EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF JEWELLERY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8478, 9 May 1893, Page 5

EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF JEWELLERY.

ARREST OF THE THIEVES. A very extensive robbery of diamonds and jewellery took place from the residence of Mr F. A. Keating, Souih Yarra, on the 13th April. When the theft was discovered on the morning of the 14th there was absolutely no clue to work upon. * Mr and Mrs Keating had entertained friends at dinner on the previous night between eight and nine o'clock, and at the former hour Mrs Keating had assured herself that her diamonds, which were worth £1500, were securely locked up in the safe in her bedroom. On the following morning Mr Keating, when dressing, had discovered that a, chain and sovereign case had been stolen from his dressing table, and upon making further search found that the eaio had beeu unlocked aud nil the diamonds removed. No traces hud been left behind by tho intruder or intruders, and beyond the fact, which was settled by the evidence of several circumstances, that tho robbery must have been committed between :'iijht and nine o'clock, when the family were at dinner, the,detectivea hud no information to guide them in their search for the thief. Thoy concluded, however, that lie must have been one of the household, and suspicion was fastened upon the butler, John Murrell (formerly butler to Mr Nicholas Fitzgerald), or upon his predecessor in thutolUce, Frqdk. Reed, who, Having left Mr Keating's Mr* vice, had entered that of Mr Henry Kickefceon, of Kayong road, Cauliield. These two, who are both young men, Murrell being twenty-seven and Reed thirty-one years of uge, ure now in custody, and have confessed to the crime. The clue was first given by Mi' Spink, jeweller, who has a shop ucar Mr Ricketsou's residence. Reed hid waited upon him, and asked if he lie was dosirou* of buying a lot of jewellery cheap. At the direction of tho detectives, Mr Spink arranged to meet Reed on Thursday night after business hours for the pretended purpose of buying the jewellery. The appointment was kept, and Deteutives Cawsoy, Ward, and MaoManeeeey were lying in wait at Mr Spink's shop. As soon aa Reed produced the jewellery, Mr Spink gave the eignal and the detectives forcing in the door, which had been looked to give semblance to the seoreey of the interview, were upon the thief and had eoiaod the jewels. Reed was startled by the suddenness of the arrcet; hie hand wentuharplj to his pocket, and, but that it waa intercepted by Detective Caweey, harm might have followed, since he had with him a sixchambered revolver fully loaded. When he found that he was checkmated at every point he submitted quietly to arrest, and made a full confession. Murrell had telegraphed for him on the night of the dinner, and at a eignal given by Murroll, namely, two bells instead of one between the first and second courses, he had made hip way to the bedroom and secured tbe valuables. When he got homo ho buried them in Mr Ricketson's garden, under the pantry window. A letter was found among Reed's effects from Murrell, which had a referenoe to the robbery, but it contained nothing which would incriminate him, being useful only in showing tho cool audacity of the men, It read " Tho detectives seem to have uoino clue to the thieves. I only hope they will quickly put their hands on them. It makes things very miserable for all of us here." They were puzzled for a time how to secure evid*noe against Murrell, who strongly denied Reed's story; but eventually they arrosted him, and he made a clean breast of it. Aβ a result of the confession the remainder of the jewellery, a diamond brooch and a pearl pin of considerable value, was recovered, concealed under a rafter in an outhouse at Mr Keatiug's residence, and thus the whole robbery woe satisfactorily cleared tip. Tho detectives, who have cleverly investigated tbe case, will share the reward of £2&Q which Mr Keating offered for the J recovery of the jewellery and tho conviction of the thief.