The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-20
a QUEENS JEWELS.
Three Thousand Precious Stones Mt Issue
In an Eastern Court.

Three Thousand Precious Stones Mt Issue
In an Eastern Court.
very curious action has just been
recorded in the court of tho recorder Of
Rangoon. The plaintiff was one of the
wives of Mindoon Min, King of Bur-
nah, Thebaw's father aud predecessor,
and Is known as the Linn ban Queen, and
she claimed as sole heiress of her
daughter, the Sawlin Princess, to be
entitled to large amount of jewelry
deposited with the defendants in 1878
under unusual circumstances. The
Princess, it seems, says the Chicago
News, was n great favoritc with her
father, King Mindoon Min, who made
her large and frequent presents of
gems and jewclry Of all kinds. In 1878
Mindoon Min was on the point of death,
and it was known that confusion in the
palace would follow on that event. 1t
was apparently forescen that his sue
cessor, Thcbaw, would-as, in fact, he
did-murder most of his relatives at
once, and while the King lay dying
special measures for guarding the pal
ace were taken. The Limbap Queen
and her daughter, the Sawlin Princess,
drcading what the near future had in
store for them, concerted measures to
get the jewels of the latter out of the
palace to n place Of safety where they
would be accessible in case of need
later on. For this purpose they took
into their confidence certain bazaar
dealers, who had access to the ladies'
quarters to sell their wares, and by
their aid succeedcdin getting out all the
jewels, packed to look like swcetmeats.
These dealers and ono Aga Khorasnni,
Mahommcdan merchant, were the de-
PENDANTS. They absolutely denied any
deposit of the kind, but the recorder
found against them on the facts and de-
cided that about three thousand precious
stones, which were specified by weight
and value in list made at the time in
the palace and retained ever since by
the Queen, had, in fact, been placed in
their charge Immediately prior to Min
doom Minis death, and in anticipation of
that event. The Princess died IL few
months after. The Queen her mother.
remained in prison until the British
troops occupied NIandalay in 1855, when
she was, of course, released. All this
time She heard nothing of the Jewels,
for she had no opportunity of doing so,
and obviously did not desire to have
them returned. The dealers with whom
they were deposited left Mandalay soon
after Thcbaw began to reign; but on
her release the Queen inquired after
them and found them in Rangoon,
when, as already stated, she was met
by IL blank denial that such jewels had
ever been deposited with them. But
here the judge found against them,
largely on the evidence that nine years
ago, and three years after tho deposit,
ono of the defendants had in his pos
session large ruby cut in the shape of
a wild duck, which was described in the
Queens list as having been handed over
to the defendants in the swectmeat
boxes in 1878. a decree of restitution
was therefore made against all the de-
PENDANTS except one, in regard to whom
the action was held barred by the
statute of limitations. Subsequent to
her release from imprisonment tho
Queen was prevented from suing for
five years in consequence of her pow
crty.