Springfield Weekly Republican

A Diamond Robbery Unprecedented.

A Mr. Hawthorne, who came here from New York a few days ago on a visit, had an experience on Broadway yesterday which is simply unparalleled. Setting off his very handsome dress was a superb diamond pin, the diameter of which was about half an inch. While sauntering up Broadway he stopped in front of Haggerty's produce establishment, and bent over a pile of coops to watch the antics of some of the chickens which were feeding. The diamond caught the eye of a silly fowl—a hen, of course—and darting its head between the slats it seized the gem. Unfortunately the fastening was not what it should be, and a sharp jerk tore it loose. The hen swallowed the diamond, and Mr. Hawthorne's attempt to catch it gave it such a fright it rushed among the other chickens and lost its identity, so far as he was concerned. He went into the store to complain and was delayed somewhat. When he came out again the coops had all been moved, and Hawthorne could not even recognize the coop one. A conference was held with Mr. Haggerty, and it was agreed that the only way to make sure of the jewel was to kill all the chickens in all the coops. This was not a great undertaking, for the house supplies hotels with dressed chickens, and would not have much trouble in disposing of the lot. So Haggerty agreed that if he was allowed 5 cents a dozen for killing immediately he would find the diamond. The coops were carried to the dressing-room, and the 72 dozen chickens were killed. The sixtieth chicken had the diamond carefully stowed away inside, and Mr. Hawthorne gladly paid $18 for the killing and $10 to the woman who found the diamond.

[Cincinnati Commercial.]