The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-24
Believed Mona Lisa" Was Stolen By Some Mddn1dn
 Ent1lrdled By Her Divine Smile DetectiUes Are Bafed

Paris. August 23.-The mystery of the disappearance from the Louvre of Leon-
 ardo Da yincis great painting Mona
 Lsa, popularly called by the French La Joconde.'' appeared more npene- trable than ever tonight. The only thing definitely established by today's iuvesti-
 gatons are that the picture disappeared between the hours of and s:30 o'clock
 Monday morning. Whether it is still in
 the Louvre or has been taken away it is impossible at present to determine. Not the faintest clue has been discover- ed in spite of the united efforts of 60 of the cleverestA detectives in Paris and all the museum staff. Whether the picture was sbstracted by one or bv seyersl per
 sons also remains in doubt ana a I.e-l
 Pine, the prefect of police, admits he is baffled. It is one of the hardest cases in the annals of criminal investig ation.
 To facilitate the search the museum will be closed for three days. No one VII be admitted except police and officials. A council was held in the Louvre this afternoon, those in attendance including NJ Steeg, minister of public instruction, M. Du Jardin-B -Beaumetz, under-secrct try of public instruction and fine arts, M. LePine, NJ. Homole, director of the Lou
 vre, Examining Magistrate Drioux, who is charged with the judicial investigation and the different chiefs of the museum
 Various theories were advanced, welgh- ed and finally rejected for lack of cvi-
 dence. The consensus of opinion. how every, was that the picture had not left
 the building but is hidden in one of the
 innumerable recesses. All sof the gate keepers are positive that no such pack age as the picture would have made was taken out of the museum. It would re- qure at least a week to search every cranny of the vast building.
 An experiment. made today established
 the fact that while guardian or a per son accustomed to the work could handle a picture the size of Mona Lisa unaided, it would be practically impossible for an
 inexpert to detach and carry it alone. It IS supposed that the thief or thieves entered the museum before it was closed Sunday and remained hidden all night. emerging in the morning in workmen's clothes, thus passing unremarked.
 NJ Bertillon today took number of photographs of the frame and the paper packing around the frame to prevent dust from entering between the frame and tho painting pieces of which were found strewn about close to the spot Where the robbery was discovered. They will be examined under miscrope for finger prints
 It Is generally conceded the thief would
 have perceived the impossibility of sell
 ing a work so well known.
 Accordingly psychological explanations of the strange case are sought The at tendants at the salon Carre, where the
 painting had had the place of honor for
 five years, now tell of having wondered
 at the rapt and longing regard given the portrait by young man who, during. re- | cent weeks. frequently visited the Louvre. | His appearance suggested that he was | of northern race. He was a blond and | had blue eyes. He would gaze strangely | at the dark Italian beauty as though en- 1 thralled with her divine smile l Now the theory presented to M. Ham ard, head of the French secret service, Is that this man of distorted fancy has abducted Mona Lisa" so that he may | have her always near him.
 Descriptions of the stranger are being distributed In this connection artists are
 relating singular stories Of infatuations
 with works of art, and the manias for statues and portraits. of madmen who would plot thefts Many peheye @ .ha' the portrait was taken by persons who, disguised as laborers, were passing through the salon Carre at 7:N o'clock yesterday morning, when one or them, pointing to Mona Lisa said to the other:
 That is the finest picture in the Louvre."
 An hour later an attendant missed the
 picture from it's accustomed place, but
 supposed it had been removed to permit of its being photographed and so did not report its disappearance
 Support for the theory that Mona Lisa was carried away by some one whose head had been turned by the beau tiful face. was found this evening in the admission of M. LePrieur, the curator of the art museum, that during the past year that letters addressed to Mona Lisa have been received quite frequently at the Louvre These communica tions were ad- dressed in various handwirtings, but in all the writer expressed In ardent terms of tenderness and passion his admiration flor the incomparable lady.' More than one person has been observed
 showing extraordinary emotion in the
 presence of the picture, sometimes being
 moved to tears. or murnuring words of
 admiration. AS a consequence the admin
 istration of the museum assiened a spe-
 cial man to watch the portinit. suspect ing that otherwise something might hap pea to tt. =