New-York tribune., 1913-07-23
Taken in Greece Ten Years
Ago-Found in City of
Baltimore.
PROBABLY 1000 YEARS OLD
Greek Candymaker, Arrested
for Stealing Figure, Says It
Was Left as Security
for a Loan.
BY Telegraph to The Tribun.

Baltimore. July 22.--In deep hole in
the cellar OF the house occupied by
Charles Nemphos Greek confectioner on
Chestnut avenue. city detectives to-day
found marble bust OF a girl about five
years old believed to have been carved
by the ancients 1000 years before Christ
and stolen from the National Museum in
Athens ten years ago.
The Greek government considered the
bust Of priceless value, and experts have
valued # at $3.50 900. Its disappearance
was like that Of the "Mona Lisa" from
the Louvre. There was no clew. 4 hun
dred or more Greek Secret Service men
and detectives FOR years have been search
ing the world for the missing antique, and
all the Grecian diplomatic agents have
teen on the lookout for a clew to its
whereabouts.
James Nemphos. who lives here, in
spirit OF revenge or patriotism, il is un-
certain which, when he discovered that his
uncle. Charles, had the figure, tried TO per-
suade him TO return 1t to Greece. The
uncle refused. The nephew threatened
exposure The uncle, saying that the
statue had been brought TO his store years
ago by a man whom he did not know, but
who borrowed money and left II as a
pledge. said he would keep the statue.
Greece Orders investigation.
Finally the nephew informed the Greek
Legation at Washington that his uncle
knew Of the bust. but he himself did not
know exactly where il was located. The
], cation communicated with Athens, and
iho Greek government cabled back an
order to Investigate Immediately and at
tempt 20 recover the figure.
Last night DR.. Alexander Vouros the
Greek charge d'affares. came 10 Balti-
more. and with city detectives went TO
Nemphos's confectionery store and de-
manded the statue. Nemphos said he
knew it was in this country, but that was
all.
He was taken 10 Headquarters. was
questioned all night, and early this morn
ING confessed II was in his cellar. There
in the presence Of Nemphos the detec-
tives found the bust. II had been broken
In two at the neck. The figure is OF
Parian marble and weighs about twenty
pounds.
Or Vouros at once cabled his govern
ment He said the King had been inter
csted personally in the long search Or
IN,
newspapers. returned TO Washington this
afternoon. lie will ask the Treasury Of
dcials 10 place the bust in a vault until
hc can ship 1t to Athens.
Another Statue Missing.
While Nemphos knew the statue to be
OF great value, he was not aware Of It's
pricelessness. According TO his nephew
they all believed 1t 10 be an image OF
King George carved when the late mon
arch was a youth. Another statue. which
disappeared az the same time, was be-
lieved bv them to have been Of sister
OF Nins George.
James Nemphos asserted this morning
that his uncle also had this other figure in
his possession at one time. and stated that
he sold It for about $4,000 seven years
ago.
The uncle denied that he had ever seen
the figure. and declared that the statue
which was unearthed this morning was
left with him by Il fellow countryman.
whom he did not know. Nemphos said
the man who brought him the statue was
i'm want Of money and left it as security
for loan.
II is said that the nephew and uncle
quarrelled several weeks ago. and their
disagreement caused the nephew 10 inform
on the uncle. The former, however. in
sists he was prompted solely by national
pride. Charles Nemphos is under arrest