DUBLIN CROWN JEWELS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 217, 1 February 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

DUBLIN CROWN JEWELS

A PERPLEXING MYSTERY. The story was published in London recently—and as promptly "officially" denied—that the missing Dublin Crown jewels, the tale of whose magic disappearance created such a sensation all over the kingdom live years ago. had been returned by the "thief," and that they were now back again in the strongroom at Dublin Castle (says the London Daily Xews of December 12). From time to time a similar report has been circulated, and the last official assurance we have had with regard to the Regalia is that replicas of the jewels have been made to take the place of the "lost" or "stolen" treasures. Recent events, political and otherwise, have brought the matter once again hefore the public noticp. and yesterday morning the Daily Telegraph (evidently from an inspired source) gave great prominence to a statement that the jewels were back. The official denial of this was only a matter of a few hours. | WHEN THE JEWELS WERE RETURNED. The Daily News and Leader is assured on unimpeachable authority that the statement that the jewels are back is true, in spile of strenuous assertions to the contrary, and. further, is in a position to state that on a certain day in August. WO7. within six weeks of the date on which they were reported to he missing, they were back, if not in the strong-room from which they were removed, at least in the hands of the authorities. They have been there ever since, and no replicas have been made to replace them. Ever since the scandal of the disappearance of the jewels was made public, the most strenuous efforts have been made to shroud the whole unpleasant business in mystery, and influence in high (piarters has been brought to bwir to throw dust into everybody's eyes. As a matter of fact, from the very outset, the strings were pulled and tlie curtain was lowered on the gross ill-adven-tures of the historic Regalia.

A LUDICROUS FARCE. It had never been intended, for instance, that the fact of their temporary disappearances should be made public at all. But it slipped out by mistake, and as a consequence the utmost consternation was caused among those concerned. With the jewels gone, and the cat out of the bag, the best had to be made of a bad job, and what followed can best be described as a ludicrous farce—no more and no less. Dublin Castle called in the assistance of Scotland Yard, and Inspector Kane, a most acute officer, was sent over to the Irish capital to make full enquiries and to report from time to time to headquarters. But so far as the public were allowed to know, the mysttry only deepened, and the actual result of what Mr. Kane managed to unravel is still carefully shrouded in the archives of the official bureau. THE LOST GEMS. The missing Regalia comprised the Diamond Star of the Grand Master of the Order of St. Patrick, worth nearly .€SOOO, the Diamond Badge of the same Order £IO.OOO, and five Collars of Knights Companions of the Order, worth, roughly, £IOOO each. The theft, or, rather, the "abstraction," took place on or about the night of July 5. 1007—a most leisurely business, showing clearly enough that the safe in the strong-room had been open- , ed with a key and with no fear of disturbance, after the strong-room had been similarly entered. There was enough booty in the strong-room alone at the command of the most exacting Raffles or Lupin in real life, and yet none of this had been touched. The jewels, and jewels alone, had been removed. No arrests were ever made, and it is i very highly probable that no arrests J ever will be made in connection with the "robbery." That the Regalia is back in its old place, complete, is suflicient for the day, and it is some satisfaction at least to know that there is no likelihood of any ) repetition of the old regime at the Castle j which made the appalling "adventures" of the Regalia possible. { We understand that it is highly probable in the next few weeks that a full statement of what exactly happened on and previous to the fifth of .July, 1007, both in Dublin Castle and in Paris, in regard to the jewels will be at the disposal of the House of Commons to do as thev think fit with it.