ARRESTED ON HONEYMOON

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 September 1929, Page 5

ARRESTED ON HONEYMOON

SCENE IN PALACE.

Through Madrid and Reuter a strange incident is reported from the Palace of the Escurial, which contains priceless art treasures, says the London “Daily Chronicle.” Four American tourists were iarrested bn a charge of attempting to steal a small picture on porcelain from the Casita del Principe (“the cottage of the Prince”). This Spanish Royal chateau in the Escurial Park was built as a pleasure house for Charles IV. before he was King. Charfes’s doting father filled the Prince’s rooms with paintings, porcelains, ivories, tapestries and what-not.

According to the Madrid “Sol,” the American party consisted of a banker, who was on a honeymoon trip, and three friends. While the interpreter was explaining things to other people (says the police report) one of the Americans picked up a valuable antique, piece of porcelain and put it under his coat unnoticed.

Aftex* the party had left, officials noticed the loss and followed the Americans toward the Escurial station. As the road from the palace to the station is a straight one, the Americans were able to see that they were being pursued. They hurried to a kiosk, say the Spanish police, “where artistic souvenirs are sold. While making purchases one. of the Americans tried to leave the piece of porcelain on the counter. They were arrested, but three of the four are understood to have been released. It appears (says a later Reuter message) that the banker, who is the only one of the party actually in custody, was arrested while he was on the point of hiring a motor-car near the station. He was not allowed to see anyone except his wife and his solicitor. At present he is locked up in the Escurial Prison, and his wife is at the local hotel.

The porcelain which the police say was purloined was a piece of almost inestimable value. Its loss would, have spoiled the very valuable collection. The “Cottage of the Prince.” which was at one time a Royal country residence, is now a museum. Though it is 30 miles from Madrid, this and the Escurial Monastery and Palace are considered as among the noted showplaces fox' visitors to the Spanish capital.