The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-09
A FAMOUS
Gafnsborough's Portrait of Duchess of
Devonshire. Stolen in 1876, Just Re-
covered.
covered.

Chicago, April 5.-After travelling
through England. America and h Eu-
ropean continent for twenty-five years.,
the famous Gainsborough portrait of
the duchess of Devonshire. which was
stolen from the art gallery of the
Agnew Brothers. in London. England,
May 18th, 1876, is reported to have been
returned to it's owner. The painting
is valued at $50. 1000. A Chicago detec-
tive agency claims to have been instru-
mental in recovering the picture.
The holder of the picture. 1t is
said. was one of the band Of thieves
who stole it from the gallery, is said
to have received a large reward for Its
return and exacted an agreement to
drop the prosecution. According to the
detectives he had carried it with him
for years carefully packed and sealed.
h picture. it is announced, will ar
rive in london tomorrow.
The theft of the portrait was re-
markable in many ways. The doors OF
the gallery were found locked and bolt
ed on the inside. The policemen on the
beat, the watchmen of the block and
the janitor of the building had heard no
suspicious noise and they had noticed
no suspicious strangers.
There appeared to be no clue until
in 1886 a certain Josephus Elliott, then
under arrest for a large forgery, assert
ed that the Gainsborough picture was
still in existence and could be Gov
ed provided his liberty was granted.
Elliott said the picture had been stolen
by professional porch climbers" VINO
had entered one of the gallery Win
dows and cut the canvas from the
frame.
The picture had been taken Elliott
said. not for the reward that would be
offered for it, nor for the proceeds OF
it's sale, but as a means to secure pail
for a member of a band of forgers who
had been arrested in France for q for
gerry on the Bank of England. The
forger had been extradited and the Ag-
new Brothers were to be asked to sign
his bond on condition that the painting
be returned. Before the plan could be
| completed. however. the forger was
| given his liberty on a t~echnicalty.
Negotiations were later made with
| the thieves to return the painting FOL
a large reward. The sum offered was
| too small in the opinion Of the bur-
| glars. and the negotiations fell through
| Recently trace was again found of the
thieves n negotiations re-opened. "A
| larger reward was offered which result
| ed in the return of the picture ir
| Chicago.
When returned the picture was seal
| ed in a box made specially for its re
| ception and was pronounced in perfect
| condition. 1t was carefully packed II
| cotton batting. The portrait was
| brought from England to this country
| fifteen years ago and has remained III
storage warehouses and safety depos'
it vaults in various cities.
The person who secured the informa'
ton which led to the return of the por
trait is said by the detectives to be 6
sporting man, but they decline to make
his name public. The crime itself has
long since been outlawed.
c. Morland Agnew. son Of the or1gl-
nal purchaser of the portrait. has beer
in Chicago in connection with the re
covery of the picture. He brought
with him pieces of n taken from
the frame and also a steel engraving
of the portrait with exact measurments
of the original.
= The picture When taken from h cas-
ket was easily identified by Agnew. The
box had apparently been opened
since it was sealed MANI years ago.