The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-27
nm ANToINEITE's EMERALDS.
,.r,arkable story Of Some Marvel
. Ae'' GUS Jewels.
From the Ne,o York GrGphi'

, cern1an newspaper couUdIuS lhe lhCei-
announcement that the Car pre-
60 tba Czarina on her fortieth birthday,
s.p.' % last year, a necklace of forty mag
wv en,eralds. The purchase of these
H H,. gems had been kept profound secret
' tS. Tho Cars agents for the nine months
WIZ the presentation were engaged III
/ preteutn5 Siam For the sake Of the bril-
lam n * TO be hoped that she will not
pfesTTntt be cad auguries that have been MS
Iecan ~, furnished in the connection Of
t0l..aaiI3s and Inflated women who were
enelli-,,s also. One of Dumas great
bo'g,o E founded on the emerald necklace
Spa.lsn+e5 70 Marie Antoinette, about the
lgoN''0.,saTonce of which so much of romance
d' a Entering was woven in the terrible
anu .tat saw her die upon the ScatfOld. The
Gay w. of emeralds and Marie Antoine tie
ien nTs strange story told the Graphic
ie So time since, which, as it relates to
Son loorJs and some too reputei to be of
s.arveI9lls size and purity, Will bear telling
in type. H.. ,,,,,,+or of 1vasbinc,+or
5nron the edge of the most fashionable
.+ion there stands an old-taShloned three
go ronsa built about fifty years ago Ex-
9nIv one thing to call attention to it, be-
En- he being the home of a reduced vet
SaH Known Virginian family. That one
' %i-' is fine fact that back window on the
s 'n,d floor is closed tight with a pair of
heavy iron shutters, in the top OF which
mora are two small light holes
a Southern gentleman living on his wits
somaVbat. thought not in a disreputable
..nso told the incidents herein narrated.
Ia Knows the Virginians, who are still
assessors of a small property and among
ibe family a couple of government appoint
rents He was aware that there was
room in the dwelling which was never
oneped. so far as visitors knew The door
thereto was heavily nodded and evidently
had strong lock on it. IN the course OF
friendly conversation he mentioned visit
made to the Chinese Embassy mot the
present one. In the course thereon his host,
one of the accomplished attaches, who
S Sny English perfectly, led him to
bis private sitting room. The con-
vsrsaton accidentally turned on gems, on
which subject the Chinese diplomat proved
himself an adept He showed his visitor
large number OF rare jewels, diamonds and
other stones, some of them of a most costly
character He was a gem collector, and,
beng very rich, could readily crafty his
most extravagant wishes. His visitor re-
membered afterward that as he tod the in
ci1ept quick glances passed between men,
beS Of the family. A few days passed by
and be was waited upon at his Office by one
of the male members, who asked, after eX-
acting pledge of secrecy, if he could bring
the Chinese attache to the house with the
! iron suffered window in order to examine
some very rare and valuable jewels.
Of course this was done. Both gentlemen.
American and Chinese, went on their call
in quite a flutter of excitement. The hour
set was late in the evening. They were
met at the door by the two gentlemen of
the family. None Of the ladies were visible,
nor their one servant either. After re-
moval of hats and coats the callers were
ssked to go up stairs. Tney were taken to
the strong room, as it turned out to be.
The door when they entered was observed
to be heavily lined with steel plates Its
lock was a combination one. A light
vas burning within. The iron shutters
we're closed, as usual. There was moth
ing in the room but an iron
stand, bolted to the floor, supporting small
| iron safe. The door was closed behind
them. On the stand lay two cooked revolv-
eTs. The visitors were asked to stand near
| the door. Both were men of nerve, and
one had been a dashing cavalry officer and
was Scared with score of wounds. But
they confessed afterward that thrills Of APP
pTehensiOu ran through them. One of the
brothers opened the safe and the other stood
where his hands would readily grasp the
revoIvers. A few seconds and then appeared
jewel box from which a small parcel,
carefully wrapped in soft leather and cot
ton, was as carefully removed.
Opening this there Were exhibited to the
astoDlsaed eyes of the callers several large
| emeradS aud evidently of great purity.
The Chinaman trembled with excitement.
| he declared, as the largest one, as big at
least as a gOod-sized pigeons egg, was
placed in his hand, that he had never seen
anything like II, while telling also Of won
dertul gems that he knew of in China. The
emerads were cut in an antique style.
Inere were a dozen Of them, and all re-
markable for their beauty and size. The
Chlnaman was allowed to examine them all
carefully. He did so with the utmost
mlnuteness and delight All the time the
cloSest watch was kept, and the brothers,
as well as the visitors, seemed to feel relieved
when they were all outside the door and
gong down the staircase.
And this was the story of their possession
Oh such wonderful jewels told then and
aIterWard by the Virginians Their paternal
reorganization was a military surgeon,
VlS1 as the French revolution was begin
alng Ne was IN Paris, greatly interested,
~ IN all the stirring events of the period
ne uad apartments in the house of physi-
Clau VINO had some court practice and yet
was secretly a radical. He was involved
heavily as gambler at one time, and Dor
ioWed money to a considerable amount of
IIs american friend. When the revolution
o9cafne violent the Frenchman came under
suspicion on both sides. One day he brought
One NTglnlan, then about to return to
aInerca, small jewel box and showed the
ehtraldS which had been exhibited to the
shlorS. lie insisted upon his creditor TAX
ing tnem to America, where he promised to
IIolue also, Suffice 1t to say they were
ETought to the Virginian's home. The
leucn physician was never heard of after
salu The posSeSsor of the emeralds held q
tSanSler memorandum of them, and his
sallly mad held them in possession ever
onge' lhey had become both fascination
ou1 terror to the family which had appar-
auuy gone down the hill of well doing in
suaTuIig great fortune they were unable
VI ID AFRAID to utilize.
| Nm HnneSe gentleman was eager to buy.
DnllcuItieS arose at oncc. The possessors
so eie unwilling TO trust an expert with their
sbi 'gI OF 10 carry the gems out of their
o Iung place. The attache desired to have
H4pert testimony at to value and purity
SauIe ne expended a princely fortune.
~ en-. ti inquiries We're made as to the history
Uon we remarkable emeralds. All known
ef1 tG OF That class were located except those
no. J1e unfortunate Queen of France, whose
Ir nto15 had apparently disappeared abso-
CheIy from the face of the earth. The
sont gentleman was recalled home or