The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-23

OVER IRISH
TREASURES
Crown Seeks TO Got Ancient
Celtic Ornaments Back From
British Museum.

New York, June ga curious lawsuit
is now being heard in the chancery law
courts I'm London, in which the Crown
are suing the trustees OF the British Mu-
scum for the possession OF certain Celtic
ornaments found I'm the north OF Ireland
and now in the possession OF the British
Museum. The action is popularity known
as the Irish Treasure Trove case.
The reason for the many delays which
have taken place in the hearing OF the
case is the extraordinary amount OF evil
dence OF an antiquarian and historical
character that has had TO be sifted by
counsel specially versed In black letter"
law. As long ago as 1896 the articles
I'm question were discovered by a laborer
while ploughing near Limavardy, In the
northwest OF Ireland.
They consist Of a hollow collar. In
two sections. with elaborate repousse or
nament of eccentric curves: model boat,
with eight thwarts Originally nine) and
a number Of oars, spars; etc: hemi
spherical bowl Of thin metal with four
rings at the edges for suspension; a solid
gold tore Of stout wire. with a thinner
wire twisted round II: one-half of a simi-
lar tore; n necklace formed of three plait-
ed chains with a peculiar fastening. and
a thin single chain necklace OF the same
plating.
in some parts of Ireland. and such as
were largely used In Ireland in early
times. They were all found In 1896 In
field near Lough Foyle by a man named
Nicoll He and a man named Morrell
were ploughing the field when Nicols
plough struck the articles about sixteen
inches below the surface They lay to-
gether in n space OF nine inches, They
looked apparently as II they had been
hidden there.
The ornaments passed through several
hands until they came into the possession
of Mr.. Day. a well known Irish anti
quarry. who exhibited them in London and
afterward sold them TO the British Mu-
scum for asOO. II was not until the orna-
ments were safely deposited at the mu-
scum. In 1897. that the Royal Irish acad-
emy became aware Of the sale.
They endeavored to persuade the mu-
scum authorities TO give them up, but the
trustees refused on the ground that their
statutes prohibited the disposal OF any
thing but duplicates of improper objects.
The law officers OF the Crown advised
that, as the objects were improperly ac-
auired. there was no danger of the mu-
scum statutes being infringed. However.
the trustees considered that the opinion
OF n court OF law would be the best safe
guard.
Apparently the Royal Irish academy
have a strong case, relying chiefly on
charters given by James l and Charles l.
delegating to them the right of acquiring
all treasure trove found in Ireland.
Treasure trove. as defined In "Chitty on
the Royal Prerogative," the leading
modern authority on the subject, Is
where any gold or silver In coin, plat or
bullion Is found concealed in a house or
I'm the earth, or other private place. the
owner thereof being unknown, In which
his grantee having the franchise OF treas
ure trove. but II he that laid 1t be known
or afterward discovered. the owner, and
not the king is entitled TO IT."
"If the owner. instead OF hiding the
treasure, casually lost IL, purposely part
ed with It In such manner that IL Is
evident he intended TO abandon the prop
erty altogether, and did not purpose to
resume II on another occasion. as IL he
threw IL on the ground or any other
public place, or in the sea, the first finder
is entitled to the property as against
every one but the owner, and the king 5
prerogative does not In this respect OBJ
tain
$50 that II Is the hiding and not the
abandonment of the property that entities
the king TO II. II is the duty OF every
person who finds any treasure TO make
1t known to the coroners of the county.
The punishment for concealng IL Is fine
and imprisonment"
II the crown wins the day the treasure
trove will probably be handed over to the
Royal Irish Academy.