New-York tribune., 1907-10-09
FRENCH RELICS STOLEN
Churches Robbed of Treasures
InIiGucries licensed.

ME Oct S-Ar.o:ne Thornos Of Clermont- Per
"a capital Of tie Department q Puy-de-D Dome.
- Was arrested with his mother ard brother,
rorped with completely in the theft OF the famous
- ~ C,rth which belonged TO the state and was
,.iued al N20cJ0 from the Church OF Ambazac.
oar Limoges has made 3 confession. For months
-acio,s relics have been disappearing from
t,7rcbes and il was presumed that a gang OF
+Fsa,.es was systematically at work. Thomas who
-,,,e himself up to clear his mother and brother
saws thai after the passage OF the separation law
rFer The church inventories began, antiquaries OF
paris hired him and others go through the
country and bribe parish priests to surrender the
relics and substitute counterfeits which could later
no turned over the state. He says this plan Of
operation continued for months. but as many Of
the most valuable church treasures could not be
counterfeited he finally boldly into the bust
ness Of wholesale burglary. Thomas estimated the
amount Of his robberies at 500 OO0.
The cope Of Orth belonged TO the order Of Gram
mont. whose monastery was situated at Muret
near Limoges. It disappeared at the time of the
French Revolution. when the order was dissolved
and later turned UP in the Church Of Anlbazac
from which Il Was stolen Thomas says he sold
It 10 an antiquary Of London for $4,000 He adds
that the antiquaries of Paris dispose OF their
',plUnder" IN England and America, and that he
vii expose his eccomplces. who have abandoned
him.
None of the well known antiouaries Of Paris will
admit that he ever dealt with Thomas
Thomas was apparently & respectable cooper IN
CeTIont-teTrano- While the detectives were
searching London and Paris for him he quietly re-
turned TO Clermoat-Ferrand and disguised visited
the local cafes and listened 10 his neighbors talk
about his disappearance. Later he went 20 his own
shoP where he saw the police search the premises.
On Monday he wrote a letter TO a local newspaper
announcing his return. and saying he would give
himself Up the next day. Thereupon the police
doubled their efforts TO find the man. but without
Euccess. Yesterday he walked into the police
ton When the examining magistrate arrived on
the scene Thomas said TO him.
The head Of the firm Of Thomas & Co. whom the
people Of ClernOnJ- -FerTand have considered a mer-
chant above suspicion, Is a vulgar malefactor and
10 avow my sins. which concern me alone; neither
70 save ~! innocent lloiher ana Drother, ana a
by the seizure OF certain correspondence.
Thomas related how ne was first approached re-
gardng the thefts in the Masonic lodge Of which he
is q member. He gave . list Of the priests with
whom he says he had dealings. but he withheld the
names Of the dealers IN antiquities
Among Thomas's effects in the possession of the
police books describing the masterpieces
Of religious art. together with many yellow back
novels.
Thomas said on his travels he found other men
engaged IN similar work. Even stained glass win
dows have been taken out Of churches and replaced
inferior article, while the substitution OF
limitations for bronZes ivorles paintings and tapes
tries have been innumerable.
II is believed that almost all the treasures were
sold IN England America 4 thorough investiga-
ton is being conducted here and It Is believed that
some antiQuaries OF international reputation
implicated. The newspapers already are demanding
that the government take steps TO safeguard art
treasures as is done IN Italy the suggestion being
made that they should Be removed 10 the national
museums
a man named Antoine FaUre was arrested at
Clermont-Ferrand tonight as accomplice Of An
toine Thomas Proof has been obtained that
Thomas and Faure were implicated in the recent
burglary the museum at Gueret- .
The Commissioner Of Police says he believes
that Thomas was the tool OF persons with con-
siderable funds ne had paid out not less than
&800 IN his operations.
In the Of interview to-day Thomas
said that although the objects handed over by him
10 the persons for whom he working were
valued al $4,000 he had received practically moth
ing His principals had refused TO pay him the
promised commissions, and he was up q his ears
debt.
The police tonight received a telegram from
London from the police Of that city saying they
had discovered part OF the Thomas plunder