REMARKABLE SCANDAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

REMARKABLE SCANDAL.

£12,(K;i!3 worth: of jewellery. :.<.LADY IN SOOfKrY IMPLICATED* Information has just. leaked ; , out in Pariit (says a correspondent of the Daily Tele- u '*& graph) about an .extraordinary scandal im-' ' : -l plicating a lady known in society, who is - . -<\ accused of having stolen over £12,000 worth" o>3 of jewellery, which had belonged to tb* late Duchess Alva. It will be reraemb&*4 .' '"M. that the duchess., who was the niece" by Va|j marriage of the Empress Eugenie, died in 1 Paris at the Hotel Bristol on March 1 27--;'-'k »»* ' ' ■ ."> V One version of the preheat affair states that the clisapearance Jewellery wi» discovered o:ily at the ' Inventory of the deceased lady's effect*. According to another |':g!i&j account, the loss was known before the death of the duchess,' the latter having daring her illness instructed her maid to bring a certain ring from' her jewel-case, 'wbeaHjjlj| the latter « iced to he missing from' $ its usual place, and no trace of it could be found in the apartments. ' •■ - ?f||l§i At all events, no clue as to the identity of the thief was ■obtained until & few days ago, after over a month spent in polk* researches, which were'*■ kept completely dark. Tins culprit was found through somie tof the jewels; having been \ sold and traced; The property, the greater part of which has now. been recovei-ed, has pome historical interest, in addition' to its intrinj;ie value, as imam- of the gems were gifts frcia the Empress Eugenie. The jewels comprised seven .rings set with brilliants, rubieii, emeralds, and sapphires, a pendant of hriliMl| liants . and rubies, an, ancient necklace^o} pearls averaging: $ sirty , grains : each *I in weight, and white i sapphires,- a gold purs«, apis, set with brilliants and rubies, and v pair c* sir gte' diamond earrings, 4, the stones' ;.. weighing <jach over fire carats, It was ascertained that the pearl necklace, estimate>) } at £3200, was sold to a jeweller for tu> •! t actly one tenth of that sum. : ■ ' ;

i The police inquiry soon showed, that mi suspicion «i<rald attach either to the hottit i servants or; to the late * duchess' privati attendants,* and, investigations were quietly made in cither quarters. Eventually information -v?is obtained strongly implicating | a hidv, said by sonui to he, Spanish, but described at the Spmisb Embassy French, : -i ; r whom the late duchess had occasionally r«- - I ceived and - charitably! assisted, as she was in & i reduced circumstanc":'s. The evidence wsia / I deemed sufficiently conclusive to justify. tiie .':..:■ examining magistrate in ordering the per- ■■'.'; [ son in qu<?;tion, described as "Madame P.'. Sto appear before him. She was questioned ; : | on sseveral occasions, land eventually is«saiij ! ij fi. to have confessed to the theft. At pru-- r » "> sent she is bound oyer to appear before ! the magistrate when called upon, .but it it • | % understood that no 1 criminal | proceedings I will be taken against her in consideration* ! of the fact that, partly,through informatio a obtained fmnr her, the-bulk.of the jewels ■'? has: now; been recovered ; and j restored to - * the duchess' heirs. Madame P.' It is related that Madame P. had been presented several years ago in Madrid.. ! to the Duchess of Alva, and that during i 4 the latterV illness in Paris.she asked to fee received.by. her.again/ The r duchess, wh:* v. -• had .retained* a favourable impression Yef" 5 V Madame P., consented ■ willingly, and ad-' mitted her to her room, where the inter-";•:■;■ view , lasted ! over an ■ hour. On Madame" 11.I 1 . leaving, the duchess rang the "bell. IThtifM servant not answering immediately, the v u ,«'; visitor said she would usher herself.out,. ••."'. and- left the apartments alone. * : The jewelcase was in a room next to that in whfcli ',; ; the duchess received Iter visitor, ; ' and tli» ]"{ time of its • diFappeaira-ice "Was 'found £'>'-;. coincide with ■ that 01 Madame P. depaij* 'sss tcre.; : Sy*h is the story. : Madame P. beini *X-.:'<] known in society here, it may be imagine! '■■ "j what a sensation the 'iicandal has created. &r& It in confirmed that the person enigmatic-' ..••'; ally described at. Madame P., all indications as to whose identity are withheld, did con- | fess the theft to the examining magistrate. ?; She said that she stole the jewels earW "•;; J in February—that' is ! to' say ; : seven week; > .'.' ''a& before the late Duchess of Alva died.', The theft was unpremeditated,".? and committed in a moment of .aberration when she yielded ' '\'/ to an irresistible temptation, being in wnnlf ; of money. • When the">jewels were in hei> possession she reinovud. the - stories front ' SS their settings and : sold then*. V Conclusive r evidence of- t'he mysterious Madame; a guilt was afforded by ! lie discovery, of tin*,-'. • settings of the gems, in her flat, > fV^<^]