MONA LISA DRAMA

Hokitika Guardian, 28 March 1930, Page 8

MONA LISA DRAMA

CRIME EXPERT’S REVEL \TUW. DESPERATE EIGHT IX A CASTLE. A. new and dramatic account of the theft and subsequent search lor T*onardo da Vinci’s famous picture, the Mnmi Lisa, which was stolen from the Palis Louvre in 1911, is onp of the most interesting chapters in “ Dramas of French Crime ” just completed by M. Rene Cassellari. M. Cassellari, who tells many strange stories of crime and criminals, was for 20 years a lending French detective and served during the war as liaison officer between - the Rn'.ish and French intelli gen cc departments. A year alter the theft of the Mona Lisa the French police were informed that the picture, was hidden in Relgium, and M. Cassellari, who was ordered to carry out the search for it, was

speedily in cdmnninioation with a gang of Belgian “ crooks.” Soon, however, lie saw their real object: I was to be lured (he writes) to some lonely spot in the country and there nibbed of the money i would bring, if not actually murduvd. A CHATEAU ENCOUNTER. He had a desperate encounter with them in an isolated chateau near Ghent and captured one of their number. The gang had never had the picture in their possession, or known anything about it. What had really happened to Mona Lisa was this An Italian workman, burning with misguided patriotism, had stolen the masterpiece from the I ouvre, where he was employed at the time; hidden it until the hue-and-cry had partially died down; and then sent the picture back' to Rome in the belief that it was going hack to its proper home.

The Italian Government returned it to France and the workman was sent to an asylum.

The most thrilling chapters in M. Casselluri’s book are those which tell the story of the Bonnot gang of motor bandits, who committed half a dozen murders in Paris in 1912. Bonnot was caught in a garage, in the siege of which the following forces were employed : A couple of dozen of the in Habitants of Choisy-le-ltoi armed with, rifles, a detachment of gendarmerie all provided with weapons; two companies of the Republican Guaid; and a body of firemen with ladders ready to scale the sides of the house.

,Bonnot was riddled with bullets. A little later two more of the gang were beseigod in another house, and cu this occasion a “ regiment of Zouaves, a company of the Republican Guard, a detachment of gendarmes, and half the police officials of Pans ” were engaged.

After,hours of waiting machine guns were brought into action, the bandits being shortly afterwards found dung from many wounds. 1