WORLD’S GREAT CRIMES.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 30, 12 April 1907, Page 2

WORLD’S GREAT CRIMES.

“Fifteen thousand pounds !” “And all in good diamonds,” added the younger Winner. ‘‘But my share ?” interpolated Dorato Toussaint. “Is to do the deed and take four thousand pounds,” answered the fust speaker. The scene was one of the low-coil-itigid, semi-swell cafe restaurants of Soho, where the outcasts of every count ry congregate. Around a circular (able in a x-o----mote corner of the room four men oat, engaged in a whispering conversation —u council of crime. Two wore easily recognisable as brothers ; one of their colleagues in crime was none oilier than Dorato Toussaint, who enjoyed a European fame as an anarchist. who had been suspected by the Paris police of an attempt on the life of Napoleon, and who had now found an asylum in England, and posed as an “arranger” of diamonds, FOR HER SAKE. The fourth man was an East-End barber and “receiver” madly in love with Toussainl’s beautiful daughter. “Help my father,” Elena had said “and— —’’ “1 will, by Heaven !” had come I lie impassioned reply. And Hero he was, the lovelight in his eager eyes ; the Hush of crime on his hot cheek ; the ways and means to gain his charmer and his ends slipping from liis tongue. Me knew a jeweller worth £15,000. “Dangerous!'’ ho warned. “Old Tabak is suspicious as we are ourselvi s ; hut-—“ “Enough !’’ whispered Toussaint. “Heave it to me. . . Yes, I will The liquor steadies one. . Weiner, Weiner junior, Jacoby, I drink to our good fortune. It will be my last job. Age is lolling. Sometimes I feel —sometimes—sometimes —He finished with a big sigh. “See your end in the Scotch, eh?” sneered Weiner. TESTING POISON. Perhaps he did. But the picture did not frighten him. Next morning found that the only other occupants of the promises were the jeweller’s wife and an aged female servant. The plot was to visit the shop ostensibly to purchase jewels, to chloroform Tabak, open the safe with his keys, ami escape with the treasure. Toussaint did not particularly care for the (ask, He wanted assistance. But he happened to be poor, you see —fresh from prison, in fact. This Weiners, ho discovered, were in league with Jacoby, and there was nothing for it, but to accept their proposals. They had found the tree, he must climb it and take the risks. For the tip they wanted some of the fruit. So lie scouted. His pretty daughter did the same. She found out all she could about the Tabak household And one morning Toussaint bought the chloroform. It was labelled ''Poison,” but Toussaint took it oil'. “Put this on,” suggested Elena. “This” was the label from her scent bottle. Toussaint did her bidding. “And now," lie said, “we’ll try it.” He sprinkled (lie chloroform on a cloth mid held it to the nose of his kitten. Hut all the kitten did was to sneeze a bit. “No good at all,” reported Toussaint to his colleagues. “Oil,” came the reply, “nothing has any effect on cats : they have nine lives. Try a rabbit.” HARD TO CONVINCE. That afternoon the chloroform acted. The rabbit died—in about six minutes'. “Will you have it?" asked Tous.siint of his landlady. “No, thanks ; I cawn’t heat tame 'uns,” she said. “Then give it to one of your girl friends, Elena,” he said, turning to his daughter. “Rabbits I can’t stand at all.” Toussaint wanted greater proof, however, lie wondered how the i chloroform would act upon a human | being. The following morning he ■placed a little in a bottle, and made 'his way to Hyde Park. A tramp was silting on one of the seats, apparently asleep. Toussaint poured some of the chloroform upon an handkerchief and held it under the stranger’s nose. But instead of deepening the man’s sleep it woke him. Ho sprang up, and Toussaint only escaped a thrashing by giving the trump five shillings and an apology. Toussaint, went home, and, enraged beyond measure, throw the stud away. AFTER THE DIAMONDS. On tho same day he met a man named Palmer, a former fellowconvict at Dartmoor, and enlisted his assistance. Together they decided that Mr. Tabak should be stunned .with a life-preserver. On the fateful morning the two railed at Mr. Tabak',s place of business and asked for the diamond dealer. Toussaint posed as a wealthy Frenchman, and Palmer as his> friend &nd interpreter. Mr. Tabak was quite ns cautious as limy hud been led to believe, but a few false letters of introduction quickly disseminated his suspicions. "We are looking for diamonds, explained Palmer. Mr. Tabak produced some. Toussaint examined the gems most, critically through a mag'nityingglrtss. Then ho made u selection. He afterwards asked to see larger gems. They were produced. YOU COWARD ! “Put them aside,” said Toussaint : “thoy’ro (splendid,’'

bo tno dealer placed tnem aside, writing “Toussaint” on, each of the packets ordered. Toussaint turned to Palmer, and the two conferred together. “We’ve just discovered,” explained Palmer, turning to Mr. Tabak, “that Mr. Toussaint lias only foreign money with him. We will go and get it changed into English notes. Expect us at ten o’clock to-morrow morning. We will call at that hour with tho money, and take away the diamonds.” And they left. “You coward !“ hissed Palmer in the street. “You’ll never have a finer chance in your life.” Wlmt the other replied does not matter. Next morning they returned. “I want more diamonds,” said Palmer. Mr. Tabak opened the safe ami before he could close it he was felled with a fearful blow on the head, and tho scoundrels were fingering the diamonds. NOT DEAD AFTER ALL. But, unfortunately for them, the dealer had not been rendered unconscious. He was on his feet in an instant, and his cries were raising echoes in every corner of the building. It was one of those scones with which crime is studded, but the prosaic policenuux is not paid to paint pictures, so, at the time, the howling jeweller ; the echoing “Help 1 help !” ; the flashing of tho fingered diamonds ; the startled cries of Mrs. Tabak and tho housekeeper ; the miscreants’ curses ; the succession of blows that never found a billet, and the excited rush from the shop were dismissed with “the assilants escaped,” They raced along Yoi’k Road, King’s Cross, at top speed. Palmer managed to escape, but Toussaint was less fortunate. They stopped him when ho was flying like somebody winged, and a moment later he was caught in the arms of a policeman. He and Palmer had grabbed diamonds to tho value of two thousand pounds. NO HONOUR AMONG PARTNERS. That night Elena Toussaint was distracted. She sought out the Weiners and made pitiful appeals for monetary assistance for her father’s defence. “We’ll sec,’’ they answered. “Give us time.’’ Time passed. Jacoby did his best to cheer the girl as only lovers will, but site was beginning to see through it all now, and she returned his affection with charges that sent him almost raving. That night lie interviewed the Weiners. “If you don’t assist . Toussaint,” lie threatened, “I’ll put you alongside him.” “We will,” they promised at last. “We will.” But the moment Jacoby left they prepared for immediate flight. They were too late, though ; even Jacoby himself was too late. Elena, prompted by the mad Jove which misfortune fii'es in every feminine heart, had already advised her parent, and the law was tracking down his confederates. But too late to extenuate the crime of Toussaint ; too late to save him from fifteen years’ penal .servitude. TOO LATE ! Still, he had his vengeance. Some months later his accomplices wore found, and he was brought from prison to denounce them. In the court he met his daughter, Elena. She wept, and so did he ; then ho was led away between two warders ; and his daughter-whore wont she ? Who knows ? Did it assuage her grief any to hear the Weiners given salutary terms of penal servitude ? W’as she cheered by the impassioned adoration of tho East-End barber ? Ask her ; if you can find her. Or, ask tho barber. But probably ho is as heart-broken as she is, and has sunk deeper than eyes unaccustomed to criminal gloom can pierce.—‘‘Tales And Talk.”