NOBLEMAN'S ADVENTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18949, 21 February 1925, Page 2 (Supplement)

NOBLEMAN'S ADVENTURE

BROKE INTO OWN HOUSE, SEARCH FOR ST RAN GE TENANT VALUABLE SILVER MISSING. Scotland Yard detectives have been searching for a man who a few. months ago took over the tenancy of Chesterfield Lodge, Chesterfield Street, London, the residence fit' Lord Ossulsion, the heir of tlx' Earl of Tankerville. To a newspaper reporter Lord Ossulston toild a remarkable story of how he, had to luvak into his own home to gain possession, ".The.man," ho said, "submitted a solicitor's reference, and two personal references, which my agents inquired into, and sent on to me. I approved of them and the man took over the tenancy. No More Rent. "He. paid three months' rent in advance. Soon after the. tenant had moved in I came to London and saw him. He was about, 36, well dressed, and struck me as being a man of good education. He j had two servants- a man and a. woman. " When the tenancy came to an end the man applied for an extension, but he did ! not pay any more rent, despite repeated applications. After my father-in law had made investigations 1 determined to get. possession. .1 came to London, and with

my agent went to the house. "We rang and knocked at the door but could get no answer; so I determined to break in. " With a tyre lever my chauffeur forced window open and entered the house, letting us in by the front door. Hie house was in an indescribable condition- filthy, dirty, and everything in disorder. Feigning Illness. " A man's head appeared over the banisters in the hall, and he asked us what we were doing. In one of the bedrooms upstairs we found the tenant lying in bed. Ho appeared to bo very ill. 1 requested him to quit Iho premises nt. once, but he merely mumbled from under the bedclothes, saying that he was unfit to be moved. "1 arranged for him to go to a nursing home. A taxieab was called and, wrapped in blankets, he was put into it with the servant whom we had seen looking over the banisters. The tasicab never readied the nursing home, and we' have heard nothing more of the tenant or his servant." Later it was discovered that most oi the valuable silver had vanished. _ Vitie Street police' have been successful in recovering nearly all the articles from pawnbrokers in London. lu the cupboards of the house wero found dozens of empty whisky and wine bottles.