STOLEN AGAIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9810, 31 March 1910, Page 1

STOLEN AGAIN.

A VANISHED "LEADER." [From Oub Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, March 30. ; The first act of the "Leader" drama, acted In;re in 1908, has been repeated. Tho pretty picture by Leader. "Southward from Surrey's Pleasant Hills." entrusted to the city by Mrs Rhodes, has again vanished from its great tranio in tho Art Gallery in Whitmoro Street. When the caretaker unlocked tho doors at one o'clock this afternoon, he saw tho frame hanging in its customary placo on the south wall, but tho "Leader" had left. The canvas was m its place last Sunday when tho gallery was open to the public. On Sunday evening the doors were locked and remained fast till 1 p.m. to-day. "Southward" Hew southward when it last created interest, which extended far beyond New Zealand. The thief entered a window at the south end (the back), rolled up the picture and crept quietly away. This time, apparently, the flight of "Southward" has been northward. A side window, facing north on the west side of the porch, has been broken just below the catch at a point to conveniently allow a hand to pass through and'push back the fastening. The dust coating at the top of tho lower PJJ'ies shows marks recently made. They very strongly suggest the trad of fingers, and look as if they had been put on from inside on the return journey bv the robber. The disappearance of the picture was at once reported to | the police, but the detectives this afternoon were true to their habit of reticence. No further information was available. The "Leader" picture disappeared in April, 1908, on a Saturday evening, under circumstances which have never been explained, and its finding was as mysterious as its disappearance. Without beat of drum or any indication as to what had happened to it in the meanwhile, thougn various rumours were circulated, the picture was quietly restored to its gilt setting about the middle of July of the same year. The then Mayor (the Hon T. W. Hislop) stated that three weeks after the picture disappeared, one "A. G. Ransom" Rent him a letter stating that without admitting that he was the person who took the "Leader," he could get the picture restored for £IOO. Mr Hislop passed "Ransom's" letter on to the police, and a watch was set at the Sailors' Rest, as the writer had mentioned that if the Mayor would communicate with him by advertisement in a local newspaper he would send a messenger to the Sailors' Rest for any letter. A ! detective was engaged, and instead of "shadowing" the messenger he arrested him. The emissary turned out to be just a casual person whom a man had met by night and asked to go to tho Sailors' Rest for a letter. He told the police where he was to deliver the letter and the police went there, but the chief actor did not appear. Subsequently "Ransom wrote to the Mayor, ridiculing the attempt that had been made to catch him, and further correspondence took place. The upshot was that the thief agreed to have the picture returned for £SO if he was subjected to no trouble. Ho also stipulated that there should be no delay in the surrender of the money, and that the matter should bo treated confidentially. The thief got somebody to represent him. The money was placed at the disposal of an intermediary, who agreed to act because he thought, on the whole, the matter was for the public good ; as the Mayor said, and the deal was effected. The Mayor stated at that time that he had not the slightest clue to the identity of "Ransom, and he understood that the intermediary did not see that individual. Itmay bo added that at the time of tho negotiations the thief threatened to destroy the picture, and, as Mr Hislop remarked, it was a choice between a contribution of £SO or no picture. The picture is valued at £IOOO.