THOSE FAMOUS PEARLS

Northern Advocate, 11 September 1913, Page 5

THOSE FAMOUS PEARLS

PRISONERS ON TRIAL

STORY OF COMPLICATED

DEALINGS

LONDON, Sept. 10

At the Bow Street Police Court today the hearing of the charges against Joseph Grizgard, Simon Silverman, Leisir Gutwirth (Austrian diamond dealers), John Lockett

(jeweller), and James McCarthy, of being concerned in the robbery of a pearl necklace, valued at £150,000, while in postal transit from Paris to London, was commenced.

Mr Muir, in opening the case for the prosecution, said that Gutwirth, while in London on August 4, asked a relative named Brandstatter if he knew of a purchaser for an article \vorth £60,000. Brandstatter guesfeed that the necklace mentioned in fthe charge was meant, and, remembering the £ 10,000 reward offered for its recovery, appeared to acquiesce. He consulted his cousin, 'one Quadranstein, in Paris, as to a suitable assistant in the negotiations. They then wrote to Gutwirth, expressing doubt as to whether the pearls were genuinely Mayer's, and requesting to oe furnished with proof. Gutwirth telegraphed "Come to London at once." They met him and Silverman and inspected three pearls. Brandstatter. explaining that Quad•ranstein represented lids iprincipal. Silverman demanded £40,000 for the pearls. Later, Grizzard and Lockett were present at the negotiations. Brandstatter and Quadranstein pretended to return to Paris, while Price (the representative of underwriters, who had been communicated with) induced Spanier, a reputable jewejler, to play the part of purchaser. Silverman and Grizzard met him at a hotel as "Matien," and narrated and produced the pearls. Spanier bought two, and arranged a meeting at a tube station where on the pretext that his principal was an Indian Rajah he demanded an immediate bargain for the remainder, otherwise he would break off negotiations. After the arrest some of Spanier's bank notes were found on Silverman.

Mr Muir added that McCarthy's part was obscure. He complimented Quadranstein on conducting the negotiations with admirable nerve and discretion.