The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-10-17
LOOTED FRENCH CHURCHES
Wealthy Robbers Exposed BY
Theft OF Historic Cope.
Revelations of Scandal and Murder
Stolen Works OF Art Sold in ing
land and United States.

Paris, France. - Astonishment
amounting to CONSERVATION has been
caused by the arrest at Clermont-
Ferrand OF a wealthy barrel manu-
Ifacturer named AntofreThomas, with
mis- mother md brother. The imme-
date charge against them is stealing
a historic cope from the church at
Bianzac, Department of Haute-
Vienne.
Amazing discoveries made in cons,
nection with the theft threaten . vast
scandal. Thomas was = rich and re-
spected local magnate to the public.
but 1t seems that privately he was a
practitioner of illegal operations, and
even, it IS alleged, a nurdere". The
whole country is now ringing with
the story.
In Thomas house the police found
an array of deadly poisons, a blood
tstained ~stiletto, Illegal surgical in
struments and a mass Of correspond
enee duplicating some OF the best
known families in France. Numer~
Gus Paris art dealers, some OF them
millionaires, are shown to have had
dealings with Thomas as receivers of
stolen goods. They had agents in
England and the United States, and
had formed a great conspiracy Tor
the theft and sale Of priceless relics
secured from French churches.
1t is stated that Thomas alone re-
/ allied from theftS the sum OF $780,
900. His mother aud brother Fran
COTS were arrested on October B,
Thomas himself, who has returned TO
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT from London,
where he sold a stolen reliQuary fol
$4,000, surrendered to a mag1s-
trate. He fully confessed the syste-
matte theft OF works OF art, u was
horrihed to learn of the poisons AND
correspondence seized.
He told the Magistrate that he was
without remorse SO far as his dealingt
In works of art were concerned, bu'
the arrest OF his mother and brother
who were innocent, and the possloi'
Implication of a married lady Wnon
he had adored for years impelled MN
: to surrender. Her love letters, tounC
in the house, would involve her ruin
He implored the Magistrate to con
ceal the Iady's name.
, He further told the Magistrate tha
he did not care q straw about tn
other women, whose guilt was prove
by the correspondence, adding: Fu
, they belong to q world you dare nc
asperse ard when you know all 20
! win be glad to liberate me to avoid
frigntful scandal"
Thomas ascribes his betrayal to
rich Paris antiquary, TO whom he r.
fused to sell the cope. He rends Ri
alleged accomplices in theft Nero
lessly. He says that one OF thes
wealthy men proposed two years eg
the plan OF procuring Church treal
ures.
Many priests believed that the sci
aration Law would render them abs
IS lutely destitute, as the GoVernmel
had inventoried all the Church Valui
bles. The scheme was to oner u
priests money to hand over the
:. chief treasures and substitute cnes
Is replicas furnished by Thomas n n
friends. 1t worked excellently, al
/ scores of supposed Church treasure
Thomas says, will be found upon g
animation to be uoS genuine.
e More than thirty priests sure
y dered historic objects in the first foI
, night the scheme was worked. II
20 most valuable objects, however, cou
not be duplicated, and the Paris de-
ers proposed that they be stolen. .
this Thomas consented.
He describes various succsssl
raids, the proceeds OF which we
disposed OF in London, whe
+ EThomas, accompanied by a trlei
named Faure, took them. He sa
that a London ageEt who bought
reliauary stolen atAmb2zac, acted
an American purchaser who Is W
irr its delivery.