Victorian Urban Legend: Thief at the Theatre January 25, 2017
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
This is a fine urban legend like-story. The newspaper editor wrote ‘good if true’.
A wealthy Englishman had the misfortune to be robbed of his portemonnaie the other day, containing a large sum, with a ticket for a box at the theatre, which he had purchased in the morning, and a carte-de-visite. He went to the commissioner of police, but could give no clue, and there was no hope. The commissioner, however, took his address, and turning the matter over in his mind thought it just possible that the thief might have the impudence and audacity to make use of the ticket for the theatre, or sell it to someone who would give a clue to the appearance of the pickpocket. Accordingly an officer was posted in waiting at the door of the theatre, duly concealed from observation, and awaiting the possibility of the arrival of the thief, and to his unmistakeable joy a gentleman appeared shortly after the doors were open, accompanied by two ladies, presented the ticket, and was ushered into the box. As soon as ever they were seated, the delicate policeman tapped, beckoned monsieur quietly out, so as not to make a disturbance, closed the door, and gave orders that the ladies were not to leave. Then taking the gentleman by the arm be said. ‘This way, Monsieur—you are my prisoner!’ ‘For what?’ was the indignant question.’ ‘That is what you will soon learn – this, way,’ and he was led down a staircase to a dismal room, where be found himself in company with two other sergents de ville, to whom the order was given to search. ‘Ah, as I thought,’ said the officer, ‘here is the very portemonnaie and the carte-de-visite; where is the money?’ The gentleman seemed now rather amused than surprised and indignant, and after a good deal of explanation, it turned out, and was satisfactorily proved, that this was the identical Englishman who had lost the money, but whom the thief had in the afterpart of the day politely returned the portemonnaie, ticket for the theatre, and carte-de-visite, but retained the money as a trifling reward for his honesty.
Morpeth Herald (21 Oct 1865), 6
