The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-07
LOOTED FRENCH CHURCHES
Wealthy Robbers Exposed by
Theft OF Historic Cope.
Revelations Of Scandal and Murder
Stolen Works Of Art Sold in Eng
land and United States.

Paris, F-ance. = Astonishment
amounting to co4stQrnation has been
caused by ,ne arrest at Clormon,-
Ferrand OF 2 wealthy barrel nan
f~acturer namcl Antoire Thomas, with
his mother and brother. The immc-
diate charge against them is stealing
& historic cope from the church ar
BianZac, Department GI Haute-
Vienne.
Amazing discoveries made in 0 II
nection with the theft threaten q vast
scandal. Thomas Va 4 rel: and re-
spacted local magnatn 10 tie public.
but it seems that privately he was a
practitioner Of illegal operations, and
even, it is alleged, a murderer. The
whole country is now ringing VITA
the story.
In Thomas house the police found
an array of deadly poisons, a blood
stained Stiletto, illegal surgical in
stTuments and a mass OF correspond
ence duplicating some Of the best
known families in France. Nuner-
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 for
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,
600. His mother and brother Fran
a-:. --1.o A--Nr+Nl An HnfNinr
Thomas himself, who has returned to
Clermont-Ferrand from London,
where he sold a stolen reliquary for
$4,000, surrendered to a maSis-
trate. He fully confessed the syste-
matte theft Of works Of art, but was
Mortified to learn Of the p~oisoHs and
correspondence seized.
He told the Magistrate that he was
without remorse so far as his dealings
in works of art were concerned, but
the arrest of his mother and brother,
who were innocent, and the possible
implication Of a married lady whom
he had adored for years impelled him
to surrender. Her love letters, found
in the house, would involve her ruin,
He implored The Magistrate to con-
ceal the lady's name.
He further told the Magistrate that
he did not care q straw about the
other women, whose guilt was proved
by the correspondence, adding: But
they belong to a world you dare not
asperse and when you know all you
will be glad to liberate me to avoid a
frightfuf scandal"
Thomas ascribes his betrayal to a
rich Paris %antiQuary, to whom he re-
fused to sell the cope. He rends his
alleged accomrlices in theft merci'
lessly. He says that one of these
wealthy men proposed two years ago
the plan of procuring Church treas.
ures.
Many priests believed that the sep
aration law would render them abso-
lutely destitute, as the Government
had i~nventoried all the Church yalua'
bles. The scheme was to offer the
priests money to hand over their
chief treasures and substitute cheap
replicas furnished by Thomas and his
friends. 1t worked eXcellently, and
scores Of supposed Church treasures.
Thomas says, will be found upon ex.'
animation to be not genuine. :,
More than thirty priests suTren-
dered historic objects in the first fort.
night the scheme was worked. The
most valuable objects, however, could
not be duplicated, and the Paris deal.
ers proposed that they be stolen. To
this Thomas consented.
He describes various successful
raids, the proceeds Of which were
disposed of in London, where
Thomas, accompanied by a friend
named Faure, took them. He says
that a London agent who bought a
reliquary stolen atAmbazac, acted fol
an American purchaser who is await
inc IFS delivery.