The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-22

amateur. The whole church might
easily have been transported piece
meal from Blaru to the Seine. which Is
only three miles distant. and put in
two or three big canalboats, towed
down to Havre and shipped to New
York, at a total outlay, as estimated
by an expert. of $4,000. The cost of
re-erecting on the banks Of the Hud-
son this church exactly as it had been
built by Henry L.. who resided in Ver-
non during its construction. would
have been far less than to biuld an
insignificant modern dwelling house.
Moreover. the church is filled with re-
miniscences of the ancient family of
Vernon. long since established in
Vernon and who retain the motto of
the French birthplace of their ances-
tors. Vernon Semper Viret"
Several other Gothic churches in
Normandy have to the personal
knowledge of the writer been recently
offered for sale at auction. but for
lack of sufficient advertising. and in
the absence Of purchasers. have sub
seQuently been actually given away,
on condition that the possessOr de-
fray the cost of either maintaining
them in good condition or of pulling
them down. While amateurs in
search of relics OF Gothic architec-
ture and stone carving are just now
reaping harvest in Normandy and in
Brittany. the smaller objects of art;
and ecclesiastical jewels are disap-
pearing, owing to other causes. fore
most among which is that OF skilled
and wholesale burglary.
The latest and most important
church robbery is that Saint Michael's
crown. bought in 1875 by public sub
scription of 100000 and given to the
church of Mont Saint Michel to COM
memorate the PRONUNCIATION of the de-
cree OF Plus IN. which conferred the
honors of coronation upon the patron
saint. The church of Mont Saint
Michel. with the exception of mar
row causeway constructed in 1880.
is surrounded by the sea. ebbing and
flowing over broad reaches of quick
sands and its turrets, chapels. towers,
cloisters. cubliettes. dating from the
eighth century. and its shrine of the
Archangel Michael. attract each sum-
mer thousands of tourists. amons
whom there are always two or three
hundred Americans. The famous inn
adjoining the shrine of the Archangel
Michael. kept by a genial housewife.
Nine. Poularde. whose omelettes have
gained a transatlantic reputation,
was on the afternoon of Saturday.
August IS, thronged with visitors.
Among those who dined that evening
at the inn were two smartly dressed
young men, accompanied by an en-
ceedingly attractive Partisan woman
They had come in an automobile
After dinner. at about $3.50, they
motored away. having bestowed gen.
erous tips to walters and keepers.
Next morning the church door was
found open. and the superb 100000
crown. made of gold and studded with
diamonds. rubies and emeralds. had
disappeared. Gendarmes, police and
priests were summoned in hot haste,
and are still searching in vain for the
burglars. The priests and those who
live at Mont Saint Michel suspect
that it was the two smart young men
and their woman accomplice who
committed the burglary. But this is
only popular surmise, not resting On
substantial evidence. Detectives have
arrived at Mont Saint Michel from
Paris. They could not obtain any
clew to the robbery, and neither the
two we'll dressed strangers nor their
companion who came in the automo-
bile could be traced 1t was found
that they had stationed their motor
car on the causeway near the en-
trance to Mont Saint Michel, and after
having walked to and fro between the
automible and the church three or
four times they jumped into their car
and sped away.
1t is a singular coincidence that ihs
robbery was committed while the
precious crown was the object of
litigation between the bishopric and
the state. Mysterious whispers are
heard indicating that certain over
Jealous priests have spirited away the
crown, just as was the practice of
their predecessors in the revolution,
in order to save the treasures of the
church from what they allege to be
spoliatiOn. At all events the famous
crown of Sain Michael has vanished.
c. |. B.