The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-12
TALE OF A DIAMOND.

apparently OF HlQule age, handsome, bdIl
and straight IS an arrow, his hair slightly
tinged with gray, appeared in several of
the hotels OF this city. Scarcely any one
knew him. BE was a southerner, who
had stopped of for few days on his way
from New York to California.
There was one remarkable thing about
this man which drew attention to him.
On the middle finger of his right hand was
a heavy gold ring in which was set dia-
mond of unusual brilIiancy. 1t was the
first thing one noticed about the man. 1t
shone and sparkled in quite wonderful
way. Whatever way he held his hand the
stone still stood out conspicuously. Any
one who caught sight of it found it hard to
take his eyes away. 1t was no ordinary
stone. 1t had history. And the man
who wore it told it's story. so far as he
knew, to Clerk DOty and an Express re-
porter at the Genesee hotel the other night.
There was more to the story, which he had
never heard and which the uncommuni-
cative stone has kept secret for years and
years.
my name is Lee-Charles Lee" said
the man. 81 am from Savannah, Ga.
This ring have worn on my finger for 90
years. 1t is no wonder you are interested
in it. I believe it is one of the finest dia-
monds in Georgia. showed it to jewel
er awhile ago, and he offered me $40, 600
for it, So you see it is as valuable as it
looks. There have been scores of people
who have asked me about it, but have
very seldom told the story which it recalls.
cannot tell its entire history, and what I
don't know is very likely more interesting
than what do.
''When I WAS boy, lived with my
uncle down on Georgia plantation. One
day, while prowling through the garnet of
the big house, I found trunk which was
unlocked. / opened it. 1t was filed with
old laoes and womens clothes of fashion
of years before. Down toward the bottom
I found a small jewel case. Inside I
found this stone. 1 left it there, and went
down stairs and asked my uncle about it.
He wouldn't believe my story. He went
up to tho garnet to see for himself, and he
was surprised man when he came down
again. Several days later he told me all
about it.
my uncle was an old man then, but
when he was boy he had been a sailor
and had been all over the world. When
he was on board ship, he made friends
with man named Calvin. Calvin was a
wayward sort of a man, and not to be de-
pended upon. Once the ship touched at
Havre, and he ran away. My uncle did
not see him again for 1 5 years. Then, one
day, broken down man, looking much
older than he really was, came to the old
Georgia homestead.
my uncle had long talk with him IN
the library. The man was Calvin. He
said he was being followed by the police
for implication in some big robbery, aEd
he wanted my uncle to protect him. He
had been such good friend to my uncle
in former days that my uncle did not have
the heart to turn him away. He gave the
man home for several weeks. BY that
time the robbery had been almost forgot
ten, and Calvin went away. Before he
went he gave my uncle this stone. L
picked it up somewhere, he said. 4 don't
know what it's worth, but 1 want you to
take it for what you've done for me-
$50 my uncle kept it. He did not know
its value. He laid it away somewhere and
forgot all about it. He was not particu-
larly fond of jewels and never wore them
himself.
''Years after that he received a letter
written in a large, sprawIng hand. It
was from Calvin. He had sent it from
some place in Kansas, which was then out
in the wild west. He wrote that he was
sick and likely to die and had repented of
his crimes. And he wrote the interesting
information that he had stolen the dia-
mond from 8 big house in London, where
he had fallen in with O gang of house
breakers.
sit had been stolen with the other jew
els of a wealthy young woman who was
about to be married. Her name was Vim
cent. He asked my uncle to make a search
for the young woman, and if he ever sue
ceeded in finding her to return to her the
diamond with 'Galvin's compliments
MY uncle happened to be in London on
a pleasure trip two years later, and he
spent several days trying to find the young
woman. He searched through old police
records and did everything in his power,
but it was a hopeless task. He got trace
at last of young woman who had married
an army officer, and who had died in In
dia soon after her marriage, and there
were certain bits of information which
led him to believe this might be the person
he wanted. But he was unable to find
anything more about her. He could find
none of her friends or relatives.
"Soon he had to leave London, and the
search for the missing Miss Vincent was
never continued. If ever 1 go to London
I think I will make a try at it myself,
just for curiosity. 1t is 80 years ago that
the stone was stolen, and 1 don't suppose
I would have any success. Still it would
be an interesting search, and if did sue
coed what a story it might bring to light.
If the owner OF the ring is alive, she must
be at least 20 years old. In ten years from
now there will not be a chance left of sue
cess.
''To tell the truth, 1 have been glad at
times that the owner never was found, for
I would hate to part with SO, 600 dia-
mond.
my uncle was always careless about
things of that sort, and he lost track of it.
He had not been able to find it until years
later, when I made the discovery in the
trunk. Shortly before he died, some 90
years ago, he gave the stone to me on the
condition that 1 would return it to the
rightful owner if she should ever be found.
have worn it ever since buffalo Ex-
press.
The Pr1cfioaI