The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-09-07
Thursday. September !. 1893.
&EA1E5dHoNS
49,
@-
Old l1E STEAL THE PICTURE?
Mystery "f the Theft nf the Duchess Of De
~"n,i,ire Painting May lie solved.

Mystery of the Theft Of the Duchess Ut DE
N"n-'irs Painting May Re solved.
A mystery of II years seems about To
be cleared UP by the confession Of Il
prisoner in Il Belgian Jail. This man.
who wears the sackcloth mask of the
Prison de Louvain. is Adam Wirth
lie Brigand Internationale." 1t is said
that he has confessed the theft of the
famous stolen Duchess of Devonshire.
the painting which set all London agog.
and which mysteriously disappeared oil
the night of May "a. 1876.
The picture is believed to be "A genuine
Gainsborough and was purchased from
a Mrs. Magennis in 1889 by a picture re-
storer named Bentley. He gave $50 fol
it and was Delighted with his bargain
when he sold it for 80 g~uineas to Mr..
Wynn Ellis. As part of the latter's ia
nous collection it was put up at auction
al Christie's N May q. 1876. and IA great
struggle fo1 its purchase ensued. The
then Earl sf Dudley ran the price up to
flO,0OO. but could not shake off the per-
sistent az mt Of the Messrs. Agnew. who
;: secured t Z picture for fl0. 100, the higi-
est price ever paid for a picture at Chris
ties.
The dealers at once placed it in theil
gallerics at 80 Bond street, and London
went wild over the picture. 1t monopn
liZed the conversation of the day, ana IA:
public receptions women dressed aftel
the fashion of the beautiful painted
duchess.
One night Oh May -. only IS dan.
after il cam. into the Messrs. Agnew',
possession. 1t WAS left as usual at II p. III
Oh the walls of the gallery. In 1.-THE morn.
ing II had been Il from the frame a.In
stolen. The Scotland Yard defective.
took the matter in hand. and the owner
offered Il 600 reward for its recovery
People who doubted the genuinencss ..
the work limited that the Messrs. .Agnew
had found these susiic,on6 well ground,!
and had burned the picture in disgust.
starting the story OF the theft in ordertu
conceal their modification. But nc.tlel
ru:nors nor tine reward brought nut III
facts. until. as toe years went on. the
9l,oOU tempted the thief TO negotiate for
the return of the picture. But he WAS
too rimid. and nothing came OF the al.
tempt.
it hdS 'oIiSSStA Ia jan anu say
that he stole the picture i'll the hope of
getting ransom for it without risk. H
failed and for Years had the ;: Ylcn
Duchess. Ike Il white elephant, OF his
hands. He wasof American birth. about
30 years old at the time and IA robber 10y
profession. 4. boldly planned felony put
him in possession of $50. 900. with which
he lived like IA king among the very peo-
pie he had previously robbed. The pic
fure was a constant menace 20 his safe
~, but he could not make up his mind
TO part with it. One scheme suggested
itself to him-of painting another pic
ture over the Gainsborough, having it
put up at a sale, buying it in and then,
in the process of cleaning it, discovering
the real picture. But for this he needed
accomplices, and he was afraid to risk
it. At last he landed in the Belgian
prison, and there being nothing to lose
nov he has made "A partial confession.
which he promises to supplement with
the story Of what finally became Of the
picture. That it is not destroyed seems
probable from his assurance that he will
prove his statelment.-New York Sun.