Connecticut western news., 1901-04-11
Big ROBBERY ON A LINER
Three Gold Bars Stolen on
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse.
SAID TO BE WORTH 100000.
No Clew to the Theft-PassenEers'
BaKEaHe Searched at Cherbourg
without ResuIt-Story Is Somewhat
Mysterious.

No Clew to the Theft-PassenKers'
BaKgage Searched at Cherbourg
without ResuIt-story L. somew hat
Mysterious.
Cherbourg, France, April 10.-Un-
usual interest attached to the arrival
here of the North German Lloyd
steamer Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse,
from New York, when ii was announc-
ed that 100000 In bar gold had been
stolen from the vessels strong box.
This news was announced unwilling
ly by Captain Engelbart, but some ex-
PLANTATION had been demanded by the
passengers as to the reason for the ex-
traordinary care with which the Gus
toms officers, attended by detectives
In plain clothes, went through their
baggage before they were permitted
to leave the steamship and continue
their trip for Paris. One hundred and
Atty passengers landed here for Paris,
but the strictest examination of their
baggage failed to disclose any one of
the three missing gold bars, valued at
$40, 900 each.
Police Called For.
The news that something was wrong
on the great steamship first was con-
veyed to the police by signals, and a
boat laden with detectives met the
Kaiser Wilhelm, which proceeded
slowly to the dock to disembark her
passengers bound for Paris before con-
tinuing on her way to Southampton
and thence to Bremen.
Captain Engelbart told the detectives
that three gold bars valued at $4,000
each had been stolen from the strong
room Of the ship. This was part of a
heavy shipment of American gold to
Germany, and he said that the bars
had been taken on the voyage. He
asked the detectives and later the Gus
toms officers to assist him in finding
the gold IL possible by a searching ex-
animation Of the baggage and even the
persons Of all passengers leaving the
steamship. This request was followed
to the letter. much to the discontinue
of the many passengers who landed
here.
All Baggage Searched.
There were $50 passengers, almost
one-half of whom were women, and
among them were many wealthy and
prominent Americans. None was per-
mitted to land until all baggage first
had been examined, and so great was
the care taken that a long delay fol-
lowed, the steamship remaining at her
dock and the special train for Paris
being obliged to make a long wait.
Each trunk, packet, parcel and even
loose articles of clothing carried on
the arm of a passenger or in strap
was overhauled with the most con-
scientious exactness.
At all of these examinations one or
two detectives stood over the shoulder
of the customs officer, carefully noting
every article brought to view, and be-
fore 1t was over the innermost recesses
of the baggage of the passengers who
landed here were exposed and the
goods tossed about, much to their
amazement, until the situation was
explained to them.
Gold Was Not Found.
Then they submitted quietly, but
nothing of the gold was found after the
most thorough search. BY this time de-
tectives had arrived from Paris, and
when the passengers finally were per-
mitted to take a special train that had
been provided for them several detect
ives travelled with them to continue the
scrutiny under which some of the sus-
pected ones have been placed.
Other Paris detectives boarded the
Kaiser Wilhelm and will accompany
her to Southampton, where Scotland
Yard men will meet them, and If the
gold is not found there they will con-
tinue to Bremen. Meantime they will
make an examination of the baggage OF
all passengers still on board and in ad.
dition viii keep the entire crew of the
ship under the closest scrutiny.
No explanation was offered here by
the captain of the steamship or by
any of the detectives whom he took
into his confidence of how the strong
room had been broken into and why
| only three bars of gold were taken
| where so many more were so easy al
hand.