The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-12-13
THIEF UNDER ARREST
Declared He Wanted to
Avenge Italy for Thefts
Of Napoleon.
A SEARCH OF 20 MONTHS
Police Refuse to Disclose Details
Of Capturc-Hint at
Other Arrests.

BY Cable from THE SUNS Correspondent.
ROME, Dec. 12.--The famous Ia Vinci
masterpiece Mona Lisa stolen from tho
Louvre more than two years ago. has
been found and is now In safe keeping
~ the prefecture Of police in Florence.
II is in perfect condition.
The thief who has been arrested. ad-
n,its the crime. He said he stole the
masterpiece from the Louvre to avenge
the taking out of Italy by Napoleon OF the
famous art collections which France ac-
Quired through the Emperors invasion.
Thief Tried tO Sell II.
According to kilograms from Florence
the picture was offered for sale TO n local
antiquarian. Signor Geri. by a man call
ing himself Vincenze Perugia a native OF
Como. Sgnor Geri recognized the paint
ing and told the man he would make
reply to his offer later. The antiquarian
informed the police.
one version is that the police ex-
pscted just such a tip. as they had informa-
tion from the police of Milan that tn"
picture had been offered to dealer or
that city "A month ago. lie also recug-
nized LA Gioconda" and gave Informal
tion to the police of that city. Tho
po,sessor Of the masterpiece was shad-
owed. Detectives followed him to Flor
encc and he was constantly under sur
Neilance until the police ware certain tina:
by arresting HIM they would recover the
pc'urc.
The thief said he had lived in Paris for
long time. I.ve- since he stole tho
painting. he said. lac had kept IL in his
ssion.
10 Is believed that Nlnccnzo Perugio
T. thc real name of the house painter and
decorator who was employed by a Arm
q decorators t. work in the Louvre In
August. 1911. 1t is said that he con-
cealed the Mona Lisa beneath his over
Rlls and left the museum without being
suspected. He kept the picture In his
lodgings in Paris until a few weeks ago.
when he saw the announcement in an
Italian newspaper that Signor Cert was
about to open an exhibition of paintings
loaned by collectors in Florence.
He wrote To Sienor Geri Offering to sell
the Mona Lisa" for 10000 francs or
roggi, who advised him to accep; the
offer and to write to Perugio that he
would pay his expenses If he would come
TO Florence. Perugio left at once and
was arrested on his arrival at Geri's art
gallery.
The Mona Lisa will be brought to
Rome and handed over to the French AM
bassador.
- Months search Ended.
The news OF the finding Of Leonardo da
Vinci's masterpiece. the loss of which has
kept the police OF the entire world on the
trail Of the thief for twenty-eight months.
was received in Rome at o'clock this
afternoon. DR.. Corrado Rcci. director Of
the Department of Fine Arts, who went
10 Florence on the receipt OF information
from the police of that city. telephoned to
Signor Credaro. the Minister of Public
instruction, that the police had found the
painting and arrested the thief
Signor Credaro was inclined to he
sceptical and told Signor Ricc that the
picture must be Identified beyond any pos
sibility of error before an official an
nouncement was made
DIR. Poggi. director of the Florence Mu-
seums. and other experts were called to
examine the painting and all corrobo-
rated the opinion of DR.. Ricci. They all
said they were prepared TO stake their
reputation as art experts on their state
ments.
Signor Credaro. who was summoned
from the Chamber to talk by telephone
with Or. Ricci. returned hastily to an
nounce the news to the Deputies
In his absence however. the Socialists
had started one OF their frequent rows
and free fight was In progress when
the Minister arrived at the Chamber. He
told his friends in the lobby of the re-
covery OF the painting and the Speaker
adjourned the session to stop the uproar
The Government promptly Informed the
French Ambassador, expressing gratifca-
tion that II had fallen to the lot OF Italy
TO restore the painting to France.
Declines to Reveal Details.
eignor Credaro received the correspond
ent OF THE SUN this evening. The Min
lister was naturally elated. He said the
discovery was not made by accident, az
the police received clue to the where
abouts of the stolen masterpiece month
ago. He said he had no doubt Of the
genuincness OF the picture, as Dr. Ricci is
the best Judge Of old masters In Italy and
81 was impossible that he could be mis-
taken.
The Minister declined to enter into de-
tails. AS he said the police had still some
Investigations to make. The painting, he
said. would of course be restored to
France. which had already sent congratu-
lations through her Ambassador.
When wildeyed wOrshipper OF the