BARON ARRESTED

Southland Times, Issue 18962, 8 June 1923, Page 5

BARON ARRESTED

CROWN JEWELS SOLO BEATING EX-EMPEROR KARL (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, June 6. Baron von Steiner, formerly confidential , adviser to the Emperor Frances Joseph, I has been arrested on a Swiss warrant i charged with robbing the Austrian Imper- : ial family of a quarter of a million francs, i Switzerland is taking extradition proceed- ; ings. (Received June 7, 7.45 p.m.) i It is alleged that Baron Von Steiner, • arrested on a Swiss extradition warrant, was ; empowered to pledge the Austrian Crown I and other jewels for the purpose of obi taining a loan for ex-Emperor Karl. In- ! stead, he sold the jewels outright for a I sum far below their value. It is stated that ; lhe jewels are worth over £300,000, and | that they were allegedly sold to a syndii cate of international jewellers for £25,500. |lt is asserted that the historic Marie Antoinette necklace was sold eventually to ian English purchaser for about £70,000, i three times the amount which the syndil cate paid for the whole collection. Arch ’ Duke Max accuses Von Steiner of defraud- ■ ing the Imperial family of 250,000 francs i from the sales. It is suggested that Von Steiner’s arrest wil lead to the disclosure of the names of the others implicated, who are now living in Switzerland and elsewhere.