The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-12-20

PINAScr-srrrrMssR 80, 1880; DISCHARGED, AND
ORDERED PRINTED.
~>~>~~~>>~~~~.~~>~o~~
To the Honorable The Senaie and House of RCpre-
SIGNATURES Of the Untted States OF Aerica an Con-
gress assembled
The petition of William Seely, citizen of the
United States, residing in the city of New York,
respectfully shows: That on the night of the
25th TO the Goth of September, 1929, the palace
In the city Of Brussels-the residence of the then
Prince and Princess of Orenge-was feloniousy
invaded by one Constant Polar. Cor Carrara,)
and the imperial insignia, jewels, and personal
ornaments of the princess, consisting of about
2,o9l carats Of diamonds, and about H. 462 pieces
OF very rare and peculiar description, being
"court jewels" were stolen from the palace,
amounting in value, as proved before the police
magistrates of the city Of New York, by the Che
Waller Huygins, the then envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary of the Netherlands near
the United States and also by the estimate of his
government, 10 several hundred thousand dollars,
and, as he represented TO your petitioner, TO about
one million
That among the many articles Ol7) taken by
the felon, were two large and brilliant disdeuls OF
the princess; portrait, set Ia brillisnts, of the
Emperor Paul, OF Russia, and the Empress Mana;
a gold bracelet, with The portrait of her brother,
the present Emperor Nicholas, engraved upon an
ameihy ST; two bracelets with the initials of the
then King William the First of Holland, and
father of her husband, the then Prince of Orange,
of the queen his mother, and their family, in tur-
quose, set with hair; portraits, painted in their
youth. of the Grand Dukes A lexapder, Constan-
tine, Nicholas, ana Michael, the brothers of the
princess; and turquoise and gold tahsmaR brace
let, 10 which the princess stated by the minis
ter TO attach spt cial importance far beyond Its
intrinsic value.
The palace. at the time of the larceny, was UNI
occupied, except in the basement, for domestics-
the prince and yincess then being at their summer
residence. The discovery of the theft, on the
morning after It's preparation, aroused feeling OF
intense excite ment not only with the King and his
family, but with the ministry and CONTROLLING
out all the efforts of the government to devise
means for the detection of The elon, for retrieving
the property from bis possession, and for intercept
ing lis clandt slime asportation without the king
dom; and the King, in council with his ministry,
resolved Immediately TO invoke, for the reattain-
merit OF the property. should il be placed beyond
hs jurisdiction, the friendly aid and assistance of
those foreign governments which were then in re-
taions of amity with his own, by appeal to
their love Of justice, and TO International cour-
tesles, for such good offices as in the national as
well as highly personal and delicate relation to an
imperial princess OF the house of Rus STA and of the
Nethe rlands, the felony was so forciby calculated
TO obtain
To effect this, instructions were despatched,
among others, 10 their envoy near this govern
ment, the CheyslieI Huygins, by that Of the Meth
erlands, in compliance with which, on the 18th OF
November, le29, in communication to the De-
partment OF State, now on its hes, he announced
10 this government the circumstances attending
the theft, soliciting its aid and support to recover
the stolen articles, and TO arrest the guilty perpe-
traitors OF the felcny-a matter which your petit
-
except IN courtesy, was wholly extrale Gus to
strictly executive functions; one which, in or
binary case, would have been fairly within the
municipal and criminal jurisdiction of the trbu-
mails OF our country, and TO which, for such pur-
poses, those tribunals were sbundan,ly competent
In that communication from the minister of the
Netherlands, he put specially under the notice o.
the government, as worthy OF its international con
sideration and relations, that "AmoAg the stoleI
articles were many TO which the most interesting
Iecolections were attached, and OF which tn,
or hat Annk La, f,,I k,t<
fhe sight OF which IL would be easy 10 recognise
the ownership Of her imperial and royal hghners
that he consequently begged that such order
should be given as, should the property be pre-
eented at the custom houses, or be discovered b.
The collectors, they might be instantly seized an,
taken in charge.
To this communications the Department Of State
on the 2ith of the same month, informed the minis
ter Of the Netherlands that il had, in compliance
with his request, addressed letter to the Secre-
tsry OF the Treasury, requesting him 10 give,
through his department, such instructions as he
might deem most likely 10 accomplish the desired
ebJects, and assuring the minister Of the Neither
lands that, in the event OF the properly bsing
brought into the United States all further assist
ance within the competency of this govemme mt
which might conduce TO their recovery, would be
promptly and cheerfully afforded. BY another
communication, of the LIST December. 1870. the
Secretary expressed great pleasure in comnuni
eating TO the minister Of the Meth. rlands copies o.
the answer given 10 the application TO the Score
tary Of the Treasury and OF the instructions which
promptly issued, in compliance with IL, 10 the col
leciors OF the customs ia the potts of the United
States
From the time Of the Preparation of the felony
until the sth Of November following, all efforts Il
trace the felon the property having proved abor
tive, both within and without the kingdom, tbs
government OF the Netherlands, by proclamation
offered reward Of $1,000 forms for the recovery
and gave, az annexed, the detailed description o
the property; and they also, through their consu
IN the citv OF New York, shortly after proclaimed
he No ~ Ht Ng.N.s
ON the 2s,h day Of July, 1881, the Chevalie
Huygins called at the offices of your petitioner
with officially Gtssted copies Of his correspondence,
with the government of the Unite States, and. In
pressed his desire 10 retain your petitioner as the
counsel OF hrs government, OF his king, and Of the
Prince and Princess OF Orange, at the same time
assuring your petitioner that, in the professional
agency he would be called TO undertake.. the mi
nisiry of the Netherlands had already been assured
~ the government Of the United States Of s fullest
support IN the attainment OF his views; and, while
calling your pcttIoners attention TO the fact that
the correspondence handed hun had referred only
60 The stolen property, he stated that although the
whole value m possession, concealed or under the
control OF the fClon, amounted perhaps 90 million
IT dollars, facts bad transpred subsequently TO the
preparation Of the felony, and since these commu-
noaiions Wi this government, which had male
the mere value of the articles In question but Of
then secondary consideration; that, independently
OF the delicaiely personal and highly international
character OF the properly of the princess, and of
het Ottlre 10 reOotan them, u had become impera-
lively necessary that calculations and proofs Of the
most conclusive character as TO an actual commis-
zion Of ieloRy, as well all details attending its
pefpctraton, should be had and be so suthentica-
ha ss TO leave no rational doubt on the public
hhno, even With the most skeptcal, that II had
uuy NOT emily been committed by the individual
men ABOUT to be arrested but that the property ia
nls possession was idenhcally that of which the
ieion hsd possesstd himself at the time when the
felony had been alleged 20 have been conlmitted
IN ls2y, at the palace Of Lacken
year and ten months had then transpired be-
tween the perpetIation Of the felony and the arrival
81 me cuiput IN the nded States. During all that
PERIOD, most impeneirable mystery-owine to tho
adroit manner IN which the ielon had concealed
hs purposes-had hung around IL. All the energies
Of the government OF the Netherlands, and the
efforts OF others, prompted by the grea, induce
nent Of the profiefed reward Of 5000 Horins had
nlnNi a nffefIN nnnNalino for The Attainment OF Z.