Evening journal., 1913-10-18

TO one who knows something OF the
great London pearl mystery it seems
but lame and impotent conclusion to
an astonishing enigma for the missing
gems 20 be picked out OF the gutter by
a workingman, who did not recognize
their value. who regarded them as
marbles" and who could not have
been blamed if he had crushed 100000
pounds worth OF gems under the heel
of his boot.
When the story of the pearl neck
lace. which is as Fascinating as Dumas
romance of the diamond necklace, comes
TO be written. it will have many sur
prises for those who are merely ac-
auainted with the case as it has been
unfolded day by day at the Bow Street
Magistrates Court in the British me-
tropolis. ] am not in a position to say
how the valuable pearls were stolen,
but the thieves had laid their plans
well and knew exactly when the pack
age was dispatched at Paris, and 1t viii
be found that heavy bribc was the
means they used for obtaining posses
sion OF the gems.
Ii ever all the facts shall become
known. it will be acknowledged that the
main credit for the discovery OF this
plot, and the recovery of the jewels Is
due to the Paris broker a man OF keen
intellect, inAexible will and courage,
who gained the full confidence of the
men with whom he was treating Tor
the recovery of the stolen property. lie
exercised so great an influence over
them that they were prepared to meet
him anywhere and TO do anything he
asked. The men were shadowed by de-
teotives twelve days before they We're
arrested They must have had some
suspicion of this, but it did not lessen
their confidence in that broker
The solution of what well may seem
ineNploable, namely the deposit of the
pearls in the gutter of 81. Pauls Road,
London, is to be found in the fact that
one of the people concerned in their an
nexation has an address in the neigh
horhood That they were meant to be
found by somebody who would take
them to the police there is not the
slightest doubt, though the method
employed was a very clumsy one, and
might have resulted in disaster TO the
pearls themselves and to their tempo
rarv possessor. From a detectives point
of view it would have been infinitely
more satisfactory if the gems had been
recovered when they We're in the keep
ing of those who stole or received them,
and there were at least two occasions
within the last month when this might
have been DONE That it was not done,
is one of those accidents for which no
body is to blame. Ii the French sleuths
Of the Rue Jerusalem had followed up
that cause eelebre as strenuously as did
Scotland Yard some interesting partic-
llars might have been unearthed at the
Paris postoiice or upon the Paris-Ca-
ais mail route.
"The Cedars,r an imposing country
owned by Admiral Sir He'd
worth Meux and situated on the Theo
balds Parks estate. near Waltham.
Cross, was completely destroyed by fire.
The destruction of the fine old residence
recalls the romantic career of the pres'
ent owner of the estate, and also the
notable history of the estate itself.
Admiral Sir Hedworth MeuN. ior-
merly Admiral Lamhton, often has been
described as Lucky Lambton." When
he took charge Of the naval brigade
at Ladysmith he was Capt. Lambton.
In 1901 he became commodore; the fol-
lowing year rear admiral. and in 1907
vice admiral. In 1917 he assumed the
name of Meux, the late Lady Meux
having left him large portion of the
Meaux estate on that condition.
The mansion of Theobalds Park takes
the place of a once famous palace built
by Elizabeth's minister, William Cecil
later Lord Burghleyl Every summer
the Queen paid him lengthy visit
there, for She was passionately fond
of hunting. and Theobalds was close
to Enfelds Chase, or Waltham Forest
Burghleys eldest son, the first Earl OF
Salisbury, succeeded to Theobalds and