Evening star., 1921-04-03
BY STERLING HEILIG.

NICE, France. March 20, lSzl.
HROBABLY more valuable jew
- elry is to be found. at present.
here on the Riviera than
anywhere else in the world.
r. The pearls and diamonds
seen on women's arms and HANDS
fairly take. the breath away. 1t ts
often hard to believe that they are
real, but they are real. all right!
A blaze of priceless gems surrounds
the gaming tables. particularly the
baccarat of the Nice Municipal Casino
and the Monte Carlo Sporting Club.
more elegant than the roulette haiis.
The new-rieh have invested heavily.
In part, they seek to side-step excess
profits taxes: ana. one ana all, 10
partially evade the income tax. " Also,
there Ia = general feeling that II
troubles come, Jewels are 80 easily
concealed and portable. -
This blaze of jewels Is magnet ts
a host Of thieves from all parts OF the
world, and previously honest people,
envious and tempted. reach out unsu$-
pected hands and smouch little 1oT.
tune. Why, jewels fall OF be1eweled
women in the streets!
Two small boys of Toulen, on a visit
to Nice. picked up what seemed
pretty piece Of cut glass. A Toulon
ieweier pronounced 1t to be a brilliant
worth 10000 francs A thirteen-year,
old girl of Nice found an emerald and
diamond cross, trampled and bent, IN
the garden of Albert ]. 1t is worth
$50, 600 francs, and it has not been
claimed. At the Municipal casino q
.hraAcheG
shoulder-knot rescued a girdle or Dig
sapphires and small diamonds-stones
as big as coat buttons. that look ike
stage jewelry.
THESE were honest finders. who de-
L clared their finds. What Of the
others. simple folks. who think that
findings keeping?
No trace has been found OF MIS-
Earnshaw's Jewels. a half a million
francs worth (pre war prices) stolen
from her CimieE-Nice villa without q
trace. A British insurance company
has offered $4,000 reward for tnfor.
nation leading to tho recovery OF
Nine: Ayuio,s jewss,s. srs.sm nGaSe'' Hsr nube ahe
fishes ioo. 900 francs for the recovery
Of his wife's beautiful bauhles. ana
Mrs. Earnshaw offers 10000 francs
for the recovery of her half million
visibly. she puts her hope In the police.
a million and a half Of francs, con-
sisted of a necklace Of II large orien.
tai pearls, two smaller necklaces of
rosy and white pearls, three rings
with gray and white pearls ana ana a
pearl drops. She placed them in a
table drawer of her bedroom in the
suite she occupies at the hotel. on re-
tiring for the night. Next morning
all were simply-gone' she ne could
cept that she left her bedroom door
unlocked in case that she should need
! her maid. No noise. no marks, no
clue!
If possible The . m5iii0naire iemy
at London. were drugged. husband.
wife and child, in their bedrooms Of
the hotel. They. too. retired early
Their japanese servant tucked them
in and locked the door behind him.
Ss5o.o0o we're in a secret drawer. a
hotel device, quite new. Only one
person, the Duke Of Connaught, had
occupied the suite before them. In
the morning: when a the "a family ny, woke OK
Jewels and cash were gone. Nc
marks, no clue. no noise!
!
tTHESE bigger robberies all took
place in the same ten days, by
curious coincidence. Yet it is not &c
simply as might seem to argue one
great gang that makes sweep. then
rests and starts again. Because
you'll see, the facts are complicated
and jewel thefts are going on con-
tinually.
Many thefts and numerous thieves
Here. money seems to have no value
and ideas are falsified by glitter,
Glitter, in the big stores has always
explained kleptomania. Here. fashion
makes women glitter. Even the new
straw hats have thin gold strands OF
silver bands, all shiny in the sun like
an electric flash, woven into the
straw. Evening gowns glitter with
shiny sequins. pearl and crystal beads,
and so on. Mauve and bright silver
thrill you. White brocade and strings
of pearls give a queer feeling. And
over all, the jewels. more jewels
where do they get them?
Expense reaches its height. At the
| battle Of flowers a touring car cov-
cred with $500 worth Of blossoms
had fve pretty women in it round .
great palm tree-a real one-cut down
] brought here. green and beautiful