New-York tribune., 1907-10-27
"A BURGLAR SYNDICATE.
The H'holesaIe RQbberies of Church
Treasures an France.
Paris October IA.

Paris October IA.
| The wholesale robbcries and sviniling oper-
ations Of the firm of "Messrs. Anthony Thomas
| & Co." as disclosed by the examining magis-
| trates of Limoges. establish a precedent in the
| criminal annals of France. The exploits of Rob
| ert Macaire. and of the famous Collet. were
marked with brilliant audacity and astonishing
| personal courage, Nine. Therese Humbert, VINO
| with an empty safe as her sole security bor-
| rowed from prominent bankers upward Of $40
| OOO,O0O. was a past master in the art of swim
: ding: Gallay. the clerk who discovered in
| genious system of Cashing checks drawn upon
! one of the most important financial establish
! ments of Paris, and who fled with young ac-
! tress in steam yacht to Buenos Ayres, dis
| played mathematical talents of the highest
order but for thorough up-to-date actuality
| and modernity the business carried on by
| 'Messrs. Anthony Thomas & Co." of Clermont-
! Ferrand. breaks the record.
When the separation laws under discus
| sion a couple of years ago and before the in
! ventories of church property required by the
| government were completed. it was found that
| church treasures and objects of art were Of
fered for sale by dealers in antiquities in enor-
| nous quantities. At the same time ecclesiastical
| jewels. Illuminated prayer hooks. mediRval tap
! estres and other valuable religious and historic
| objects of art vanished from the churches. espe-
cialIy i'm the country districts. with miraculous
! rapidity. The theft of the gold crown Of ST
! Michael bought in 1915 by public subscription
| for 100000 and spirited away from the Mont
! st Michel in an automobile in which were
seated two smartly dressed men and a Partisan
woman of dashinC appearance was described in
; The Tribune in September of last year Rob
berries were reported at churches and c2thedraIs
| at LYONS MarseiIes Nancy. Chartres and
| Rennes Strange to say, none Of these COM
| rLains was followed by arrests Neither the
! regular police nor the private detectives en-
ployed ny bishops in whose dioceses the rob
| berries were committed succeeded IN ge-IHs
! upon the track of the culpritS
| few weeks ago information reached the
! police authorities OF Paris, Lyons and Cler-
| mont -Ferrand. according 10 which the pros
| perous industrial establishment managed ny
! the brothers Anthony and FRANCOIS Thomas
was the central agency in France OF
a syndicate of gentleman burglars mpl-
! Gated in robberies of church treasures. care
| full and discreet Investigations indicated that
| this strange partnership which might well
| be called "RafFes x Co." was doing a business
! on an unprecedented scale, the whole OF France
being reserved as the field of it's enterprise. The
head Offices occupy extensive premises in the
! Rue Rrfschct at Clerrnont- -Ferraud. BY virtue
| of a warrant issued by NJ. NiSier-Lejeune local
| magistrate at ClermOnt-F -Fe-rand. the police
under the direction of NJ. Antiques, searched the
| premises and arrested Nine. Thomas, mother
7 of the Thomas brothers, and Francois Thomas,
VINO was in charge of the books. The police
| found an Illustrated postal card representing
! the .OId Curiosity shop of Dickens Upon this
| card was message addressed To Nine Thomas
and dated London. which ran follows:
| This is q picture of the offices of one of our
| important English customers. Lots Of business
I in hand Big profits confidently expected NJ.
| Vigier forthwith apprised the authorities oi
/ Scotland Yard, Further search was made az
/ the home Of the Thomas brothers a. Clermont-
! Ferrand Here were found between the mat
tresses of bed ma gnihcent eucharstic
/ pigeon in massive gold, several communion
! plates, and ornaments assorted to match the
| famous reliquarN stolen from the Church of
! Ambazac valued at $4,000 Six hundred let
! ters were found. many of which were written by
| well known dealers in antiquities doing business
/ in Paris. London and New York, in which Of
> fers were made for the purchase of medieval OBJ
iccts Of art TIE library of the Thomas brothers
! contained a well selected collection of books
| descriptive of French churches and cathedras.
| and the latest technical works treating of art
| treasures of the Middle Ages. and many cata-
! Iogues OF ccclesastic treasures and jewels. A
| portion of the library devoted to voluminous
| criminal reports of celebrated trials. and to po-
| lice novels chosen from Gaboriau. Balzac. Eu-
| gene Sue together with the Adventures of
| Vidocq" Memoirs of Troppmann,'' Souvenirs
/ of Mace Chef de Ia Surett," and "Conspira-
! tours ct Gems de Police" In sort of studio
| strange collection of drugs was discovered.
! Among these various kinds of poison. and
| correspondence of an exceedingly confidential
nature from young women
| The news Of these extraordinary discoveries
| spread like wildflre. The good folk of Cermont-
/ Ferrand refused TO believe that the Thomases
! could be guilty. They must be victims of con-
! spiracy. Was it possible thar the venerable and
! highly respected Nine Thomas. who gave large
! sums to tire local poor. who was on intimate
| terms with the bishop and the curate. and who
was the benefactress and patron OF half dozen
| holy and charitable works. could have taken
part i'm these sacrilegicus robberies? Three days
! later matters took another turn. 4 letter ar
! rived at the police station of ClermOnt- Ferrand
| dated at London and signed Anthony Thomas"
| bearing the strange message "Shall arrive at
Clermont- Ferrand at o'clock in the morning
| dav after tomorrow. and shall call at your
office" Surely enough, on the day and at the
| time announced a young gentleman Of refined
| appearance. attired in travelling costume evil
| IDENTIFY made by a smart West End London tailor
| drove up in a cab before the Clermont- -Ferrand
town hall and leaving in the vehicle valise OF
costly green morocco. stepped out and proceed
/ ad IN the police station The visitor