New-York tribune., 1919-06-26
Biltmore Offers Sum for
Information Leading to
Arrest of Robbers and
Solution of Mystery
Widow Is Silent on Case
Positive, However, She Did
Not Mislay Jewels; Sure
They Were in the Package

The management of the Biltmore
Hotel yesterday offered $4,000 reward
for the recovery of the Millhiser jewels,
valued at $275,oo0, which mysteriously
disappeared from the hotel safe be-
tween May 20 and June 13.
Deacon Murphy, of Edwards, Murphy
& Minton, attorneys for the Biltmore,
said:
"Ten thousand dollars will be paid
by the Hotel Biltmore for the recovery
Of or information leading to the recov-
cry of the lost Millhiser jewels. All
information must be given to E. D.
Miller, at the Hotel Biltmore. and no
other information than that so given
will be considered"
No progress has been made, appar-
emily, toward the solution of the mys-
terry. Rumors of two impending ar
rests were heard at Police Headquar
ters during the day. but none had been
reported last night.
Details of Loss Mystery
Owing to the reticence of all con-
cerned, details of the manner in which
Mrs. Millhiser made the deposit and
later discovered her loss are not clear.
According to Deacon Murphy, the de-
posit was made in the afternoon of
May 20 and the package was withdrawn
from the box between 6:10 and 6:20 in
the evening of June 13. The same
clerk was on duty on both occasions.
The safe in which the jewels were
flee, in plain view of the main corri-
dor, where an armed watchman is on
duty day and night. After IL at night
an additional armed man watches be-
hind the counter, and at least two or
three clerks are constantly on duty.
Many detectives and lawyers are
inclined to believe that the jewels dis
appeared from the package before Mrs
Millhiser placed it in the safe. This
suggestion is emphatically denied by
Mrs. Millhiser.
Duplicate Key One Theory
The only other theory is that some
one obtained a duplicate of Mrs. Mill.
hiser's key. Two keys are required tc
open each box in the Biltmore safe
master key, in the possession of the
clerks, and an individual key, which
is turned over to the guest making
the deposit.
Mrs. Milhiser came to New York yes
terday from Deal Beach, NJ j., an,
stopped at the Hotel St. Regis.
81 have no statement to make" wa
the only reply to inquiries.
Before she left the seashore, how
ever, she said:
81 am deeply offended at the storie
which have appeared in the New Yor
newspapers. They have been wildl
\ ridiculous-suc statements, for in
stance, as the one which proclaime
that the jewels were fit for a rajah
\ collection and that the world was be
ing secured for them. Absurd state
ments have been printed concernin
Mr.. Millhiser's wealth. The news
papers have intruded themselves int
this case. When l want their assis
tance l will call upon them"
She was asked if she thought it pos
sible that in the agitation coincider
\ with her husband death she had mi
laid the jewels instead of placing the
\ in the safe deposit box. She smile
n and replied:
n 81 have one big fact that will ups.
Y that theory"
n Keeps big Fact" Secret
y She declined to say what the big fa
n was. Stanchfield and Levy, her alto
n neys, maintained silence on this stat
n ment.
n 81 am still much unnerved by tt
n death of my husband and son, and tn
n publicity is distressing" Mrs. Millhist
n said.