Milford chronicle., 1907-11-15

The recent burglary in London where
by Charles Wertheimer lost two almost
priceless gems Of art recalls to London
Tit-Bits other famous picture thetts-
In MAY. 1876. a picture for which the
AIassrs. Agnew had paid the then rec
ord price-of 10000 guineas was on view
,p Bond street. and crowds daily flock
al ththor to view the masterpiece. On
ihe evening Of May - the picture was
an IFS place. On the morning of the
next day when the attendant opened
the rooms an empty frame met his be-
wildered eyes.
The theft was wrapped in mystery
and the whereabouts OF the picture re-
manned a matter of conjecture for more
than twenty years. The canvas, how
ever. was ultimately recovered IN l9Ol'
through information given by certain
PAT Sbeadv, which resulted In the
Gainshorough's return from America
whittier il had been takca 10y the aetu-
nj thief. Adam Worth. 1t is now In the
possession of J. Pierpont Morgan.
In the ROYAL academy Of 1873 was eX-
hibited picture by Sidney Cooper en-
titled The Monarch of the Meadows
which later on became the property OF
AR. Allcroft for e, 800. In September
( 1881 n fire broke out in a room where
in the picture had been put during some
decorative alterations which were tax
ing place in the house. When the CON
Aarrotion was got under control 1t was
found that the picture had disappeared
the canvas having been cut from the
frame.
For some time nothing was heard oi
the stolen picture but eventually Mr
Allcroft received a letter stating tha'
tbe writer had been one Of the decora
TORS engaged at the time Of the loss
and that he and two others had' Oh
Dromise OF a large reward, stolen th'
picture. which. as the original compac
had not been kept, he was willing L
return for 800. Other letters were re
ceived from time to time, but no fna
settlement was arrived at until the en'
of January. 1882. when the thieve
were captured by the police and tn
picture was found in their possession
A picture robbery which created
stir throughout the civilized world wa
J that of the MurllO from the CathedTa
, of Seville. This. too, was cut from IL
I frame and. like the GainsbOrough
was taken across the Atlantic 10 NeV
York. where for some time it remain
cd in hiding. At last the thieves. u
need of money. sold it to William
Schaus. who refusing the reward o
f2OOO that had been offered for It's r.
covery. returned it at once to IN
h Spanish authorities.
In october. 1904. the National ga
B. lery suffered a loss in the theft OF
= portrait of Baron Dimsdale. This
D. which was by the celebrated miniatur
4 painter Plimer, was in broad dayllgn
4 unscrewed from the wall and carrie
I of while the attendant was engaged
e shuwIng the whereabouts Of partlct
b lar picture to an inquiring visitor. III
loss was almost Immediately discover
y ed, but the thief managed to get clea
Off and up to the present has neYe
e been captured.
E The following year the Antwerp mi
II scum was robbed of a portrait D
, Franz Halls. valued at 10000, while
few years back the Cincinnati instt'
ton and the st. Louis museum weI
visited by picture stealers, who mad
off with several figure subjects by Mel
:, er Won Bremen. which We're cut froi
their frames.
HOlbein's "The Field of the Cloth
:, Gold" on view at Hampton Court pa
- ace. bears witness to this day OF
y theft that may be termed patriots
After the downfall of Charles l., Cron
y we'll to raise funds, purposed the sa
= Of certain pictures, this among IL
- number. The bargain was alread
y made. but when the would be pu
chaser came to inspect Holbein's ma
y terpiece he discovered that the hea
y Of Henry VIII. had been cut from Il
canvas.
u He naturally cried off, and the pi
ture was preserved to the nation. U
the restoration a nobleman, who CO.
fessed to having committed the the
le for love of art and country, returne
g. the missing head, which now occupl
nt its original position in the canvas Il
CT circle made by the knife being 90