Evening star., 1923-06-03

OF a business. but since the war II
has developed. as it were. from re-
tail to wholesale.
THE jeweled Madonna of Crozant
l. was on the point of being taken
by the BeauxArts for safe keeping
the little church of Crozant had been
honestly offered 100000 for 1t! She
seemed to be in her place-but it was
an excellent imitation to deceive the
eye at a short distance in the dim.
religious light. The real Madonna
is gone for good. The wholesale con-
spiracy that planned her lifting gave
out the job, in sections, to various
experts and operators: % To pre-
pare and make the. imitation. CD to
plan and execute the substitution, 90
to get the jeweled Madonna out OF
France and (D to dispose of her
safely for the biggest sum-in case
she had not been ordered in advance!
Because. here is a queer develop
'ment There are connoisseurs SO
wrapped up in their collection and
so passionately devoted to the fas-
cinating game OF adding thereto. as
to have lost all moral sense. There
are plenty OF such rich collectors
They are men possessed of wealth
position and learning. OF the loftiest
sense of honor and integrity in every
other respect, but absolutely unbal-
anced where their collections are
concerned and ready to resort even
to crime 70 obtain this piece, that
piece or the other, which they covet
Here is a true tale of one of the
most famous of the world collectors
I shall not name him. for so many
would know him. Once he visited q
fragile curio of which, perhaps
only one duplicate existed in the
world; and it had not been seen for
many years.
Suddenly, the fragile thing slipped
from the great collectors fingers, and
smashed to atoms on the floor. AL
right. When this collector died, q
few years later, his own collection
was found to possess the long-lost
counterpart of the otherwise unique
curio which he had broken; and those
who recalled the incident believed
that he had purposely smashed it
that his own specimen might be the
only one in the world,
A reputed theft on order was that
in the Church of St. Nectaire.
Amy antiquity dealer of Paris will
tell you the story. A rich American
collector wanted the gold statuette
and believed, 1T is said. that II
would be bought for him secretly
from the vestry, and a fine substitute
be furnished the good people, along
with the purchase money.
The "G- group" undertook 1t
Two men, a lady and nice child came
into ST. Nectaire in their fine touring
car. Naturally, they went to see the
church. c. himself had a gilde6
metal statuette in a suit case; and
at the dead noon hour when folk.
were sleeping and the church wa:
empty, he entered, loafed up toward
the real gold statuette, quietly made
the substitution and was out intt
| the waiting automobile In quicl
time Who would suspect a wealthy
/ tourist party? Besides. gold st
Baudine seemed to be in his niche
| all right-and the loss was not dis
covered for weeks!
X y n y
HVEN when they discover their loss
l. custodians are loath to make i
known. So the jeweled alabastel
| knight Templar of Colognac, one
I'third lffe-size "a bulky thing, fol
sure, to substitute), worth 300.00t
francs to any antiquity dealer, wa:
not proclaimed for year as stolen
| So, the priceless finger of st. Loui.
| (King of France, lawgiver and cru
| sader). in it's crystal case at Poissy
and the 1,40o, ,00o-f francs treasure 20
the Abbey of Conques were actuall,
denied for months to be missing!
OF all the robberies in the calendar
of crime none are enshrouded in sucf
mystery-thanks to this secrecy IL
which custodians almost invariabl,
envelop the circumstances of tn.
theft. even to the point OF denying
J that II has been committed.