New-York tribune., 1912-03-11
SPECIAL GUARDS FOR
MORGAN TREASURES
Gordon of Police Will Surround
the Metropolitan Museum
at Night.
DIRECT WIRE TO STATION
Recent Robberies Induce Officials
to Provide Extra Protection
for Valuable Col
lections.

nth the arrival here of the first ship
ments of the collection Of art treasures
Of J. Pierpont Morgan which are des-
tined for the Metropolitan Museum Of
Art. both the police Of the Arsenal sta
tion and the authorities of the museum
are taking extraordinary precautions I"
guard against theft in the museum.
Captain Matthew McKeon said ycster-
day that after a conference with the orn-
cials of the museum he had decided 10
install direct wire from the Arsenal
police station TO the museum, now that
Il is to be the home of the Morgan treas
ures, together with the many other "alu-
able objects within its walls.
Ter men will be kept within a short
radius Of the museum at night, and two
fxed post men Of Fifth avenue will also
be available at short notice for any
emergency at the museum. Orders nave
been given to all these men to watch
closely any one who approaches the mu-
scum after nightfall. They have been
specially warned to allow no one who
carries a parcel of any sort TO pass
through the lines without being chal-
lenged.
Il have given the night men explicit
orders to be on the alert for anythii
suspicious" said Captain Mcheon.
From what has been explained to me-
nothing could be taken from the walls
in the museum or from any of the cases
without ringing an alarm. | have been
informed that all the wiring has recent
Iy been tested and found to be in perfect
working order. Nevertheless. 1t IS just
as we'll TO be on the alert, and so | have
given directions to the men detailed to
that part Of the park to be ready for any
emergency"
II was learned from one of the Park
Department officials yesterday that last
year and in recent months work has
about been completed on a number OF
large fireproof vaults in the basement Of
the museum. 1t was thought that the
Morgan treasures would be stored in
these vaults until room was found for
at least a part of them to be displayed
in addition H. which, according to con-
tract, should be ready by next January.
There are two other police stations q
short distance from the museum, one in
East SSth street and another in East
9th street. According TO Captain Nc
Keon, he could get man to the mu-
scum from the Arsenal station within
ten minutes. while it would be only O
matter of a few more minutes before
the other stations could do the same
1t is understood that the requests for
special protection were made on account
Of the number of daring robberies in
New York recently, and ,aat the de-
partment was induced to act in the mat
Ter by pressure from high sources
The fears for the safety of the treas
ures which Mr.. Morgan is sending to the
museum and other treasures there are
intensified also by the recent theft Of the
Mona Lisa" in Paris, which showed
the ease with which a carefully planned
robbery might be accomplished in pub
lie building.
1t was pointed out yesterday by well
known private detective that on ac-
count of its area and the necessity Of
exposing its treasures to the public a
museum offered problems in policing ear
more difficult than those of bank He
also pointed out that in no museum up
10 the present time had any of the COM
been installed.