The Washington herald., 1908-01-12
GUESTS ROB CASTLE
Duke Finds Himself Victim
of Strange Situation.
ARISTOCRATS PLAY a JOKE
Marquis of ChOImOndeIey Hires De-
tectives 10 Ferret Out the Crime
Committed by His Friends, IncIud-
ing -Four Women, who Escape in
Motor Cars without CIely.

London, Jan. 1l.-One of the most anus
ing practical jokes of recent years was
played on Christmas night by a party
Of aristocratic burglars, who, if they
did not quite reach the level attained by
the cobbler of Koepenick, succeeded in
ecllpsing the cleverest feats Of Rafaes,
Details have just leaked out, and the
highest sets in England are laughing over
them.
In order TO convince the Marquis of
Cholmondeley, lord great chamberlain Of
England, that the expert burglar is more
than a match for cunningly devised
alarms, members of the Duke of West
minister's house party at Eaton Hall
broke into Cholmondeley Castle in the
dead Of night and removed some jewel
" and a valued racing cup.
The amateur burglars, who included
four women, were disguised with masks.
They reached the castle in two motor
cars. and escaped without leaving a sin
gle clew to their Identity
Detectives searched the countryside all
day long. and the aid Of Scotland Yard
was invoked Hurried messages were
sent TO all large towns. and the whole
police organization Of the country was
set in motion.
"RemOVed a Few Things
In the evening it was admitted that
members Of the house party at Eaton
Hall descended upon Cholmondeley Castle
in the early hours of this morning and
removed a few things"
The duke and duchess are entertaining
a large party. including relatives of the
marquis, whose estate is at Malpas, about
a mile and half from Eaton Hall.
Christmas Day Lord and Lady Chol-
mondeley and their guests attended
hunt near Eaton Hall, and at the con
clusion of the days sport they dined with
the duke and duchess.
A discussion arose during dinner re-
garding the recent burglaries at country
mansions. and the Marquis of Cholmonde-
ley maintained that effective burglary
alarms. as fitted up at his castle, would
Outwit any Raffies.
Shortly before midnight he and the
marchiOness mOtoTed back TO ChOlmOnde-
ley Castle, and Immediately afterwaTd re-
tired to rest. Lady Cholmondeley was
disturbed az about in the morning
by the noise of a window shutting, but
did not attach any Importance TO the
incident.
"The Sins Of Society"
The next morning the marquis found
that some jewelry, a Southdown racing
cup. which he valued very highly;
quantity of cigars and other articles had
been stolen by burglars from an apart
ment adjoining his bedroom. In imita-
ticn of the Drury Lane drama, THE Sins
Of Society" and Il recent Old Bailey case.
pieces of coal had been substituted for
the vanished articles.
The racing cup was massive two
handled piece Of plate, and was won at
the Southdown Hunt meeting by Screech
Owl, with Lord ChoImondeIey himself
in the saddle He was exceedingly an
noyed at losing it, and determined TO
make every effort TO secure its recovery.
He Immediately communicated with
Col HammeTsley, the chief of the
Cheshire police, and detectives and po-
Icemen from all over Cheshire were at
once put on the trail. The castle and its !
precincts were minutely examined, and 1t
was discovered that entrance had been
gained by the dining-room windows,
which had not been properly fastened. A
jointed coIapsible ladder. by which the
windows had been reached was found
among some bushes.
Further inquiries proved without doubt
that motor car had been driven from
the castle grounds at great pace to-
ward Chester. 1t had come into collision
with the lodge gates, and had lost half
its hood
Motorists Questioned.
Swell noblemen were suspected by the
police 10 have committed the robbery. and
Scotland Yard and the Liverpool, Man
chester, and Birmingham police were tel
egraphed TO. Mounted policemen and de-
tcctives on bicycles were sent 10 scour
the roads throughout the northern coun-
ties, ard all motorists whose cars showed
signs of damage were stopped and close
ly questioned
Finger prints were photographed, and
the negatives dispatched to London, while
policemen on hands and knees traced the
tracks Of a motor car as far as Chester.
Garages were visited to ascertain If
cars had called for repairs or accessories,
and a thousand false clews were eagerly
followed up. Within a few hours the
whole county was agog with excitement
What amazed the detectives was the
fact that so many valuables that could
have been taken we're left behind, but
they never guessed the real solution Of
the problem
Thrilling accounts OF the robbery ap-
pearedNin the local evening newspapers,
and it was rumored that $4,000 worth of
Jewelry was missing.
Suddenly the police ceased their inves-
LEGATIONS, and it was announced that the
cup and jewelry had been returned. Ger
tain detectives insisted on an explana-
tion, and this was eventually given.
The Explanation.
It was stated that members Of the Duke
of Westminsters party had made
wager after Lcrd Cholmondeley's depart
ure from Eaton Hall that they would
successfully burgle his castle Shortly
after midnight the aristocrauc burglars
left in two motor cars, each individual
being disguised with a mask
On their arrival at ChOlmondeley Castle
two of them ascended the patent lad
der and entered the dining-room. One of
them knocked over some furniture, but
they returned safely with the cup and
jewelry
The ladder was thrown into the shrub
berry, and the motor cars set off at full
speed. The second car had its hood torn
of while passing the gates, but the ANA
teur cracksmen reached Et0n Hall with
out further mishap.
The missing valuabes were returned by
motor car, with polite note Of Christ
mas greeting
The joke has now become known 70 all
the county parties in Cheshire,
An examination Of the gates Of the
castle shows that the party had narrow