GREAT PARIS FRAUD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 28 May 1907, Page 4

GREAT PARIS FRAUD

DEAD ARCHITECT'S THEFTS TO SCITORT TWO HOMES. Extraordinary revelations were made in connection with the lite 11. Thomas, the well-known aud much respected architect to the Ecole des Beux-Arts (Paris). The value of the old hooks and works of art which lie misappropriated, and which have hem traced, amounts to 120,000, and it is certain many other pricele-s articles were storen by him. It is believed that for the last twen.v years of his life M. Thomas systematically pillaged every public building to which he could gain access. Investigations are proceeding and more revelations are anticipated.

A woman admit?? tluit she received '£4ooo from M. Thomas annually. His official salary and income did not amount to one-third of that sum, and at the same time he was obliged to provido for the maintenance of his own home, and his wife. j In 1904 he built himself a evmntry mansioni and one Saturday a commissioner was sent down to examine the building and to see whether it contained any purloined works of art-. A number of balconies of wrought iron were found, which it is believed came from the ancient historic mansion known as the Soubise.

The scandal has attained great dimensions since-M. Thomas' widow unwittingly proved aer dead husband a thief 9»y trying to raise money from He sale of some of the treasures of his library. The volumes, some of them priceless, were found to belong to the Kcole des Beaux-Arts Library. Thai exposure proved merely the first of a series.

It. Thomas was one of the bestknown figures in Paris society. He entertained lavishly, had a box at the Opera, ami was generally reputed to be wealthy. In his profession he wis very popular and had a high r-pulatio.?. He was an officer of the Legion of Honor.