PROPOSAL IN COURT.

Shannon News, 13 October 1925, Page 1

PROPOSAL IN COURT.

TAILOR AND ADVENTURESS . • ‘ GIRL WITH DIAMOND EYES.” Known in the underworld as “The Girl wi the Diamond Eyes” and “The Gipsy,” Clare Whiteley, aged 30. one of the most fascinating women “crooks” in London, was recently detained in prison pending the completion of arrangements that will compel her to return to South Africa,' her native country. She is the daughter of wealthy parents, well known and highly esteemed ill Capetown, but during the last few years has lived the life of an unscupulous adventuress in London. When she came before Sir Robert Wallace, ILC., at the London sessions, a tailor, named Maurice Lazarus, of Hampstead road, said he wanted to marry her, and undertook to accompany her to South Africa. Whiteley has several times figured in the dock within the last ten years. Her most daring exploit was In 1919. when she robbed a Hatton Garden diamond merchant of £4OO worth of loose diamonds. Having lured him to her luxurious fiat in Mayfair, she told him that a friend of hers wanted to buy some gems, and said she would arrange an interview. Her conduct so far had given no cause for suspicion, and her prospective victim returned to the fiat with the diamonds in a bag. She made an excuse to leave him for a moment, and disappeared. When the dealer at length became suspicious and tried to open the door he found it was locked. Whiteley dodged the Scotland Yard, detectives who were specially detailed to look for her for several weeks, and when arrested she told a fantastic story of having buried the stolen diamonds in a garden in Dublin. Gems Found in Garden. Although the police were incredulous, they decided to test the truth of her statement, and, after digging at Qui spot she had indicated, found the pissing gems intact. For the theft the woman was sent to nine months’ hard labour. Police inquiries ’ showed that her parents in South Africa were anxious to reclaim her, and they readily un dertook the journey to London for the special purpose of trying to induce her to return with them. This she refused to do, and sorrowfully they went back, leaving their daughter to continue her downward career. Since she has led a butterfly existence in the West End of London. Her latest arrest was due to an impudent escapade in Piccadilly at midright. Seeing a party of men in a car, she asked if they would mind giving her a lift, to her flat'inf Russq’l square. They consented, and the car drove away. A few minutes later “The Gipsy” said she would like to get out, and "was allowed to do so, and almost as soon as she had gone, one of the party missed a wallet containing £lO5 in Treasury notes. A regular hunt followed, and finally Whiteley was found hiding in a cul-de-sac. A Shower of Banknotes. At first she angrily denied having seen the men before, but at length she flung the stolen wallet at the car and there was a .-hewer of banknotes on the pavement. Only £75 were recovered. On being handed over to a policeman, Whiteley fought like a tigress. / When she had been found guilty, Sir Robert Wallace said this was the third time he had had to investigate her history, and that, time after time, she had promised to return to South Africa. “I "will not have her in London,” declared Sir Robert. When Mr; Lazarus said he would marry her and take her home it was stated that the woman w r as already married, but her husband could not be traced. Sir Robert decided to postpone senfence, to enable a passage to South Africa to be booked, and directed that, meawhile, Whiteley should remain in prison. Unscrupulous adventuress and common pickpocket though she was, Whiteley was said to be one of the most generous “crooks” in London, and, often helped girls “down on their luck.”