The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-14
PRICELESS PLATE
TAKEN FROM SAFE
Louis XVI. Used Some Of Silver
Stolen from Pinault
Residence.
Strong Box Was Riaed While the
Family Was Absent in
the South.

Rich silverware, some Of it handed
down from the household Of Louis XVI
Of France and priced beyond monetary
value; negotiable papers of consider
able value, and possibly other heir
looms whose loss has not yet been dis
covered, have mysteriously disappeared
from the house Of DR.. Joshua N. Pin
ault, LOG Mount Curve avenue.
Today Superintendent Doyle's most
astute detectives and the best sleuths
cities are searching for the former
caretaker Of the Pinault mansion, upon
whom suspicion now rests.
DIR. and Mrs. Pinault are hurrying to
Minneapolis from their winter home
at Pass Christian, Miss, to put the best
detectives procurable upon the case IN
an effort to recover the priceless silver
and other articles that the unknown
but clever thief removed from the big
safe in the cellar OF the house.
In the mysterious robbery the, police
have found one Of the most perplexing
problems Of the present administration.
Tho the sudden disappearance of the
caretaker, and certain movements OF his
in the past week are regarded highly
suspicious, the man has covered his
tracks well.
For some reason, the police anthori-
ties have ordered the present watchman
at the Pinault house and the few neigh
bcrs, who have knowledge of the rob-
case. !, Not a hint Of the robbery has
been given out by the police depart
ment.
Safe In the Cellar.
In stone chamber, off from the 1aun-
dry room of the Pinault cellar, stands
the big safe which was looted. Not a
mark does it bear. It was not known
that any person outside the Immediate
family knew the combination. To reach
| the safe room, one must pass thru a
! door which has patent lock. 1t
was thought that there were only two
| keys for this lock-the one held by DR..
Pinault and that in the hands of his
| superintendent, Mr.. Vandette. But
| this door was opened without violence
as mysteriously as the safe, and with
/ these two facts before them the detec-
/ tives suspect the presence of trained
When the robbery was, committed Is
not known. It was discovered yester-
day when Mr.. yanette, who lives on one
Of DR.. Pinault' Is country places, opened
1the safe for inspection. It had been
! his custom to visit the Pinauft home
i every few days to see that all went
well.
The huge door Of the vault, that
j stands five feet high, was swung open
to reveal disorder inside. A hasty ex-
animation proved the truth OF Mr..
i Vanette 8 first fears. The rich silver
and valuable papers had been stolen.
Mr.. Vanette could hardly believe the
evidence that confronted~him The safe
| had not been marred, but the silver tea
sets, tableware and other articles that
1 have. been handed down thru genera
| tionS Of the aristocrattc French family
were gone, with some notes and other
4 negotiable papers.
! Here again was presented evidence
of the trained thief, in that the cheaper
. silver articles had been left behind.
Spoons of little value, compared with
i the silver from which Louis XVI and
his family had eaten, were lying on
the floor of the safe.
Rich Curies Undistunbed.
Only articles easily carried were
I taken. It is thought hack was used
to take away the loot and that woman
was an accomplice Of the thief. Eurni-
/ ture. paintings Gobelin tapestries and
other relics Of the magnificent court Of
/ Louis XVI, obtained by Mrs. Pinault 8
i great grandfather, who was commissary
Of that monarch, and priceless because
Of their. associations, were left undis-
| turbed. Possibly smaller articles were
taken, but until DR.. and Mrs. Pinault
arrive and take careful inventory Of
the premises it will be impossible to es-
innate the extent of the robbery.
4 The beautiful home Of DIR. Pinault
has long been famous for the treasures
1t held. So many and so valuable were
! these articles that DR.. Pinault 1nad
Il printed o catalog Of the relics.
1 Only thru his intimate connection
with the court was 1t possible for Mrs.
! Pinault's grandfather to secure posses
sion of the treasures and they have
been handed down thru the several
generations, ever increasing in material
and intrinsic value.
4 The name of the suspected caretaker
is jealously guarded by the police, but
it is known that every resource of the
!: department. is being exerted to obtain
a trace of his whereabouts. Suspicion
!, was first directed to the man last Fri
day. DR.. Pinault had ordered that some
one must be in the big house all the
time. Friday night no ons was there
taker returned later.
Yesterday Mr.. Vanette again found
the treasures unguarded. He found
nothing wrong in the upper rooms. He
went into the cellar. Nothing appeared
disturbed there, and not until he had
swung back the heavy door of the safe
; had he misgivings. Then the alarm
was spread. DR.. Pinault was at once
notified.
Went Away in a Hack.
Investigation had proved that the
caretaker engaged O. hack few nights
;; ago. It, also has been discovered that
Chicago woman joined him recently
These are the only clues of the police.
Chicago sleuths today are dragging that
city for trace Of the missing man and
the woman who is alleged to have ac
companied him. No trace has been
found as yet.
Until DR.. Pinault arrives, the exact
value Of the stolen articles cannot be
!, determined, but considering the precau
) lions taken to guard them and the well
known fact that they were highly cher
ished by the family, the monetary value
may be thousands, with at least twice
as much added for their value as relics
COLORADO JUDGE rs DEAD.
, Denver, March 4.-Judge Julius B.
: Bissen, former judge Of the Colorado
: court Of appeals, is dead, aged so years.