Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-09-07
Capturing aStatue
With Paint, Wig and Beard
Work of Art May Easily
Be Made RepuIsive.


In the course of my long and event
full career l have the honor of plan
ming various schemes which have
taken a conspicuous place In point of
audacity in the records of crime, but
perhaps IN none of these transactions
was such audacity more prominent
than III the incident of the carrying off
Of the Apollo statue from the residence
of Sir Titus Blaydes, Bart, the statue
In question being the work of the
famous sculptor Apelles and being
valued by experts at $250.000.
One evening l was sitting in a restau-
rant finishing an after dinner cigar
when a short. foreign looking man, ex-
pensiyely dressed, came and sat down
beside me.
Excuse the liberty ! take In ad-
dressing you," he began courteously
speaking with strong foreign accent
but in perfect English, "put your fame
has Indirectly reached my ears, ]
think ! have the honor OF addressing
air, Godfrey yinee?"
t'That is my name" returned, much
amazed. May ask what you desire
with me?'
He came very close and sinking his
voice, said in whisper, Il want you
to carry off for me the Apollo statue
from the house af Sir Titus Blaydes
at I4ongworth Court"
One glance at the card told me all
1t bore the name of Count Antonio
DeIarocca, the famous millionaire COL
leetor Of the antique, whose gallery at
Milan contained priceless glorles OF
ancient masters,
~ recognize your name, count, and
shall be glad to be of service to you.
But may | ask what constrained you
to fix upon me as the instrument Of
your designs?"
81 chanced to be present at your trial
over the WigmOre case, when. as you
will remember, you escaped with a
light sentence, though the evidence
showed you to be an artist in crime.
kept my eye upon you, resolving to
onef yon this delicate mission directly
the government no longer required
Your Fergices.7
Il shall be delighted to do all in my
power for ycu count. but first of all
you must tel me In detail what you re.
quire done"
.Most certainly" he made answer, as
he offered me a cigar and reiit bis own.
.puring the past four years ] have
made countless offers to Sir Titus
BIaydes for his Apollo. the offers being
made through secret agents OF mine,
for naturally the baronet would not
part with the statue to a rival collector
such as myself. My last offer was no
less than $250,000, but this also was
unhesitatingly refused"
He paused and blew Il great cloud
from his cigar. Then he resumed: 81
am a man of iron will. and what | set
my heart upon always obtain. Sir
Titus has proved nnamenable to fall
means. I will nov assail him with the
only alternative stratagem. Yes, mere.
" stratagem, not robbery, for on the
day that you hand over to me the Apol.
10 statue shall forward him anony.
meusly the sum of $259Q0q And YOU,
my friend, would reeeixe $4,000
Come, Is the bait sufficiently tempt,
lngy'
Before we parted he gave me his ad-
dress In Milan, for which place he was
leaving on the morrow, and 1t was to
this address that | was to convey the
statue If my efforts proved successful.
may add that he left with me the
sum of $500 as a guarantee of good
faith.
on the following Monday | journey.
ed adw9a 'to tghgw9rfb e8urt' and,
mipgling with ihe crowd, entered the
spacious maBsion, ] seon gained ad-
mittance 10 the gallery,
The more | contemplated the bust
ness the further and further away did
the counts reward seem, and by the
time reached London | was In de-
spairing mood. l retired to bed, resolv-
ed to think no more of the matter,
though on the following morning +
visited tive of my Oldest schups, lack
CRIMES and 'Fpiii Harris, and' put the
case 70 tneIh. They sleerfd At the af-
fair, declaring i was Impossible.
It therefore eame about that the
matter passed 9uI Of my mind until
the end of November when it was
brought back to me in curious man-
uer,
happened to enter a theater one
night where play was being enacted
In which distracted hairdresser, be-
ing pursued by statue which had
been miraculously endowed with lieS,i
suddenly conceived the idea 6f' paint
ing her tate ahi fIfesslng her ip mod
6rn atfire,' so as to render her appeag-
ance more conventional opnpsaelll when shs was
tracking bis steps.
An idea AasheA through my brain
when | witnessed this Incident did
not wait for the end Of the play, but
leaping into hansem. drave 10 our den,
where, By lucky chance. found
Grimes and Harris ensconced In arm
chairs aud smoking peacefully
They both looked up quickly. but did
not speak
''Afy plan is this" went on. spaak-
= L Ax-s.tlI on. = = - ~