A DIVINER AND KING JOHN'S JEWELS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 25

A DIVINER AND KING JOHN'S JEWELS

A diviner who, said a K.C., claimed to liave discovered that the treasure train lost by King .John in the Wash was ten miles long was mentioned in the Chancery Court in London recently. The man, Mr. Charles Gladitz, it was stated, used-"emanations" photographs and a cork with a needle through it to locate gold and other metals, .reports the "News-Chronicle." According to the K.C., Mr. Gavin Simonds, , Mr. Gladitz claimed to have found that between 800 and many thousands of King John's men were buried in the Wash. Foot soldiers lay in ranks of ten, one pace apart, and mounted men fifty yards apart. ■ He had located a car full of gold, which, he suspected, contained King John's personal regalia. This ho proposed to hand to tho King. The action, which concerned.a search for King John's treasure, was brought by Mr. E. Gaspard Ponsonby, son . of Sir Frederick Ponsonby, Keeper of the Privy Purse, who claimed damages for alleged wrongful dismissal and breach of a-service agreement against Mr. James E. Herbert Boone, a wealthy American. Mr. Simonds, counsel for Mr. ' Ponsonby, said the agreement made in October, 1932, provided for the engagement of Mr. Ponsonby for three years at a salary of £2OOO a year as the agent of Mr. Boone "to take care of, conduct, and carry out a scheme for the discovery and recovery of the lost treasure." The salary due from' the unexpired torm amounted to £3879. , Mr. Boone gave Mr. Ponsonby a power of attorney to spend up to £40,000 on the treasure hunt, and a company, Pen Keseareh, Limited, was formed. In April last year the company was short of money, and Mr. Ponsonby went to Rome to execute a deed under which Mr. Boono agreed to pay the company a further £30,000. It was alleged by Mr. Boone that he was induced by misrepresentation to sign that deed. Mr. Boono then met Mr. Charles Gladitz, who claimed that he had dis-

covered the whole. track of .the escort which carried, the treasure. An agreement was prepared for the employment of Mr. Gladitz by which he would have been vested with the full powers of the company in a proposal to excavate land which Mr. Gladitz claimed to be tho track of the baggage train. _■ Mr. Simonds read a report of an interview with the company, in which Mr. Gladitz told those . present about the ten-miles-long "treasure train." In the rear of-the column, added, counsel, Mr. Gladitz said he had located twentyfour carts, which were supposed to contain shrines, crosses, and cups looted from the monasteries. . Tho company declined; to sign the agreement to employ Mr. Gladitz, and Mr. Boone took great umbrage. He asked Mr. Ponsonby to resign, alleging that Mr. Ponsonby had disregarded his instructions. Mr. PonsonUy resigned. Later a settlement was announced in tho case. ' •Mr. Gavin Simonds, K.C.,. said,that in view of the course which the action had taken Mr. Ponsonby realised that, although he had acted in the interests of Mr. Boone, he was not justified in not carrying out Mr. Boone's instructions whether he thought they were or were not in the interests of Mr. Boone. "In those circumstances the law is against him, and under his instructions I am going to withdraw the action. The other side has agreed that there should by no order as to costs." . As soon as tho case was, over Mr. Boone left London for "a few days' rest in the country." According to a ! friend recent developments.. in the treasure hunt have caused him a considerable amount of nervous strain. The "Daily Mail" states that. Mr. Boone has not yet decided definitely whether to proceed with his plans. It is stated, however, -that he is favourably inclined towards doing so, in view of the great deal of time and money which he has already spent, and the first