AN EMPRESS'S NECKLACE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 72, 18 December 1919, Page 9

AN EMPRESS'S NECKLACE

SG.N'KATJONA!, STONY OF AUS- ■ TIUANTOUH'L' JEWKuS. ' Before long, says the Paris, correspondent of the "Westminster Gazette," there will probably come before • (lie. French Courts a lawsuit "Wen i'nrisien." A ,hidv. unnamed, but said lu be of the hialiest aristocracy, has brought an action a?ainst a- I'aris diamond broker, for money which he received, -or .ought to have received, for the sale of jewels entrusteu to him. The genesis of this" strange afhir goes hack (n'Ultf. At that time sevcr.i' members of the Imperial family of Austria, wishim;'to help'in restoring the ex-King ■tfnnoel to the tin one o! Portugal by menus of a counter-revolution, sen'., for 'the purpose of being sold in France, jewels belonging to the Imperial Court. The ladv wlio brSiijjs (lie sun was en-Iru-ded with the .sale of these.jewels; and eii'.iilnvsd the broker in question. The • negotiation* for such n sale were neces-, sanlr verc delicate, foi if it became known where the jewels came from, the »uri>n-:e forwhich they were being sold might oasi!:; be infcrrid. When war. broke out in Itlll, I hough some of the lewels had found pirdiasers, the most vr.iunble stiil remained in the hands of the broker.- Among them wre a diamond necklace, diamond rings, and brooches of' emeralds and sapphires; but the obierd of supreme value was a diamond collar, which, had been given by '.Napoleon f to his wife, jMarie Louise. The net mil value of this collar was about ,£70.000. bill heeause of i!s sentimental and hi-uorical interest the .price demanded, for it was .6 - J(l!),(ll)l). Knoii'-'h of the jewels are said to have been sold to buy and equip two war vessels, aim lo orocure a supply of arms and annum,iltun. Nothing srems to bo Viioh'ii as In what happened lo lhe-:e *hiiH, anil the coining, Irial may throw light on the mvsicry and add another on"!' In the secret history ol Hie war. The accused ' diamond broker," who imiehl Hravelv Ihroimhoui tlie win-, nleiids tli.ii in-lead of having untie innnev out of the jewels whii-h ■lie hail I -old. the e.vi.'li-"; of Hi" leng.hv u"c delicate negotiation; IV their sale had ,•„,-! him re I hue. .iJfiW.-Keulcr. While deoo'iiing a i'l'.Hkiad of iiiu.-l on Milcham Common a Council workman struck somethin/r hard (villi his shovel. It was found lo lie a live shell.