AUSTRIAN CROWN JEWELS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 22 November 1924, Page 12

AUSTRIAN CROWN JEWELS.

BARON' STEINER’S REVELATIONS.

The former Austrian Consul, Baron Bruno Steiner, who held positions at The Hague, Home and in Switzerland during the war, and who is described as having been the confidential representative of the late Emperor Karl has. made an interesting statement to Excelsior concerning the sale of the Austrian Crown jewels while his impel lal majesty was m exile in Switzerland.

Recently the Countess Catthyiany was arrested on a charge of having embezzled a sum of over 1,000;000 francs belonging to the baron, who alleged that the countess lost, the money in gambling at Monte Carlo. Baron Steiner was also arrested in Paris and extradited to Switzerland a few months ago. on charges connected with the alleged fraudulent disposal of the Austrian Crown 1 jewels, and was subsequently acquitted. _ Baron Steiner said that when the Emperor became a fugitive he was entrusted with the jewels for the purpose of getting them across the frontier and lie handed them back to his master when the latter arrived in Switzerland. Part of . these jewels were isold. for 3,000,000 gold francs, say, £120,000. ' if the Emperor' expended about £BO,OOO in propaganda in a single year A second portion of the jewels was disposed of by the Archduchess Maria Theresa, with the authority of the Emperor. J

A third portion, says: Baron Steiner yras still, in the Emperor’s possession when he left for his place of exile in Madeira. He estimated that this would be sufficient for him to live upon for some, years. Unfortunately, these remaining Austrian Crown jewels proved very difficult to sell. There were some .old. pearls and diamonds of great weight, but many Americans possessed much better stones; Their sale gave Tise to judicial proceedings in Switzerland between French and Frankfort jewellers, the latfer alleging that the prices had been unduly inflated, and that iny wife and myself had received commissions on the sale. 'Baron Steiner goes into details of his arrest in Paris on the complaint lodged by the Archduke Max, the Emperor’s brother. and his extradition to Switzerland, where lie and his wife remained for nine months, when they were released with 100 Swiss francs compensation. They returned to Paris to-find themselves ruined, all that remained to them having disappeared at Monte Carlo. .