Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-10-03
TREASURE ROMANCE.
NOW KING OF HANOVER CHEAT
ED PRUssIANS IN 1886.
caorge the Fifth 1t Appears Had a
Very Marrow Escape from Find
ing Himself Penpiless.

Truth. Inc history VI tue Duhe VI
cumberland fortune has just been re-
hated by Herr Won Hassell. His father.
George V, had q narrow escape OF find
ing himself both kingdomless and pen
njless. The state treasures OF Hanover
we're only placed in safety few hours
before Prussia declared war on the ex-
cellent blind king. The person who
saved the financial part was Herr
Klenck. chief secretary Of the excheq-
uer. He had to remove 100000 thalers
in silver, SO 900 crowns In gold, worth
about 30s each; f54.000 in English
hank notes, $4,000 in Prussian thai
ers G250.000 in Hanover bank notes.
and e19.000,000 worth of English,
Dutch, French and other government
bonds. The gold crowns were packed
in 70 wine tubs, the bonds in ten chests,
the Hanover bank notes in bales, and
the thalers ia crates lined with tin.
This variety in packing was to prevent
notice being taken at the railway or
the port of embarkation. where Prus-
sian agents we're reported as on the
lookout. These barrels and bales were
taken by an ordinary goods train to an
outlaying station, and then rapidly
shifted to special train that was to
go at full speed at Geestemunde. 1t
started at III so ., m. on June Is, 1866,
But they had forgotten to order sta
tionmasters to keep the line lighted,
and the enginemen had to creep along
in momentary fear of an accident The
train was late for the steamer that was
to take the treasure to England. The
risk of taking it on board Lloyd's
steamer, the Bremen. had to be run on
the night of June II. Klenck grew
gray in the two days of suspense. Prus-
sian men-of-war were hanging about
near the mouth of the Elbe. The Bre-
men entered Southampton on June 10,
and did not sight a single Prussian
vessel on the way.
Somehow the tidings that the Bre-
men had on board all the gold and sill
yer of the king of Hanover had got out
there before the vessel arrived. Doubt
less it was telegraphed from Geestee-
munde. Plots were already made to
rob it. The king Of Hanovers agent
lost no time to defeat them by hiring a
special train to London for the pre-
cious cargo 1t arrived there before
closing time at the Bank OF England,
All was transported to the cellars there
by Ais o'clock. A telegram in one
word, Safe" apprised the king of Han
over that he was at any rate saved
from beggary. The silver coins, allow
ance being made for exchange, were
valued at G10S,s05, and lodged in
Klenck's name. The Prussian thalers
were transferred to a West End branch,
where he had an account, and to his
credit The duke of Cambridge was
asked to take charge of the gold crowns
and debentures. but refused after he
had taken the advice of counsel. 1t
was finally decided to leave them where
they were. at the Bank of England.
1t had been impossible to send away
the plate of the crown Of Hanover be-
fore war was declared. This plate was
of priceless value, apart from its in
trinsic worth as silver. The grand
chamberlain Malortie, caused hole to
be made. like an English cellhole, un-
der the steps to the grand entrance of
the palace 1t was scooped out by
workmen placed in the cellar. A wall
under the door was broken down,
When the hole was large enough the
plate was packed in it in sand, and the
wall rebuilt. The idea Of the sand was
ingenious. When the Prussians. some
days after. beat with hammers the wall
that masked the hiding place it gave no
hollow sound. This part Of the king
OF Hanovers fortune remained hidden
until December, 1897 when the Tres-
ent German emperor determined to act
on the treaty of Langensalza, which
secured to George V the royal treasure.
Not a single article was missing. What
is most remarkable is that, though
many persons who lived on their days
wages were in the secret. they never
breathed word of what they knew.
The late King George V was the be-
loved of his Hanoverlans
A man who scrubbed floors was sent
by Malortie with the crown. jewels in
cab to the queen of Hanover. She
was then staying at Herrenhausen. The
man was given no list. He perfectly
well knew what was intrusted to him,
and that the Prussians were close to
Hanover. The grand chamberlain had
hidden the crown jewelry and private
money safes in the palace. He rightly
Judged that If he sent them with an
Office man merely, nobody would sus-
poet they We're not trunks filled with
clothes of the queen and princesses.
There was a great quantity of paper
money in a travelling bag into which
NalOrtie thrust some satin shoes when
be felt that the eyes Of servant whom
De suspected was watching him. Count
ana Countess kitlmannsegge agreed to
receive the jewels at their residence at
hIumenau, and send them thence for
safe keeping to the duke Of Cambridge.
VINO is a Hanoverian in blood birth
ne was born at Herrenhausen). and
breeding. When it was becoming un-
SAFE 10 keep them, the count and count
ess started off in dogcart for the port
"aeTe they were TO embark She had
eight rivieres of diamonds, each one
fastened to another until they all form
'l one string twisted around her body,
ana a diamond stitched into her hat.
trF sleeves covered bracelets that were
..iched on undersleyes, and extended
rom wrist to arm. A crown was hid
cen IN big bag OF wool for knitting.
diamond shoe-buckles were concealed
.- ine counts leggings, and his glazed
'i-aeF nat held tiara. The diamond
5.tlled scepter and three crowns were
"Alsl 70 the Princess Louisa OF
'i.5re sister OF the Duchess OF Cam
r.