TEN THOUSAND VERDICT

Evening Star, Issue 18254, 19 April 1923, Page 6

TEN THOUSAND VERDICT

GRAND DUCHESS DEFRAUDED. RUSSIAN CROWN JEWELS. CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS LIKELY AGAINST AUTHOR-TRAVELLER. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 17. Tho Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrova, sister of the late Tsar of Russia, and also cousin of Queon Alexandra, has commenced an action against Sir Albert Frederick Calvert, the author, claiming £IO,OOO, and alleging a conspiracy between defendant and Maurice Stornbach, by which she was defrauded of Russian Crown jewels of tho above value. The Grand Duchess arrived iu England in 1921, and, according to claimant’s counsel, Sternhach introduced her to Sir A. Calvert as an eminent financier, and a scheme was arranged to invest the proceeds of her jowels in a concern known as tho Exploration Finance Syndicate, to purchase tho rights of a patent photographic process from which a return of fabulous riches was promised. Tho Duchess handed over pearls, which wore pawned for £4,000, and later a second and a third string wore handed over, which realised £IO,OOO. Sternhach then wrote to the Duchess stating that Sir Albert Calvert had gone to Hamburg to consult exports, and ho expected the deal would ho closed before the end of the week, from which £50,000 would be received. Counsel described the business as a cruel fraud. The Duchess was entitled to receive some of the money back. The Duchess gave evidence that Sternhach presented a letter of introduction to her. He undertook, to dispose of the jewels entrusted to him. She had not received a penny back. Prince Serge Dolgorovski stated in evidence that Sternhach told him that the pearls would sell at higher prices in America, and ho offered to get them there without paying duty. 'When asked why no receipt had been given to tho Duchess, Sternhach said they had sufficient faith to believe in each other, and no receipts were necessary. Tho Prince testified to having soon Sternhach pay Sir Albert Calvert £5,000.

The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict for the plaintiff for £IO,OOO. Judgment was entered accordingly, with costs. ■ Mr Justice Darling directed that the papers should ho sent to the Public Prosecutor.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

[Calvert is a Knight of the Grand Cross of tho Order of Isabel tho Catholic, a Spanish title, and has many associations with Spain. Ho has travelled there extensively, and has also made four expeditions into the interior of Central and N.W. Australia. Ho has published many books dealing with Australia, Spain, Africa, and Brazil; also one entiled 1 Pearls and Pearl Culture.’]