Friday, April 23, 2010

Archduke Leopold indicted; fails to appear

April 23, 1930

A New York grand jury today indicted Archduke Leopold of Austria on three counts of grand larceny. The indictments were also  handed to Charles L. Townsend, said to be a former colonel in the British Service Service in Egypt, and Townsend's wife, Gervez Baronti Townsend.  The two men and Mrs. Townsend have been charged in the unauthorized sale of the $400,000 Napoleon diamond necklace, owned by Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria.
The Townsends appeared in court with their lawyer, but the Archduke failed to appear, although his lawyer had promised the Assistant District Attorney that his client would appear in court.  The archduke failed to appear today, and the Chief Assistant District Attorney Ferdinand  Pecora announced that a bench warrant for the Archduke's arrest would be issued, the New York Times reported.

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