The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-11-09
DABBLES IN ART
To ROB CHURCH
Italian, Supposed TO Be a
Dilettante, Revealed as
Professional Thief

iN'..is~r Alt' NiAlNNNN " NN'N'A'AN
which was stolen fram the church ot
san Francesca more than year age
and recovered by the police recently
viii he VturU,d tn the church OF san
Francesca as >uur as 1t has been care
fully plpy,d and rytwmci. IL repre-
scuts Santa Anna. with the Virgin ana
Christ cblll IN the center panel, and
=. lur,uru, Sau sywCuicn, ST. Simon
and Tuldjruy uu side pyncls.
A'thuuln the py'ivc had been search.
irr Tor twelve months Tor some trace
" the missing ,rVtyvh no light was
thrown either ul the way the thctt
was accomplished or where the paint.
Ing lal been ta,cn. Probably 1t
w,-nj stiU have remained u ulyStcry
had NOT q ruvtJ'a S'gUor Cnnt.ni, an
n description ~ the triptyyh which.
az least In regard To- the ccu,ml panel.
co,nrldcd IN every detail with paint.
INK, ~ Santa hruo, the Virgin and
christ cl.l1. which Ice had recently
houGh, frum an antiquarian in ncr
gamo and for which he had paid 26..
UOl lire.
Find Stolen Panels.
lie notified the Director Of Fine
Arts, Who sent MP to CuntinfS private
gallery an Inspector. Who carried the
painting to the Department VI Fine
Arts. II proved tn be the center Panel
with a new frame. once the police
were ua the track of part of the
tr,ptych /; WAS only short time be.
fore they found two ~ the figures ~
tie side panels.
The dealer NJ ncrrgmo gave the
authorities the name NJ the private
.ndlN,d1a! wbu had sold him the paint.
ing. Othrr U"tipugrians supplied the
name -; the artist who had sold them
tic side panel. uul Il search was
started. This artist was Arturo Curnb.
HI and was In prison awaiting trial
fog the theft uf certain antique relies
In the church ~ -. Agustino at
Arrzzo. After a severe Inquiry hc
confessed that he had stolen N"
trip;ych one night IN May, 1921. lie
had hidden az duSs, hclglud cuprcS.
slunal. and awaited FOR night 10 come
before admitting his accumpllccs. They
helped him tn remove the large frame
which was carried to waiting mosr
car ana takcn To- Genoa. The town II
Fcscla Is very duic;. where every one
goes to bed early. so their movements
were IN no way watched.
Specialized in Paintings.
kt Genoa they removed the frame.
carried the side panels with the four
figures 20 carpenter and asked him
TO cut each panel into two. 81 that
esch saint formed II separate painting.
rarobbi was IN artist. with u studio
ut Bermago, and was considered
dilettantc who initiated ancient paint.
ings and decorations. lie apparently
made his living sellias these pseudo
antiques. for which he received good
price from visiting American and Eng.
llsh tourists.
The ,framr also was divided into
separate sections. which formed two
frames. All these pieces were sold To
antique dealers In various cities In the
north.
Carobbi admitted that, though he
was supposed 10 be n d.leitante. he
was really II professional thief who
specialized only In church paintings
and sacred objects. for which. he re.
cclvod high prices. He had made about
IA ullD lire from tho trinfVgh ne lao
was forced 10 Sssll the various parts In
n hurry. as he feared that the police
were an his track. The dealers each
made five and six times that amount
on each purchase. which they bought
without asking any questions, rs they
Thought he had initiated an original.
The thief refused to give the names
~ his accoinpl.ces. ms he saws that
he alone was responsible for the plan.
ming and cXccution.-Acncs II. Mac.
kcnzlc In the New York Tribune.