New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-09
A SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.
THE GREEK ANTIQUITIES SCANDAL.

the universally respected PRESIDENT OF INC follce
Department of the kingdom, is only one OF the
consequo aces Of the extraordinary revelations OF
what is now popularity known as the Antiquities
Scandal -revelations which have spread con-
etcrnation in every capital Of Europe. and which
may affect IN an exceedingly disagreeablc manner
MANY public institutions and private citizens in
the United States.
Within the past month the Louvre Museum at
Paris. the British and South Kcnsington Museums
in London the Imperial Art Museums at Berlin
and Vienna together with host Of MINOR estab
lishments of kindred charactor have been forced
10 surrender nearly all the most valuable specimens
of ancient Greek art which have come into their
possession during the last eight years. In order
10 realize the effect of this, it is only necessary
TO remember what enormous sums are annually
devoted by the various Governments Of the Old
World to the maintenance and increase of their
national collections of ancient art. Baron Al
phonse dc Rothschild at Paris and the Dukes OF
Sutherland and Westminster in England have like
wise been forced to follow the example of their
respective Governments in the matter, and, at the
present moment all the wel-known private art
collections in Great Britain, France, Germany
Austria and Italy are at the instance OF the GrecK
Foreign Office being submitted TO most search
ing pcrquisition on the part Of the police
The fact is that it has been discovered that
almost all of the best specimens of ancient art
which have been shipped from Greecian ports since
1870 have been purely and simply stolen from
the ROYAL Central Museum Of this city and from
other similar Government institutions and col
lections in the provinces of King Georges turpu-
lent little kingdom. The thefts have been perpe-
trated on a most gigantic SCALE and ring OF the
most prominent officials of the country has been
found TO be implicated in the matter Among
their number are the directors of the Central
Museum at Athens and of the other national art
collections several of the principal surveyors and
collectors of the Customs department., the Chle1
Of Police whose death by his own hand has already
been alluded TO above, and four OF the most
eminent professors of the University here-one
Of whom, by the way, was the rinSieader OF the
band. Beginning in very small way some
eight years ago. they gradually extended thelr
operations, and soon accumulated large fortunes
Indeed the magnificent marble palace of the pro-
fcssor ard chief of the gang is one OF the show
places of modern Athens. The disturbed and UNI
settled state of the political affairs of the country
contributed in a great measure to their immunity
from detection, and they at length grew so bold
and venturesome in their thefts that we actually
hear of the late Chief of Police proceeding three
and four times year to Paris and London in order
20 effect settlements with the dealers to whom
the stolen goods consigned.
The thefts might have gone on indefinitely had
y
been attracted to the news of the acquisition by
the British Museum of a magnificent marble bust
of Adrian On terms of acquaintance with the
directors of that institution, he invited quite
incidentally one night at q dinner party by one
of their number, to inspect their latest purchase
Hardly had he set eyes on the bust when he was
startled to recognize it as having been one Oh the
gems of the Royal Central Museum here. lie I'M
mediately began an inquiry as TO how THIS
81 haH onp
the possession Of the art dealers from whom 1t lad
,een purchased by the British Museum, and in
course Of time succeeded in discovering that 1t had
formed part of shipment which had been dis
posed of in London by well-bnown Athens law
YER nearly related to the director of the Museum
here.
IT, was lust about this time that the great
robbery was committed at Paris on Mcssrs. feu-
ardent & Rollin, the well-lnown art dealers OF the
Rue Louvois The burglary which maze much
noise at the time, was so clcvery executed that
the French police at first announced thelr POSITIVE
conviction that it was the work of American
craclxsmens The losses of the firm were
enormous including an immense number oil an
Gent and exceedingly rare Greek COINS OF a par
ticuar date and style. Elaborate ana minute
descriptions of the same were published IN inc
French press and copied by most OF the foreign
newspapers, including those of Greece. Inc very
moment the description of the missing CONS was
read here in Athens, it was at once remembered
that they had formed part OF the most celeDfd'eu
finds of the past three years, and that they had
bcen placcd at the time for safe keeping and eN-
bibtion in the ROYAL Central Museum here. there
was no doubt as TO the identity of the CONS ior
none other OF the same date and style are KNOWN
TO be in existence. How then could Ihey h'No
found their way into the possession OF MesSrs
Feuardent & Rolin at Paris?
The coincidence of this question, toge'her WIN
,ho orrivoI Of the confidential diplomatic report
from London concerning the presence OF Tue famous
bust of Adrian in the British Museum lnduccd
Prime Minister Iricoupis TO make most search
inc and minute examination of the national col
Iections IN the Museum here and elsewhere through
ont the country The result, as might nave peeh
expected was simply appalling. Many OF inc
ancient MASTERPIECES, and, in fact almost every
thing of any value, had disappeared
and il is incredible that the absence
Of so many well-known chez doeuNreS
should have escaped the notice of the puDhc lor
81 long OF course the Dircctor-General of the
Museum here and several of his principal oihclais
wore Immediately placed under arrest, and, after
much difficulty and persuasion, were induced by
,be authorities TO make a full confession OF the
names of the other members OF Their ring ana
NJ the extent of their operations. This led to
the apprehension of the whole band with the
solitary exception OF the president OF the Police
depar,ment who unable TO face the terrible dis
grace in store for him. blew out his brains IN
the presence of his wife and child at the very
moment when the warrant was about to be served
on him.
comprehensive list-startling in its length-of
all the objects missing from the Museum mere
and from the other national collections was most
carefully complied and copies thereof dispatched
60 the various Greek Legations abroad. lhe
latter were instructed by Prime Minister 1ricoupls
"a snare no effort in efecting the discovery and
restoration 10 the Hellenic Government OF the