The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-14
THAT DIAMOND
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE
ROMANCE OF McD0N-
-a AIDS LOVE. A
A st. Louis Gentleman Suspects that
Bobcock's Present IL One That
He Was Euchersd Out of.

1t is interesting to note how the publica-
ton Of one fact leads to the discovery of
others relating to the same subject A
case in point is furnished by the article in
yesterdays Republican relating to the
alleged presentation of valuable diam ond
to Babcock by Mcdonald. Yesterday
morning Republican reporter received a
hint to the effect that if he could see Mr..
james Ii. Thornton and induce that
gentleman to unbosom himself, some very
interesting additions might be made to
that story. Hoping for better luck than
he had experienced in interviewing Mr..
Gregg, the cautious gentleman of the
Jaccard establishment, the reporter got
upon Mr.. Thornton's trail and soon had
him cornered. Of the desperate ex-
pedients to which resort was had, or Of
the numerous alterations between hope
and despair which marked the engage
ment that followed, nothing may now be
said. Suffice it to state that when the
interviewer did finally ''let up" sometime
before shutdown, he had fetched" what he
went for. The story is sweet and simple
Some time in the latter part of 1874, Nc
directors of the Bank of North America,
and Mr.. Thornton was one of the patrons
of that institution. One day Mr.. Thorn
ton called at the bank and found that he
had overdrawn his account, and that $500
would be necessary to balance matters -
He did not have the money at hand, and
made remark to that effect in the hear
ing of Mcdonald, who happened to be
present. Mcdonald at once spoke up in a
kindly way, saying, Jim, I'll let you have
five hundred dollars if you want it,
Thornton remarked that he had no note
with him, when Mcdonald assured him
that no note was necessary, but, pointing
to an immense diamond which Thornton
wore, said that that who'd serve all pur-
poses of security. This diamond had
only one equal in size in st Louis,
and that one is still held by a
young gentleman well-known in sporting
circles here. Both were purchased at
Jaccard's, but at different times, Mr..
Thornton paying $4,000 for his, and the
other gentleman paying $4,000 for his
duplicate. Mr., Thornton had, on a
previous occasion, borrowed $4,000 on the
diamond, but as he knew Mcdonald we'll,
and considered him trustworthy friend,
he did not hesitate to place the valuable in
that gentlemans hands as security for this
accommodation.
Some time elapsed before Thornton
found it convenient to repay the borrowed
money, but he felt no uneasiness. as he
thought the diamond safe. Late in
October, or possibly not till November. he
called on Mcdonald, and presenting $500,
asked that the diamond be returned to
him. Mcdonald laughingly told him that
he did not have the jewel sny more, but
to tell the truth, had given it away. He
did not care, he said, to wear the diamond
because it was so large that, to his taste
it looked loaferish. Thornton was appalled,
as he recognized the fact that here was &
clean loss to him of $1,000 He asked
Mcdonald to whom he had given it, anG
the latter at first pleasantly declined t
state, saying it made no difference. ant
finally, on being pushed, told his questioneI
that it was none of his ID business
Thornton was very much worried, blu
there the case stood, and he was powerles
to alter it. 1t is useless to state that b
did not regard Mcdonald quite so highl
after that interview as he did before. Ii
never saw or heard of his diamond again
but on Friday evening he read the Repul
Itcdn account Of rumored damon
transaction, and then he thought he under
stood matters a little better than before.
He proceeded to make some inquiry
which led him irresistibly to the concll
sion that the Babcock diamond was non
other than the one which he had been d.
prived in such peculiar way.
In answer to the question as to how h
accounted for the fact that Mcdonald pr,
sented it to Babcock in Jaccard's store, h
stated that he could not, of course, spea
positively, but at the time the damon
passed from his hands it was in the nee
of remounting and he supposed that NJ
Donald had taken it there to have tt
work done.
This theory seems to coincide with Il
fact that although Mr.. Gregg positive
denied having sold Mcdonald the damon
he was not prepared to deny that McDo
aid did present Babcock with jewel
that description in his presence. 1t al
agrees as to time with known facts. Il
presidential party having visited st. Lou
in October, 1s74.-.S. Louis Rep.