Historic furniture and other furnishings from Rockcliffe Mansion are just some of the items on their way back to America's Hometown.

We told you earlier the Owner Rick Rose has filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy. He had arranged for antiques from the historic home, which now is a bed and breakfast, to be sold at private auction in St. Louis this past weekend.

The auction house web site had listed it as a special sale including "a sampling of items from the Rockcliffe Mansion from the period c1890-1920" including "antique lace, quilts, dolls, oil painting, Limoges, RS Prussia, china, carved walnut Victorian upholstered side chair, single crystal prism lamp, mantle clocks, framed fan, Parrish framed lithos, authentic antique clothing, hats, beaded purses, gloves, ostrich feather fans, shoes and children's garments."

A lawyer for the creditors, the Bank of Palmyra, cannot confirm the items placed up for auction were original to the Cruikshank family. But none the less, he says it's against the law to remove or sell assets during a bankruptcy without permission from the court.

Even though the sale was cancelled, KHQA found out the move to sell the items could mean big problems for Rose down the road.

As of Monday morning antiques from the Rockcliffe Mansion were on their way back to Hannibal. A spokeperson from the Finches By Robinson Limited auction house in St. Louis, which was contracted to sell off the Rockcliffe Mansion antiques, told KHQA it no longer possessed any artifacts from the Mansion.

An attorney for Palmyra State Bank, the lender in this case, says he contacted the auctioneer Friday, to ask him to stop the sale.

He says the auction house owner had no idea the items, ranging from china and furniture to antique clothing were involved in a bankruptcy.

The Rockcliffe mansion was built in 1900 by lumber baron John J. Cruikshank. He and his wife and four daughters lived there until his death in 1924.  Then the house was left vacant 43 years until it was saved by the wrecking ball by three local families.  The mansion is also a link to Hannibal's favorite son, Samuel Clemens, or Mark Twain.

Terrell Dempsey is an attorney and a Hannibal and Mark Twain Historian. He says the Rockcliffe Mansion is a time capsule to Mark Twain's last visit to his hometown back in 1902. All of the items in this house were abandoned, essentially as they were back then, making it one of a kind.

Dempsey said, "Mr. Cruikshank lived in that home until he died.  When he died, Mrs. Cruikshank essentially closed the house. It was absolutely a time capsule from 1924. The house looks almost exactly what it did when Mark Twain was there."

Do you think Hannibal's history would have been tarnished had these items been separated from the home?

Dempsey said, "Tarnished is not the right word but seriously diminished because once these things are gone, they're gone forever. Mr. Rose made representations of people in the community that he would keep these things together and open to public and unfortunately it seems he was looting it to take care of his personal finances. It's a shame because if you lose it you lose it forever."

Rose could face more problems than just those associated with bankruptcy. According to attorney's KHQA talked with, it's bank fraud to remove or sell any assets after Chapter 13 bankruptcy is filed. Which means his legal problems could just be beginning.

The antiques of the Rockcliffe Mansion are back home for now, but the future of the historic building is still up in the air.

Rose filed for bankruptcy in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he lives now. The filing includes the buildings Rose owns in Hannibal...the Rockcliffe Mansion and the Garden House Bed and Breakfast as well as a duplex on North Fifth Street.

According to court documents, Rose has five loans with the Palmyra State Bank for those properties, but he hasn't made a payment since November of last year.

Rose put the Rockcliffe Mansion up for sale several months ago. It's listed at one-and-a-half million dollars on his website.

But bankruptcy court documents show Rose listed the property's value at around 360-thousand dollars...the bank had the Mansion appraised at almost 500-thousand dollars.

Earlier this month, attorneys for the Palmyra State Bank filed an objection to the bankruptcy plan. According to court documents, attorneys for the creditor, Palmyra State Bank, claim Rose deliberately undervalued the Rockcliffe Mansion and the Garden House Bed and Breakfast property, which could lead to bank fraud charges.

A hearing on the bankruptcy is scheduled in Shreveport Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

We contacted Rose for his comment...and have not heard from him.

-----------------Updated August 3, 2009--------------------------------------

Hannibal, MO - Historic furniture and other furnishings from the Rockcliffe Mansion slated to be sold at a St. Louis auction house are now on their way back to Hannibal.

A spokesperson with the Finches by Robinson LTD. auction house says the antiques were supposed to have been sold during a private auction this past weekend.  But those plans changed due to owner Rick Rose's financial problems and pending litigation.

The auction house, which had been contracted to sell the items, says the store remains open, but no longer contains any artifacts of the Rockcliffe Mansion.

The web site had listed it as a special sale including "a sampling of items from the (Rockcliffe) Mansion from the period c1890-1920" including "antique lace, quilts, dolls, oil painting, Limoges, RS Prussia, china, carved walnut Victorian upholstered side chair, single crystal prism lamp, mantle clocks, framed fan, Parrish framed lithos, authentic antique clothing, hats, beaded purses, gloves, ostrich feather fans, shoes and children's garments."

Meanwhile a predisposition on the Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing is scheduled in Shreveport Tuesday at 1:30pm.

-----------------------------------------August 1, 2009---------------------------

Hannibal, Mo.-- The owner of a historic landmark in Hannibal could be in some financial trouble.

Owner of the Rockcliffe Mansion Rick Rose has filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy.  That's a repayment plan that helps debtors settle their debts in three to five years.

The bankruptcy paperwork was filed with court officials in Shreveport, Louisiana, where Rose currently lives.  According to court documents, Rose has five loans with the Palmyra State Bank.  And according to those documents, there hasn't been a payment on the property since November of last year.

As you know The Rockcliffe Mansion is for sale.  Court documents say Rose listed the property's value around $360,000, but the bank had the Mansion appraised at a value of close to $500,000.

Court documents say a website operated by Rose lists the sale of the property at $1.5 million dollars.   Earlier this month, the Palmyra State Bank filed an objection to the bankruptcy plan.

KHQA will continue to follow this developing story.