Ingenious Thieves.

Hastings Standard, Issue 83, 1 August 1896, Page 3

Ingenious Thieves.

The latest and cleverest thing in roguery has been discovered —where nearly everything that is new and clever comes from—in Paris. It seems that one of the largest restaurant firms of the French capital—an establishment that has its eating-houses in all parts of the city—has recently been losing its silver in the most unaccountable way. A number of waiters were discharged, and detectives patrolled the restaurants without avail, until finally the fcrick was discovered. It was found that in each case a respectabk-looking 1

person entered the restaurant and gave his order for dinner. During the ram! be conve-yecl one or more articles to the underside of ihc table, fixing them there by mtins of wax, with which he was provided for the purpose. Should the servant who v.-:it. 1 upon him miss any of the *-pr,ons or other articles the rogue was still in 1:0 danger, and offered himself to be searched with perfect impunity, and an air of injured innocence. Of course, he was allowed to depart, but immediately after an accomplice entered, ordering his dish and seating himself at the same table, whence he removed the secreted articles to his pocket, taking care that the waiter should not miss any articles from the table as served before him. There was no reason for suspecting this individual, who paid his bill and departed to share the booty with his confederate. The way in which the trick was detected is an instructive illustration of the ingenuity of the criminal pitted against the superior skill of the detective. The officer of the law who was on watch in a restaurant in the Place de la Madeleine noticed the disappearance of some silver at a certain table. He had the diner searched, with the usual result, and was compelled to tender his profuse apologies to the indignant guest. Returning to the table in no very good humor, the disciple of Lecocq seated himself with his back to the table and buried his face in a newspaper. A large pier-glass was affixed to the wall on the opp&site side. Soon a gentleman (a confederate) entered, seated himself at the table, and while eating his soup began to work, little dreaming that the peace-able-looking person opposite, with his back towards him, was watching every movement in the looking-glass through a hole in the newspaper, which he held before his face, pretending to read. It was as good as a play, and the detective was obliged to restrain himself, or he would have laughed outright. No sooner had the rogue succeeded in transferring the last of the forks and spoons to his pocket than he rose leisurely, walked to the cashier's desk, and took out his money to pay for the meal. But at the same moment there was a hand laid on his shoulder, and the detective quickly slipped a pair of handcuffs upon his wrist. The missing articles were found in his pocket, and he was marched off to the city prison.