The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-03-17
RICH JEWELS DAZZLE
CUSTOMS INSPECTORS
a Battered Suit Case Full Brought .
New York by Priest Expelled
from Mexico.

NEW YORK. March II. - 4 king IS.
ransom in jewels. blazoued in the rolaI.
eagles of Spain AT the time of Charles
v, lies under guaFd at thu 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 a Catholic priest, clad Iii shabby
clothes. who fled from Mexico CITY n
month ago, made his way 10 Vera
Cruz. and sailed aboard tho steamer
MonteyIJeo. The MouteNideo reached
New York, March q, with this priest
and SIX other fugitive priests who had
been baEished from Mexico by Gen.
Oregon. Carranza : lieutenant @t
Mexico City From the depths of =
battered suit case. the gems and robes
were tumbled ont upon the doch for
inspection 10y the customs authorities.
They SO dazzled the inspectors that
they were hastily put back into ~.
suit ease. Under guard they were tax
en- TO safe deposit vault. where they
I were locked mp ami special lyatehmou
detailed to guard them. Rough esti-
mates placed their value al from $500
0ue to S5nc,o0G.
This rich prize, it is said. 3av In the
cathedral OF McXico City-prcsumablv
for eemtuHes-till it slipped through
Carranza 5 fingers in the flight from
+ McNioo OF the priest who brought ir -
, America. The name OF this priest was
, temporarily withheld by the customs
authorities. 1t was learned. iudepcnG-
lCut of the customs officials however
that the priest had said he hastily
packed the Jewels and robes Ia his ,uit
as KtrR ..8If
ichurch tax OF 100000 and locked ut
many Catholic priests in Mexico Citl
till the tax Sbould have been raised
An archhishops robe of purple Is
the chief article of value. The robe Is
Iof silk and apparently of great antique
ity. Wrought ia diamond, and arner
Ialds, rubies and pearls ON tine front Il.
thc robe 50 thar it covers the wearer ?,
breast. is the ancient Spanish coat o.
farms, consisting of double eagles. bacl
to back. wings raised. ueeks hac&
bcaks open. The entire design is don,
in gold in which the gems are mount
ed and the robe l. very heavy.
. From the double eagle design. tu.
Icustoms officials believe there is trutl
in tho story told by the priest that th
robes were sent to Mexico IN the six
teenth century. 1t was in tbat peric,
that Spain was ut the height Of lie
I ipower and her ruler. Don Charles
was known as Charles y. OF the Hol-
Roman Empire.
$ Next in value to the archbishop
p. robe are two gold crowns. mountc,
r with diamonds. rubies, cmcraids an,
i sapphires. Some of these gems. 1T !
/ said, are as large as EazelnutS Their
r are spaces left ON the tops of thes
t crowns for other Jewels and the I'M
cut gems to fill the vacant spacc
Z dangle. secured by silken cords frol
= the crowns.
Several smaller clerical robes. in pU
= pie and white silk, some OF thcr
@ 'spangled with gems, others plaia. com
IpIete the lot. What their value IS liz
not been determined. The priest, VIII
carried them from Mexico to New Yor
in his wcll-worn suit ease. declare
, them, ii is said, at S60n.0o0. Expert
/ IN gem values are trying now 70 II
praise them fer the customs author
ties
Under the law providing FOR Ii
,. admission OF antiquities free of dn,,
i It Is possible, it was said. at tie gu
toms house, that the robes and gen