New-York tribune., 1902-02-24
A FORTUNE IN HIS BELT
CHARGED WITH SWITCHING
DIAMONDS WORTH $4,000.
HE SAYS A STRANGER GAVE THEM TO
HIM IN BREMEN TO BRING HERE
CONES on THE KRON-
PRINZ WILHELM.

Sewed in FIVE small compartments in belt oi
red flannel diamonds worth nearly 5000
were II is alleged. smuggled into this country by
passenger who came in yesterday the Kronprin7
Wilhelm The passenger gave his name as Michae
Ieinkran ssid he was twenty-one years old and
that he lived at No. 20 West One-hundred- -and-stX
teenth-st. He was arrested on the temporary pier
of the Kronprinz at Thirty-fcurth-st. by Spe-
cial Treasury Agent Theobad. and later locked
up in the West Thirty -seventh-st. police station
He Will be arraigned this morning before United
States Commissioner Shields.
Leinkran came over as a second cabin passenger.
He was arrested until after the Prince and his
suite had gone aboard the Fohenzollern.
About month ago information reached the
Special Treasury agents here that an attempt
would be made to smuggle in quantity OF dia-
monds- At the time II was learned that
Leinkran had gone abroad The information. 1t
is alleged connected his going with the attempt to
bring in the diamonds. The agents learned later
that Leinkran had booked passage home on the
Kronprinz They say they learned that he had
the diamonds in a belt
Yesterday, when the steamship landed, Agent
Theobald and Deputy Collector J. c Williams. OF
the Customs Office. met her at the dock. They
waited until Leinkr1n and the rest of the pas
sengers had made their declarations concerning
dutiable goods and all their baggage had been eN-
amned by the customs inspectors. leinkran' II
is alleged. made no declaration Of dutiable goods
ARRESTED AFTER PRINCE Is TRANSFERRED
On one pretext and another Leinkran was de-
tained at the pier until nearly all the passengers
had LEFT the pier Then he was arrested He was
taken back on the steamship, where the Treasury
agents examined him Encircling his waist rnder
his outer shirt was the red flannel belt the officers
saw This was about ten inches in width in front.
II was two folds in thickness.
The man was asked why he that, and he
said it was used for physical reasons. Further ex-
animation showed that the belt contained five
small compartments. which appeared 10 be stuffed
with cotton. Two of the compartments were cut
Each found to contain ii Is alleged, hve
aat packages of unset diamonds.
The other compartments were not opened, being
eft intact for the purposes of evidence. It was
said that. judging from the contents of the two
that we're opened. the total value of the seizure
was certainly not less than $500 and would prob
ably be shown to be $4,000 There 800 karats OF
,ut diamonds.
THE PRISONER HAS LITTLE MONEY.
It was learned that the prisoner has little or no
money. He came here about d year ago on the
Kaiser Friedrich.
William H Theobsld, the special Treasury agent.
at his home No. 22l West One-hundred-and- twenty
eighth-st said last night to a Tribune reporter:
It was only in the last zen days that knew this
little fellow. Michael LelnSran an austrian Jew
ond class passenger on the Kronprinz Wilhelm. I
large collection Of diamonds from Antwerp,
which he would bring in belt around his waist st.,
view the little fellow. in to my
et 5fTsnsT Fa fa hm h man diamonds m to- give to
MS Denkran's uncle in Harlem. and that he didn't
what he bringing to this country.
This is redhanded seizure and is a godsend to
he diamond trade Of this country. Down In Maiden
Lane you will find Austrian and Polish Hebrews
selling diamonds in the street. and Of them
are thick with diamond cutters IN Ant
Eerp.
DIAMONDS CLEVERLY CONCEALED.
This way of smuggling diamonds is very COM
pact. indeed. When ] went up the gangplank to-
lay I rubbed my hand down the prisoners back,
and, feeling nothing unusual thought for a moment
hat possibly mad the wrong man This method.
however. employed by Max J. Lasar, whom
caught in 1897. and again in 1900. On the first
.asion when he brought the goods in a
oet. the diamonds COnhsCated and the Grim
nal charge dismissed. In 1900 when seized $41 600
gorth Of diamonds, Lasar sentenced TO six
months in Erie County Jail and paid fine Of 800.
At No. 32 West One-hundred-and- -sixteenth-st..
the address given by Leinkran, II said he
aot known. There is a family OF that name lives
there. A young girl said there Henry
Leinkran. the name given by the prisoner that
Of his uncle. in the family. She had a brother.
Michael. she said, who was a furrier and employed
at Sixth-ave and Forty-seventh-st. but she de-
clared he had not been in Europe, and that he
had been at home as late as 2 D. m. yesterday.
She hadn't heard Of any diamonds, and said rather
sharply that in the family ever had any
thing TO do with such things.