Universal Weekly (1914-1915)

THE UNIVERSAL WEEKLY Diamond Smugglers Fight Pursuers in Dark IAMOND smugglers give the cleverest detectives iu the metropolis a thrilling battle and chase in "A Gentleman of Art" a two-reel Imp detective drama which will be released on Friday, January 15. Featured in this thrilling story of life among the brainy criminals of the underworld are Dorothy Phillips, Howard Crampton and William Welsh. Stuart Paton has written an exceptionally clever photodrama in "A Gentleman of Art", one which deals with the ways of the keenest minds of the crook profession. Plying their trade on Atlantic liners are many crooks of international reputation. The cruder element of these oceangoing sharpers frequent the smokingroom, where card games are in progress, but the leaders in "the profession" work greater stakes. "A Gentleman of Art", two-reel Imp detective drama, tells a thrilling story of clever diamond smugglers, who give the keenest detectives in New York a desperate chase before they are brought to book. Dorothy Phillips, Howard Crampton and Wm. Welsh featured in thrilling smuggling drama, written by Paton. Released Friday, January Stuart 15. CAST. Rose Dorothy Phillips Hough Howard Crampton The Chief William Welsh Hough's Son Allen Holubar more slowly and for Sometimes they have so-called de luxe editions of famous authors' works supposedly autographed by the authors themselves. Again they carefully scrape acquaintances in order to renew them apparently in an accidental manner, four or five months in the future. Diamond smuggling attracts many of these international crooks by reason of the great rewards which attend the successful "importation" of the gems. In "A Gentleman of Art" the chief of the government detective service receives a letter which reads "Despite your vigilance, diamonds of considerable value are still being smuggled into the country. Put your best man on the job and get results at once". As the chief finishes the letter, Phil Fenno, a young member of the detective force, enters. The chief bands him the letter. Fenno reads it and tells the chief that he will do his best on the case. As Fenno looks off through the offices he sees his sweetheart, Rose, in the next room, where she is employed as a telegrapher, receiving and sending out messages to incoming and outgoing vessels. Rose is preparing herself for a position in the government detective service and has made a careful study of codes and how to solve them. Her cleverness in this respect, combined with her womanly intuition, has made her valuable to government officials. She is soon given an opportunity to demonstrate her skill again. Young Hough, on board a ship coming into New York, poses as an artist and carries with him a case of artist's colors. Hough sends his father a wireless message, which passes through Rose's hands. She reads it aloud to Phil: "Arrive tomorrow. Got some wonderful new tones from Europe. Meet me with car". Rose (Dorothy Phillips) Uses Typewriter as a Telegraph Instrument Phil thinks nothing of the wording of the telegram and leaves. Rose, howuvei. is struck with the idea that there is more in the message than appears on the surface and, with a woman's curiosity, getr out her book of secret codes and puzzler over the letter combinations. In twenty minutes she has translated the message Its contents are of such a suspicious na ture that Phil determines to consult with the chief. He looks up Hough's address, and Rose, upon Hough's arrival, scrapes ac quaintance with him and, to test his abi) ity as an artist, agrees to pay him well for a picture, to be called "Sweet Innocence". Hough is much impressed ot Rose's wonderful gown and diamonds and, thinking he can relieve her of the gems at some future time, encourages her to believe that he will paint hei picture in his New York studios. Hough is arrested on suspicion, but when searched at head quarters the detectives find nothing on him. Rose, while Hough is detained, makes a careful search of his quarters, but finds nothing incriminating. That night, iu his father's home Hough takes out tin tubes of oilpaints which he has broughi from Europe, cuts th« ends off, and from eacL takes a quantity o' diamonds. The following daj Hose goes for a sitting While she is in Hough'.studio a laborer drives up with a crate containing eggs. Two men are watching him on the sidewalk. The laborer walks forward and deliberately bumps into them. They ask him to apologize and he re fuses. While they fight Hough and his son rui> out and remove the crate of eggs to Hough' c rooms. Rose watches the fighi. and before Hough's re turn hides herself in ont of the rooms. HougL and his son believe she has gone and proceed to open the eggs, fron> each one of which they take diamonds. Rose, watching through a transom, slips from her chair and falls heavily. The Houghs make her prisoner. While they are binding and gagging her the chief of detectives, Fenno and his men arrive. The room is plunged into darkness and the smugglers escape A spirited pursuit follows and Rose employs a unique method of capturing them. Later Fenno and Rose are married. As a wed ding present the chief sends them an egg with a diamond in it