Nov.4, 1885

The Story of an Old Ring

Mr James Loyd,

the City Marshall,

Has an Old Jewel

"That ring has a most interesting history," said Mr. James Loyd, the city Marshall yesterday.

He was holding in his right hand a large, heavy, gold ring with an immense amethyst setting. The amethyst stone was studded with nearly a dozen large diamonds, but three of these precious stones were gone. The ring was evidently an old one, and must have cost several hundred dollars when the jeweler handed it over his counter.

The ring did have an interesting history, in the early days of the later was a confederate soldier approached Mr. Loyd and showing him the ring asked for a loan. The soldier gave his name as Oliver and said that he was from Alabama and that he was en route to Richmond. The ring he said had been given to him by a lady. Mr. Loyd took the ring and the soldiers address and gave him the amount of money he wanted. Soon after this transaction Mr. Loyd heard that the soldier had been killed in the seven days fight, and he knew that he would never call for the ring. Some how Mr. Loyd felt that he would yet have to surrender the ring to one who had a better claim upon it that he. He then gave thee ring to his lady, telling her to keep it, and that he wanted, if possible, to find and return it to the dead soldiers friends. Years, however, went by and Mr. Loyd never heard from the dead soldiers people. Years ago he gave up all hopes of hearing from them, but still he watched and guarded that ring with care. It had it's place in the jewel case at home, and the jewel case looked odd without the old peculiar ring.

A little over a year ago the ring suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. The residence was hunted high and low for the old treasure but it could not be found. Mr. Loyd was greatly distressed by the loss. He felt as though he had lost something which did not belong to him and that he would yet be called upon for it. He went to police head quarters and gave Captain Crim a careful description of the ring and asked him to try to recover it. Captain Crim noted the description  of the ring and went to work to find it. He was not long in ascertaining that a negro girl had tried to sell such a ring to a jeweler on Houston Street, but he was unable to find the woman. Time went on and still Captain Crim kept his mind on the ring, and yesterday ho found and recovered it, but failed to secure the woman. When the ring was returned to Mr. Loyd he was as proud of it as he was his first election.

" And do you know," said Mr. Loyd when he had given the ring's history, "I believe that I will yet have the pleasure of giving that ring to the lady who  gave it to the dead soldier. Nothing would give me more genuine joy than to do so."

The ring was stolen from the jewel case by a dishonest servant.