Weekly journal-miner., 1915-03-31
PRICELESS ROBES ARE
 BROUGHT BY PRIEST


 NEW YORK, March 24AA kings ransom in jewels, blazoned in the royal eagles of Spain at the time of Charles V, the most powerful mon arch of the sixteenth century, lies under guard at the customs house here awaiting appraisal.
 The gems, set in gold on white and purple robes and mounted on two golden crowns, were brought into New York by Catholic priest, clad in shabby clothes, who fled from the City of Mexico a month ago, made his way to Vera Cruz and sailed aboard the steamer Montevideo. The Montevideo reached New York March 9th with this priest and six other fugitive priests who had been hanished from Mexico by General ] Obregon.
 In Battered Suitcase.
 From the depths of battered suit case the gems and robes were tum- bled out upon the cock for inspection by the customs authorities. They so dazzled the inspectors that they were hastily put back into the suitcase. Under guard they were taken to safe deposit vault, where they were locked up and special watchmen de tailed to guard them. Rough esti- mates placed their value as high as half million dollars.
 This rich prize, it is said, lay in the cathedral of the City of Mexico pre- sumably for centuries, till it slipped through Carranza's fingers in the flight from Mexico of the priest, who brought it to America The name of this priest was withheld. It was learned however, that he, said he hastily packed the jewels and robes in his suitcase when General Obregon called for a church tax of $5OO0,0OO, locking up many Catholic priests in the City of Mexico until the tax was raised.
 Robe Studded With Gems.
 An archbishop's robe of purple is the chief article of value. The robe is of silk and apparently of great an- tiquity. Wrought in diamonds and emeralds, rubies and pearls on the front of the robe so that it covers the wearer's breast, is the ancient Span ish coat of arms, consisting of dou- ble eagles, back to back, wings raised necks back and peaks open. The en- tire design is done in gold, in which the gems are mounted, and the robe is very heavy.
 From the double eagle design, the customs officials believe there is truth in the priests story that the robes were sent to Mexico in the six teenth century. Spain, in that period was at the height of its power and its ruler, Don Carlos I, was known as Charles V of the Holy Roman em- pire.
 Two Gold Crowns.
 Next in value to the archbishop's robe are two gold crowns, mounted with diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Some of these gems, it is said, are as large as hazel nuts. There are spaces left on the tops of these crowns for other jewels and the uh- cut gems to fill the vacant spaces, dangle from the crowns, secured by silken cords.
 Several smaller clerical robes, in purple and white silk, some of theh1 spangled with gems, complete the lot. The priest who carried them from Mexico to New York declared them, it is said, at $6OOOOO. Experts are trying to appraise them for the customs authorities. I Under the law providing for the ad. mission of antiquities free of duty, it | is possible, it was said at the GUS tome house, that the robes and gems would be admitted without charge