Theft Of The Duchess

On May 6, 1876, Thomas Gainsborough’s painting *Duchess of Devonshire* created quite a buzz when it went up for auction at Christie’s in London. It was bought by London art dealer William Agnew for $51,540, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a painting at auction.

Three weeks later, Agnew wanting to show off his painting, made it the showcase in his gallery. Unfortunately, a thief named Adam Worth saw the display as too great an opportunity to miss, so he stole the painting. After the theft, Worth was dubbed the “Napoleon of Crime” by Scotland Yard and later became the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes’ nemesis Doctor Moriarty. Worth took the artwork hoping to raise bail money for his jailed brother. His brother was released without his help, but Worth chose to keep the painting despite the risks.

Adam Worth was likely one of the 19th century’s most skilled criminals. Born in Germany and raised in the United States, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War. When he was mistakenly reported dead at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Seeing that as a great opportunity, he spent the remainder of the war moving from regiment to regiment, taking enlistment pay and deserting right after. Following the war, he headed to New York and fell in with a gang of pickpockets. After being caught, convicted of robbery, and sentenced to three years at Sing Sing Prison, Worth escaped just weeks later, promising himself to be more cautious from then on. He changed his name to Henry Raymond and embarked on a profitable streak of bank robberies before taking his schemes to Europe. Thanks to meticulously planned heists and a steady forgery business, he steered clear of violence and managed to blend into respectable society.

The theft of the Duchess of Devonshire ultimately led to his downfall. His partners in crime, Joe Elliot and Junka Phillips, grew resentful when they weren’t paid for their role in stealing the valuable painting. When Worth refused to reveal where it was, they went to the police, and he ended up in prison on unrelated charges. Four years later, in 1897, Worth was released and returned to America. Having a change of heart, he started talks with the Pinkerton Detective Agency to arrange the painting’s ransom. In 1901, the Duchess of Devonshire was brought back to England, and J P Morgan, Wall Street’s top financier, wasted no time traveling to acquire the painting for himself. He reportedly paid $150,000 for it. Worth, who had received only a small portion of his ransom, died the following year, broke and destitute.