HIDDEN MILLIONS IN SIBERIA

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 20

HIDDEN MILLIONS IN SIBERIA

Somewhere in wildest Siberia a great treasure lies buried. It has been in its secret hiding-place since the days when Admiral Koltchak's "White" iegions were retreating along the TransSiberian railway before the armies of tho Bolshevik revolution, reports the Paris correspondent of. the "Daily Chronicle" (London).'

It is known that Admiral Koltchak had at his disposal a' considerable part of the-gold reserve of the old -Russia. For a while this was kept at' Kazan, but was taken away from there when the Eeds advanced on the place.

With it, it is believed, was also a considerable amount of gold which formed part of the "war, chest" of'the. "White" forces, while many wealthy Russians had confided their, priceless family jewels to tho guardians of this last remnant of Imperial Russia's exchequer. . . ■ After tho capture aud execution of Koltchak by the Bolsheviks, 'tho, bulk oi! the jewels were probably reclaimed by their owners. '

The money, however, amounting to at least 100,000,000 roubles (£10,000,000) was, it is said, divided into four parts by Koltchak's friends and ■relatives who wore with him on lub disastrous expedition.

Tho bulk was buried ""somewhere in Siberia." . . .

No more was heard about it- until quite recently, when a group of four persons came to Paris 'inrl approached certain financiers with a strange proposal.

They declared thai, they were aware

STORY ..OF REVOLUTION

of the spot -ivhei'G'one-quarter of Koltchale's treasure, several millions of pounds in value, was buried, ana it was their desire to sell their- share of it. (All treasure found in Russia is, according to Soviet law, divided equally between the Government and the find- «■•) ;, .■■■ '■-:'■ ; .-. .■:■': •■ ■

One of the greatest of Parisian finan^ cicrs, among others, having refused to have anything to. do with the proposal, the group approached an - important Parisian'bank, which thought that the matter was worth inquiring into. ' • As a result, a' preliminary agreement was concluded between the two parties.

Tho group furnished the bank with certain information, aud a commission has;,been dispatched to Moscow ;-..•'• to. verify this and, to opeu up negotiations with the Bussiau. Government. ■ .

These pourparlers are now proceed' ing, but here in. Paris' a* curious complication has arisen. ' :

Holders of. old' Russian bonds, which are now practically valueless, have given out as their intention, lo request the French Government to' proceed to tlio sequestration of. all sums which may come ,to France as a result of the finding of Koltcliak's treasure.

These should, it is maintained, be used, on behalf of French investors who suffered so heavily as,a result of the ■Soviet Government's .refusal to recognise the pro-Revolution debts contracted by Russia.

There is a belief Hint the finding of one part of the treasure would .result in Iho discovery of data enabling therest: lo Ijc unearthed,