Theft of Mrs. Prinsep's Jewels

PRINSEP JEWELS FOUND IN SWITZERLAND.

Detective-inspector Stockley, F Division, attended the West London police-court yesterday for the purpose of collecting evidence against two Swiss waiters - Joseph Keller and Otto Keller, brothers - who are at present under detention in Switzerland in connection with the theft of Mrs. Val Prinsep's jewels at her house in Holland-park, Kensington, on Nov. 14. - It will be remembered that quite recently an Austrian named Altmann was charged with being concerned in the robbery, which took place while the family were at dinner, but, on being committed for trial, was acquitted by the jury.
Being cognisant of the fact that several men were concerned in the affair, Inspector Stockley caused diligent inquiries to be made, with the result that a fortnight ago the two Kellers were arrested on suspicion in Zurich. One of them was trying to dispose of a pearl necklace - part of the stolen jewellery - and a search at the lodgings occupied by the brothers led to the discovery of nearly all the rest of the jewels. Owing to a peculiar provision in the extradition treaty between this country and Switzerland, Swiss subjects cannot be extradited to England for crimes committed here, but are tried for such offences in their own country on sworn depositions despatched from England, and Inspector Stockley came to the court to obtain the depositions which were used in the trial of Altmann.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly News, December 31, 1905, Page 3

THE KENSINGTON JEWEL ROBBERY.

Eugene Altmann, 31, an Austrian, of no occupation, giving an address at Wells-street, Oxford-street, was charged on remand before Mr. Lane, K.C., at West London police-court yesterday, with stealing on Nov. 14 a quantity of jewellery valued at 6,000 pounds, the property of Mrs. Florence Prinsep, the widow of the late Mr. Val Prinsep, R.A., of Holland-park-road, Kensington.
Charles Catt, gardener, stated that on Saturday, Nov. 18, he was at work in the garden of 14, Melbury-road, Kensington, when he discovered the case of pearls lying at the bottom of the garden. The case was open and a few leaves were scattered over it. He took it into the house.
Detective Parsons, F division, stated that on Nov. 18 he found nine empty jewel cases - all stained - in a room on the ground floor of an unoccupied house called Laura Cottage, Holland Park-road. The garden at the back of that house communicated with that of Mrs. Prinsep's house, and anyone going from the latter garden to the former would pass by the foot of the garden of 14, Melbury-road.
Detective-inspector Stockley deposed to finding in Mrs. Princep's garden the large leather bag which had contained the jewel-case, also a new chisel. There were footmarks on the garden fence, and in the garden of 14, Melbury-road he found a note-book containing English and German banknotes referred to by Mrs. Prinsep as having been left by her in the jewel-case. The prisoner denied that he had anything to do with the burglary. He expressed a wish to call witnesses, and the magistrate adjourned the case for an hour.
At the resumption the prisoner called his wife, who stated that on the night of the burglary her husband was at home. She went out at half-past eight, and he was then at home (the burglary took place at 7:30).
Bernard Mindsent, a plumber, stated that from 8 to 8:15 on the night of the burglary he saw the prisoner in Charlotte-street, W.C., and he asked him to have a sandwich with him.
- The Clerk (Mr. Wilson): The wife contradicts the husband, and this witness contradicts the wife.
Another witness, Julius Rosenberg, said he was informed that it was two Swiss who committed the burglary.
- The Magistrate: That is not evidence. I can't waste time like this.
Prisoner was committed for trial.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly News, December 3, 1905, Page 3

JEWELS IN A GARDEN.
REMARKABLE RECOVERY OF STOLEN GEMS.

At the West London Police Court late on Saturday afternoon Eugene Aldmann, aged thirty-one, who said he was an electrician, of Austrian birth, was remanded for seven days on a charge of stealing, with others not in custody, on November 14, jewellery belonging to Mrs. Florence Val Prinsep. The property consisted of nine rows of large pearls and diamonds, four gold and diamond brooches, three gold bracelets, two diamond rings, etc., value 6,000 pounds.
An inspector said that the jewels, placed in a large handbag were found in the garden. Mrs. Val Prinsep entered the witness-box, but Mr. Lane said he would only receive evidence as to arrest at that late hour.
Inspector Stockley stated that on Friday night he saw the accused in a house in Wells-street. In answer to the charge, he said he could prove that on the night in question he was with his master, a plumber. He was next asked if he knew Mrs. Val Prinsep's late butler, and he replied, "Yes, I borrowed money from him once." He was taken to Kensington Station, and on Saturday morning was identified from eight others by Mrs. Val Prinsep as a man she had seen about her residence.
A necklace valued at about 2,000 pounds, part of the proceeds of the jewel robbery at Mrs. Val Prinsep's, has been found in the garden of Mrs. Colin Hunter at 14, Melbury-road, Kensington.
On Saturday morning at nine o'clock Charlie Catt, a gardener, was working in Mrs. Hunter's garden when he found a green case containing the necklace, consisting of two rows of fine large white pearls with a black pearl set in diamonds in the centre.
He immediately took it to Mrs. Hunter, who recognised it as belonging to Mrs. Val Prinsep, who is a personal friend of hers. Mr. Jack Hunter informed Mrs. Val Prinsep of the discovery, while Catt went to the High-street police-station.

Source: Daily Mail, Monday November 20, 1905, Page 5

MRS. VAL PRINSEP'S JEWELS.

Eugene Altmann, thirty-one, engineer, charged at the Old Bailey yesterday with stealing jewels of the value of 6,000 pounds, the property of Mrs. Val Prinsep, of Holland Park-road, Kensington. Mr. Sands and Mr. Nicholson defended.
The jewels were taken from a dressing-room by someone who had scaled a ladder from the garden below. About 4,000 pounds worth of the property has been recovered, the most valuable of the jewels being found hidden in a garden near Mrs. Val Prinsep's house.
The accused called a German, named Faber, who said he was instructed by a man named Rosenberg to write to Scotland Yard explaining how the robbery had been carried out by two or three men named.
Detective-Inspector Stockley said the men named had absconded, but the police believed they were concerned in the robbery. The letter stated that the robbery was committed while the family were at dinner, and that the police had not arrested those who committed it or those who had shown the way to commit it.
The jury found Altmann not guilty, and he was discharged.

Source: Daily Mail, Thursday December 14, 1905, Page 4

LONDON POLICE COURTS.
MRS. VAL PRINSEP'S STOLEN JEWELS FOUND.

At West London on Saturday Eugene Altmann, thirty-one, an Austrian, described as of Wells-street, Oxford-street, was charged with being concerned in the theft of jewellery valued at 6,000 pounds, the property of Mrs. Florence Val Prinsep, of Holland Park-road, Kensington.
In her evidence, Mrs. Val Prinsep said she left the bag containing the jewels in her room at 7:30 p.m., and shortly afterwards her maid informed her that it was missing. A ladder placed against the window suggested the method of the supposed thief. The jewels included the following:

Nine rows of large pearls.
Four gold and diamond brooches.
Three gold bracelets set with pearls and diamonds.
One gold scarfpin.
One gold cigarette box set with rubies.
One gold cardcase.
One lady's gold watch set with diamonds.
One gold and emerald pendant locket.
One gold pendant set with diamonds.
One diamond scarfpin.
Two pearl studs.
One diamond locket.
One diamond ring, one diamond and pearl ring, and various other articles of smaller value.

A purse which was taken contained a German 100-mark note and 10 pounds in money.
Mrs. Val Prinsep said she saw the prisoner outside the house four or five days before the burglary. He was standing in the lane looking up at the bedroom window. The street lamp shone full on his white face.
The Prisoner: I wasn't there, so you couldn't see me.
The Magistrate: What occupation does the prisoner follow?
Inspector Stockley: None, sir. He has been ten months in England, and has done no work as far as is known.
Paul Hainault, a German waiter, of Westminster Bridge-road, said that on the Saturday before the robbery the prisoner told him he "had a job on at Kensington. There were some diamonds to be fetched. They were in a top room, and he had only to go in and take them. There was a pair of steps, and everything was ready. The last butler had left, and the present was one silly."
When the prisoner was arrested, said Detective-Sergeant King, he denied that he stole the jewels, but added that he knew the thieves. They had buried the jewels, he said, adding, "You had better look for the things under the trees in a garden three or four gardens away from the house. You will find them, unless they took them away last night." As a matter of fact, the case of pearls was found under the trees in the garden.
The prisoner was remanded.

Source: Daily Mail, Monday November 15, 1905