The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-16
MISSING SINCE 1871.
MYSTERY oFTHE DISAPPEARANCE OF
SOME FAMOUS JEWELS. =.
Theft of n Cas'set of Valuable Gems Fro,a
tho House of Mime. Du Barry In Paris.
Arrest Of rivo Men With the Property
In London.

| Arrest of 1.-Two Mon With the Property
| In London.
Where are Nine. Du Barry's jcwcls9
This question is pu2zling many persons
at present. Though she has been dead for
| many years, this famous iFrcnchwoman
has suddenly become an object OF great in
forest throughout Europe, and all that con-
Germs her romantic life is regarded as Of
historic Importance.
Mihc. Du Barry was very wealthy, and
up to the present hardly any one seems to
have made tho slightest effort to lay hands
upon tho fortune which she unuucstion-
| aDl.. left behind her
Dlvcrs go to the bottom OF tho sea in
quest of bullion, others spend years in
hunting after legendary wealth. but until
now 40 one seems to llavc given n thought
to Mime. Du Barry's lost cashbox, with
its wonderful collection of diamonds and
Other gems
History seems to give clear clew as to
the present location of these gems. On tho
evening Of Jan. 10, 1891, Nine Du Barry
lett the caStlo of Louvccicnncs in order to
pay visit to the Due dc Brissac her in
tcntlon being to return on the following
day. During her absence burglars entered
her bedroom and carried of her Jewels.
| y II.
had heard no noise in tho house. and tho
soldier who was on duty in front of tho
castle was found intoxicated in a nci.rh-
boring wincshop
The list OF the stolen jewels is still to be
found i'll the French archives and reads
like chapter of 1.-The Arabian Nights"
so bewildcrins is the long catalogue Of dia-
monde, rubics, cmcraids, pearls and other
precious stones
When the theft was made known. the
French public smiled in incrcdulity.
Nine. Du Barry YVES not popular, and tho
revolutionary journals were unanimous in
claiming that the former favorto of Louis
Nv had invented the whole story. Ac-
cording 10 the London Public Advertiser,
published ut the time, the lucn who had
stolen the jewels came straight to London
with their booty.
There were five of them. and OH their
arrival they Went to first class hotel and
ordered Il first class dinner Their Incl; of
luggage and secdy clothing did not tend
to inspire confidence in the hotel kecpcr.
but they succeeded in convincing him that
tEcy had plenty of cash and only needed
to get it changed into English money. on
the following day they went to Mr.. Simon
one Of the richest jewellers in London. and
offered to sell him some precious stones at
price which was scarcely qnc-siXth of
their real value. Tho jcwclcr bought all
OF them, then asked them if they had any
more of the same quality.
They said that they had. whorcupon the
Jcwclcr, finding some prctcxt for leaving.
his shop, fastened to tell his story to the
police. Tho latter had little difficulty in
otfccting tho arrest of tho ivc men, who.
finding themselves discovered, attemptcd
to throw the diamonds in tho fire. They
iaiicd to accomplish this purpose, however.
ana the police took possession of the treas
ure One of the thieves was an English
man who had before been frequently or
rested on various charges.
Bclng informed OF the arrests, Nine. On
Barry came to London, accompanicd nv,
her ieweler. The latter identified tho ,rc.
ci0Us stones, and his testimony was so con
Vincing that nothing seemed to remain but
to punish the malcfactors and hand back
the property To its rightful owner. In
those days Il crime of the kind was pun
ishcd with hanging. Mime. Du Barry.
however was not to recover her property
SO easily. The thieves positively refused
to plead guilty.
The beautiful Frenchwoman went IN
Ncwgatc prison where they were confined
thinking that she could fascinatc their
leader INTO Il confession of his crime. but
III thiS instance those charms which had
WoFheu wonders with so many men proved
utterly iruitlcss. Tho callous thief remain.
cd stubborn as mule and refused 10 70
to the scaiIold at her hehcst. The result
was that tho lord chief Justice decided in
thclr favor The charges against thcn. h,
SAID, had not been proved, and further
more no English tribunal was comnntnnt
TO inlet penalty for Il crime committed
In foreign country. The five thieves then
were discharged. AS to the Jewels. the
court was rather in quandarv.
me thieves had evidently stolen them.
but II they were not Mime. Du Bnrry's
property, whose were they. Tho matter
was ingenously compromised. The lew.
els were placed in cashbox, on which
was stamped the seal of the city of London
and were then placed for safe kccnine- With
McSsrs Rhnsoin, Morland s; Co. who did
largo banking business in Pail Mall
near Marlborough House The understand.
ing was that the Jewels would rcr,oir
with them until the court had rendered a
definite decision as TO their ownership.
one hundred and five years have cllusnd
since they were handed over to the bIul.
rrs ana no definite decision has vet been
rendered
But on the morning after the theft Mime.
Du Barry promised % big reward 10 any
ono who would find her Jewels. and the
lcweler who had denounced tho thicvos
demanded this, and the lord chief Justice.
without any hesitation, decided in his fa-