Jewel Deals With Crooks

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12394, 13 March 1926, Page 11

Jewel Deals With Crooks

Gaol Sentence Ends Double Life of Diamond Merchant

$ t> EHIND the description “diamond K merchant” applied to Michael Spellman, aged 59, was a wealth of aigniticance. Scotland Yard knew him ts an associate of crooks and receiver •f stolen property. v _ A man of such standing as that was —given, of course, tho necessary absence of scruples—worth a gold mine to crooks. . „ . The very best class of thieves went to Michael Spellman. To call him a “fence” was an exaggeration; he did not “receive” habitually. But the deals he carried out with thieves were always with high-class stuff. He paid

good prices, and in the result, when anything good was going, Spellman had first chance of it, as Chief-Inspec-tor Cornish put it. Thus, when about £SOO worth of jewellery was seized by a "cat” burglar in Mayfair it was not unnatural for tho 'detectives to display some interest in Spellman. And sure enough in the possession of the respectable diamond merchant and another man, Richard Goodman (53), dealer, they found the greater part of tho swag so soon ns next day. Spellman, an American Jew, who had lived in Holland for some- years,

first came to England in 1888. As a diamond merchant he has prospered exceedingly, and presumably his receiving has brought him big returns. He is financially interested in n fleet, of taxicabs plying for hire in the London streets. In Hackney he has a large, beautiful house with elegant surroundings. There he has been a happy family, man. To his wife and fanjjly he has never been anything but a: good, generous husband arid father, i It would seem that sheer greed drew Spellman into criminal ways. He could have been happy enough— ot most men could —on bis legitimate earnings. But the receiving business looked suoh easy money, so free from risk id a man of Iris polish and associations, that he was drawn further and further into the sea of crime. Michael Spellman was in partnership with “Cammy” Grizznrd for some years. Dozons, of “cat” burglars and jewel thieves doalt' with these two men. They constituted the

“hidden hand” behind the traffic in stolen jewels, both in London an 1 Antwerp.' Thousands ,of pounds worth of valuables passed through tlieir hands Spellman’s professional status guru him the entree- to the world-famous diamond mart- at. Antweip. Grizzard was not admitted on- nnv account, but that did not matter; Spellman could sell quite openly—and for their.real

value —costly gems which were the proceeds of robberies in this country, In 1923 came the downfall! of the -couple, both being convicted for their connection with a famous theft iif jewels. Soon after SpellmanUind completed his term ot 13 months’ imprison ment his jiartner in crime died. He was living in a luxuriously-appointed house nt Clapton, his every wnnt provided for out of the jewel thefte