LONDON NEWSPAPER SELLER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 July 1938, Page 11

LONDON NEWSPAPER SELLER

FINDS £750 GEM AMONG RUBBISH TN THE GUTTER [By Air Mail—Special Correspondent] LONDON. 18th June. Kicking a pile of rubbish outside the Royal Opera House. Covent Garden, an old newspaper seller, Bob Griffiths, this week unearthed a gem which proved to be the Countess of Munster’s lost £750 diamond pendant. For two days the pendant had lain in the gutter where —it is believed —it fell as the Countess stepped into her car as she left the opera. Across the street, outside Bow street police station, was a poster offering a £75 reward for its Old Bob. who lives in a lodging-house and earns a few shillings helping to sell papers, knew nothing about the missing pendant, or the poster. “I was just walking along, keeping my eyes on the ground—l believe it’s lucky—when I kicked the rubbish, just idly, and the nice little thing was lying there,” lie said. ‘T put it in my pocket, and carried it about for two days.” Then Bob showed it to a man who told him, ‘'lt's paste, grandfather. I’ll give you a quid for it.” But Bob wasn't sure. So he took it to Bow street. ; ‘‘You could ’ave knocked me down with a feather when the cop told me it was the Countess’s pendant. He said it was worth £750 and I d get a £75 reward.” Bob added.