The Washington herald., 1912-12-29

The recent disappearance OF $1,000
In gold while in transit from
London to Alexandria. in Egypt. on the
thirty-six hour railway journey from
Bremen to Trieste recalls another no.
torious robbery which, in some Of its
circumstances. was Identical.
| Il SNOW about three years and half
since a rope OF pearls. supplied on an or
der Of the Queen OF Slam by the As
ISOLATION OF Diamond Merchants, Jewell
ers. and Sllversmiths, Of Trafalgar
Square. London. mysteriously disappear
ed during the voyage east. The history
! of that episode, which is as thrilling as
any conceived In the imagination OF a
! writer of fiction. never has been fully
told. though so far as the law is con-
cerned 1t ended with trial, which took
place at Singapore in April last, when
man who was found in POSSESSION of some
Of the stolen property was sentenced to
two years imprisonment in the Strait
] Settlement
II was in April, 1909, the concern re-
ceived an order for a rope of pearls for
the Queen Of Siam. The value was to be
ef0.0O0 and the house devoted great
care to the execution of the order. The
| largest pearl the center OF the rope, was
among those recovered and formed an
| exhibit in the trial at Singapore. II is
a perfect Jewel, Of pinkish color, weigh
ing nineteen and one-fourth grains To
en expert eye II was slightly nat on one
side, and there are two little dots close
together. Its value is ESQ.
When the rope was completed II was
placed in two leather-covered cases,
which were packed in a wooden box. In
side the box there was a zinc lining, and
the packing case itself was screwed
down and secured by a narrow strip of
iron. 1t was sealed with four seals
two at the top Of the side in the center.
securing the lid and side, and two at
the bottom in the same position. The
case was dispatched to Bangkok as
bullion at special rates. the freight paid
being Els. 1t was insured against all
risks until delivered 10 the consignee.
In due course the box was handed
| over to the Queens chamberlain on its
arrival at Bangkok. When he opened 1t
he found that the zinc-lining had been
cut The leather cases were empty. The
seals were intact. but there was no diff
Guilty in discovering how the contents
had been extracted. Though the lid of
the box was apparently a solid plank
II was actually IN two pieces. BY TAX
ing out the screws OF the smaller piece
II was easily disconnected without dis
turbng the seals. The London firm had
no legal responsibility. but had its rep
utation to consider. The insurance COM
pany. reasonably enough. perhaps. in the
circumstances. declined to pay, but the
jewellers replaced the rope OF pearls.
and the Queen had her Jewels
Detectives were set to work, but no
trace Of the pearls could be found. At
the end of IS months il was ascertained
that the wharfnger at Bangkok. who in
the meantime had acquired a hotel had
sold thirty-three pearls to a dealer in
Singapore. who was traced eventually to
Paris and. though he acknowledged his
part In the deal. he had long since
sold the pearls.
Another clew was discovered soon ar
terward. The wharhnger Fad handed
over a couple of the pearls 10 a book
maker in Singapore, who had sold them
to one OF his confreres. But they had
been shown to an expert. and as they
were valuable pearls he took a desCrip-
tiOn OF them. They had been sent TO
Australia. but they were still in posses
sion Of the bOokmaker-a man of the
highest character. He brought them
back to Singapore. where a member of
the London firm was able to Identify the !
pinkish pearls and thereupon obtained a
warrant for the wharfinger's arrest. But
the bird had flown. leaving no address.
He was traced to Batavia and then to
CeylOn. where the trail was lost.
Less than a year ago the suspect was
traced to England, where he was arrest
ed after a long search. His eXtradition
was not an easy matter, but finally he
was sent back TO Singapore. and as II
was proved beyond a doubt that the big
pinkish pearl had formed part OF the
Queen OF Slams rope, he was convicted
OF unlawful possession.
To unravel the mystery OF the stolen
pearls, the firm had TO seek the aid of
the police of Bangkok. Singapore,
Penang. Batavia. Colombo. Paris. and
London: had to employ attorneys in
Bangkok, Singapore. Paris and London.
From the first 20 last the investigation
has cost the jewellers some 5000 But