg. Alighting from the carriage, an elegantlydressed and remarkably pretty young lady entered the, shop and requested) that. ;s,ome,par,uves.of ibrilliants might ' be shown tp her. Several costly sets were forthwith submitted lor inspection, -■and- after some hesitation she selected ! a riviere and'.pendants valued nt ten' '■ thousand roubles,' and, stating that'she was the wife of an eminent' mad-doctor, whose' name is a household word in St.-'Petersburg, requested the proprietor of the establishment to accompany her home with the jewels in order to settle finalty with her husband about their price. The jeweller packed up his diamonds, and got into the carriage with his fair customer. Presently they arrived at a large house, sind were received at the porte coch6re by a Suisse in splendid livery, who ■conducted them up a brilliantly-lighted, staircase into a richly-furnished drawing « rooni, in which the lady begged ber tjompanion to take a seat, and, jewel«asein hand, proceeded to summon "her husband." Entering the doctor's consultation room in an apparent state

•of uncontrollable.agitation, she informed the latter that she. had brought her unfortunate spouse to visit him, in the hope that he would undertake to cure him. 'of'a strange monomania under "which he had labored for some time

past.' : "My afflicted husband," 'she said,/".Js a wealthy landed proprietor in A : ———, in the Government of Minsk ; he is quiet and harmless, but has diamonds on the brain. He will talk-of-nothing else, poor fellow ! "Will yOu see him 1 I have left him in your drawing-room, and' am much too nervous to be present while yen diagnose his case. Might I therefore ask you to-accompany me to my carriage before you go to him 1 It will be such a relief to; me to leave him in your care." Her ingenious device was crowned with

complete success. She drove off with the diamonds; an interview between the doctor and the jeweller fully confirmed her statement with respect to the.latter's alleged monomania, and i*esulled in his being placed under bodily restraint, from which he was only rescued three days later by one of his partners, who succeeded with the assistance of the police in tracking him to Djb V——f's renowned private lunatic asylum. No trace- : has as yet been discovered of the lady. - European Mail. . . •■■