Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 July 1902 — TOUCHED FOR BIG SPARK. [ARTICLE]

TOUCHED FOR BIG SPARK.

DELOS TOMPSON ROBBED OF A $450 DIAMOND, IN LAFAYETTE. Delos Thompson, of our city, was the victim of a bold and successful sneak-thief robbery, Wednesday morning, whereby he lost a big and very fine diamond shirt stud. The diamond is one he paid $350 for ten years ago, and as diamonds have greally increased in value since then, the stone is probably easily worth $450 or more, now. The following is the Lafayette Courier’s account of the robbery:

A diamond stud valued at $350 was stolen from the bosom of a shirt belonging to Delos Thomp son, of Rensselaer, the owner of Sampson, one of the horses at the fair grounds this week. The act was committed at 5:30 o’clock this morning in room 16 at the Ho el Lahr. Mr. Thompson woke up in time to see the thief disappear and gave the police a good description of him. The authorities have kept a strict watch and many suspects are held on suspicion, but to a late hour this afternoon the valuable gem was not located. Mr. Thompson feels greatly the loss of the stud and offer a reward of S2OO for its recovery—slso for the stud and SSO for the man who stole 4t Suspicion fell upon attaches of the hotel, but none of the employes know anything of the theft. The above account is Only partial and not very accurate. Mr. Thompson and Jesse E Wilson of Rensselaer were occupying the same room in the Lahr House, and in another closely connected, were B. F. Fendig, Mose Leopold and Geo. Scott, all also of Rensselaer. In another room directly adjoining Mr. Thompsons‘was a man who registered as “Geo. B, Lane, Cin-. cinnati, Ohio.” ani he was the man who stole the diamond. About S:2OMr. Thompson awoke perhaps hearing a slight noise, and tjie thief was then in his room. He heard Mr. Thompson stirring and unlocked and passed out of the front door of the room and disap- • peared down a back stairway. Mr Thompson bad a good view of him and describes him as a large heavy man, smooth-faced except a stubby trimmed, sandy mustache. Mr. Thompson at first thought the thief had taken his money also but he only had time to nip the big diamond. The thief gained admission to Mr. Thompson’s room through the door connecting the two rooms. There are bolts on both sides of the door but Messrs. Thompson and Wilson forgot to see that the bolt on their side was fastened, and all the thief had to do was to slip back the bolt on his own side and walk right in. The alarm was given immediately and every effort made to catch the thief, but so far without success. Mr. Thompson, as the Courier states offers S2OO reward and is staying in Lafayette to try to locate the thief.