Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-11-19

package containing leather frame
with the photograph of a middle aged
woman was taken from the steam
ship Mauretania to the United States
Postoffice, from where it was to be
delivered by registered mail to IN.
Gorter, Aston House, New York City"
The senders address was marked on
the package as "Karel Boot, Milton
Hotel, High Holborn, London" and a
notation that it contained a photo
graph.
Now. in some way or another-sub-
seGuently 1t was determined that that
same photograph had seen like SER
vice too often-the package had be-
come damaged, and the brass studs
that frightened the frame had worked
themselves loose. And as the con-
soientious postoffice clerk tried to re-
pair ii as best he could he heard
something rafting within. An inves-
tigation followed. and from several
compartments in the frame dribbled
ga carats of cut diamonds, most OF
them wrapped in cotton batting.
The package was delivered to Cor
ter" and he was arrested, proving to
be one Groen, the jeweler of whose
success SO much had been, rumored.
The diamonds had been sent to him
by his brother, a diamond merchant in
Holland, and later he confessed to
the smuggling. The seizure was val
ued at SIC, 40, and Groen was COM
PEELED to get out of business.
One of the strangest cases occurred
on May IS, 1909, when the Kaiser Will
helm II. had as one of its passengers
a stunning woman with stunning
Gainsborough hat AS the ship entered
the Narrows she Has leaning over the
rail. and a sudden exclamation made
all turn toward hes With little shrek
she pointed to the water. where Ter
hat was floating downstream. Follow
ed sympathy, sorrow, resignation. Ana
then surprise when a motorboat ni-.de
toward her hat, and its lone occupant,
a man, picked it from the water. he
made toward the ship, and shouted
up. saying he would send it. TO the
dock, but the stunning woman SAID II
would be ruined, and it was hardy
worth while.
So the man in the motor boat made
! for St. George, and after extracting d
rubber pouch from the hat LETT II III
| the boat and disappeared-for a time.
Within the pouch were thousaHis ol
dollars worth OF jewelry and note
! telling him to bring them to certain
| hotel in New York city, and TO denver
| them to a man wearing certain rip-
/ ben in his lapel, and who would give
| the name of 1.-THE Paris agent
Very simple! The woman had pur,
chased the Jewels in Paris ana hao
taken no pains to conceal her dlsike
| "a having a duty on them. so she
! listened to the siren talk CT proies-
sional smuggler, who outlined the
| Man that she then pursued. wen anu
good. But when her trunks lay on Tue
+. nier she seemed nervous and dlstrait
and very much in hurry. And While
| the inspector was curiously examining
| one of the layers OF her trunk siie
! snatched a piece of paper "hlch s,'o
| ATTEMPTED to destroy. The mans quick
ness prevented her, and It proved 10
he a bill of sale of a string OF pears,
| When questioned the woman saio
| that the pearls were in vault III IL
| ronto. and so outside United states
| jurisdiction, but the customs oiIicei
insisted upon the production Oh Tue
| Jewels Prompt work showed that ehe
| i.we,s had been sold to her in Pafis
| and that a safe deposit vault hao NJ
| deed been rented for her, put Iiiefes
to bolster up her story, ana eoii.aiiiea
no Jewels The matter was husii.o
I'm hut the woman suffered both inc
loss of her pearls and S5,ooe hhe.-
! New York Press.