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Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1922, Page 4

DIG,OOO JEWELS GONE. LONDON, Sept. 2. Jewels said to bo worth £16,000 have been lost by nil American woman, Mis J. Byrne, In the course of a -journo,, between l J aris and London. Mrs Byrne had been staying a: Deauville, and when she lcit the resort on her journey to England on Tuesday she was carrying a small dark leather ease which contained the gems. Only once from the time ol her departui* until she arrived at the hotel does sir. remember letting the ease out' ol her night for more than a lew minutes. This temporary lack of vigilance occurred in the steamer, the Maid o Orleans, that carried her from Calais to Dover. It. is believed that shadowing thieveto, k advantage of the opportunity to relieve tie ease oi its contents, aim covered up their tracks so adroitly that no suspicion'was aroused until tin loss was finally discovered in London. When Mrs Byrne lelt the train at Calais she herself saw her baggage through the Customs. When she reached I be' steamer she spent nearly HI the time occiipied in the crossing in her reserved cabin. Once dining the voyage she went on deck lor a little fresh air. lmt her promenade of the deck occupied less than five minutes. This was the only occasion during the whole of the journey when the jewel case was out of her sight. When she i racked London. Mrs Byrne drove straight to the Connaught Hotel. (I ros venor-srpia re, W. It was several hours after her arrival there that she made the discovery that

she hail been the victim of n robbery. . When she opened the ease she foundHint weights had been substituted for I rr jewel lew. ' lie at once telephoned In the Dover polio? inl.il niill.v- tin m of her loss, anil subseijurnl lv i-omnninieatcd with Scotland Yard. A ties; ription of the miss|a a iipms was issued to all stations in i!i* metropolitan district. The case is of dark grey leather, measuring approximately six inches by three by two, and contains three pearl i.ockHces. a rubv and diamond bracelet. a pearl and diamond tassel, a .Jap-ines? pearl and diamond bangle, a black onyx and diamond dog-collar, a platinum hatpin with throe diamaiuls, a gold, amethyst, diamond and inani'd ring, a jade charm, and 200 1 dollars in notes.