Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1908-03-18
FAM Gus JEWELS
AGAIN IN THE
L|MEl|GHT
MentschikOff Collection
Proves A Bone OF
Contention

long since been laid beneath the six
ge~i Of sod that makes all men Of equal
rank, the MentscbikoG jewels still con
aiu1e bone OF contention, the latest
st.y IN the litigation over the famous
-oikciion being a motion filed yester
.isy IN the district court by Dennis \.
i;srke, who asks that T.. j Keohanc,
V->eivcr for the old firm Of Burke &
tiskey, be compelled to pro rate all
-~ssys IN his hands belonging 10 the
FIRM, and that be- be discharged a.
r.sriver
The history Of the Mcntschikoff Jew.
|is dates back 10 the reign of Peter
the Great. when he was ear Of all the
Rs,1,ias The various diamonds, tur.
ysoise and other precious stones com
priaing the Mentschikon collection
EuIrr, but Pete, grown weary Of sup
posting the heavy crown, carelesssy
laid IT aside one day. and n faithless
,suhIcct nhsiracted thcrofrom hand
fui Of the sparklcts. This faithless
subject wns n princess ~ the realm,
vso later traded the trinkcts 10 = cap.
vain in the Siberian convict camp for
the relras" Of her convict lover. The
captain, while ploIling over the frozen
- 81 Coll al
carried into farmhouse for medical
attention, and later died, minus his
besutiful collection If Jewels. The
PEASANTS, IN turn. also passed away,
leaving the stones legacy 10 tncir OF
spring. who needed money more than
yow.ls. and later disposed Of them to
on. Of the nobility. who adorned his
Favoritc daughter with the gems. when,
will later. she became n happy bride.
ths Jewels were part OF her dover.
In the course Of time n daughter was
born TO this couple. and when Ger par
.ots dicd she became the possessor Of
abe jewels. Later she became the bride
Of Count Mcntschikof, and the collec.
tion then, and ever since has been
known as the Mcnschikon jewels.
Count Men,schikon found life in
Russia not altogether 10 his liking and
he came 30 the land Of the free and tdc
brave, vending his way TO Arizona,
and Prescott. whore he engaged in min.
ing. In q moment Of financial dcpres
sion be pledged the collection 10 the
hrm 20 Burke a Hickey In payment for
n hotel account Later he died, with.
out rcdccming the trinkcts. This, in
brief, is the interesting history Of the
hentscnikod jewels
Burke, in his motion, alleges that
after the appointment of keohane as
receiver, that gentleman offered the
Jewels for sale nj public auction: that
A. NJ Csveii bid $500 for them. and
that kcohsne refused To accept the bid
and deliver over the collection; that
Receiver keohane again advertised
and offered the jewels Tor sale, aud
that he, Burke. bid 1900 for them, aud
rendered the money. hut tnat the re-.
esiver refused TO accept the money or
turn over the gems; that on February
-, this year, they were offered Tor sale
at public auction for the third time,
and that W. J. Reilly, bookkecper at
IN. Hotel ~ Michael. bid $3.50 for the
collection, which was awarded to him
Boy the receiver, all Of which proceed.
sngs were not according to Law, in
plaintiffs opinion.
Plaintiff Burke also alleges that
h"onane, as receiver, is In collusion
with Reilly to defeat the claims OF
Burke 10 the Jewels that the receiver
- tfiiling with the court; that the 70.
re'ver fal-'6ed when he advertised that
said Burke had refused 10 pay for the
Jewels, that said receiver IL "absorb.
Inn the proceeds belonging to said
burke Hickey IN scnselcss advertis
ing and readNertising Of said j.welry
IN the Journal Miner" and, least, but
not las, Of the allegations, that Re
s-"lycr kcoasne Is prejudiecd against
snlan,, is msiiciously inclined towards
afant, aud, therefore, is not n ut aud
proper person 10 act as receiver In the
matter
Receiver Kcohanc has not filed hi.
answer 10 these sweeping allegations,
ns yet, hut It is expected that when he
siors he will cutter a general denial Ia
she charges, and maintain that he ha,
acted IN accordance with the court s In
''iructions IN disposing of the famous
h.ntschikon jewels.