The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-10
24-CARAT DIAMOND SOLD.
Second Largest stone in the Country
Purchased in Chicago.
From the Chicago Inter-Ocoan

thdSeu IN Chicago.
From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Mrs Celia Wallace has added to her
magnificent collection of jewels the second
largest diamond in the United States
Fossessor of numberless priceless gems.
brooches pins, rings and tiaras. Mrs. Wal
lace seized the opportunity to gain posses.
sion of a precious stone only surpassed in
beauty and intrinsic value by the famous
Tiffany diamond.
some time the gem has been in the
9ole VI STATE street jeweler, to whom il
was entrusted by the agent of a former
Governor of Wisconsin, who desired tbet
1t be turned into cash. A price of s22 ooo
was hxed on as representing its value
Two or three weeks elapsed before anv one
ihdue an ofter for the stone that even an
PIoAllnated its worth. On Saturday last
MIS- wallace entered the shop, and. as is
HeI custom, summoned the proprietor IN
altend to her wants. After being shown
various less princely gems the big dia-
mona was brought out for her inspection
Dy lohg experience a thorough connois-
9euI III precious stones, Mrs. Wallace rec
OsHized Ihe worth of the jewel Almost in
SANITY upon taking the stone in her hand
NAA inquiry DIS 10 liS price,
On pelng told that il was held at 500 N0O
she examined it more closely. and after
some moments thought she offered s9o =
wv, saying that was her estimate of its
VaIue. Realizing that a purchaser was
Iound Tor the diamond, the proprietor call
ed In the owners agent A hastv confer
ence eTfsued, the jeweler insisting that it
would bring no more, and the agent re-
plying that his instructions forbade his
parting with his trust for less than the
price asked. Mrs. Wallace listened with
apparent indifference to the consultation
trying the effect of the light on the gen:
when the ultimatum of the agent was pro
nounced, she told him she would split the
difference with him. That settled the
transaction; the bargain was struck. a
check was filled out, and the second larg-
est diamond in this country was the prom
erty of Mrs Wallace
Mrs. Celia A. Wallace comes from a
New England family of revolutionary
fame-the Whipples of Wentworth. n. II.
Her father, Dr. Whipple, was a notable
man of his day, and his brothers held
nigh political and social rank An uncle
OF Mrs. Wallace's was a lifelong friend
or President Franklin Pierce, and on the
death of the latter he wil,ed to DR.. Whipple
his valuable collection of historic papers
and curiosities.
Mrs. Wallace is now a woman of ma
ture years. In the early seventies Miss
Celia A. Whipple, then a beautiful woman
in the prime of life, came to Chicago.
Here she met ]. s. Wallace a wealthy
lumberman. 1t was love match, and
marriage soon followed. One son was
born to them. In 1878 her husband died
leaving large fortune. Some years later
the son, then stalwart boy of sixteen
passed away.
Since then Mrs. Wallace has given her
time solely to the management of her
business affairs and to works of CHARITY.
She was a great admirer of David Swine.
and at his death contributed $4,000 as a
nucleus for a permanent fund to keep up
the work of the Central Church. The mo-
del school for boys, which shelters and
educates 600 street urchins a year at Glen
wood, Ill, is one of her most notable pub
lie gifts.
During the grand opera season two years
ago Mrs. Wallace appeared at the Audi
torium wearing lace gown worth $4,000
and $4,000 worth of diamonds. The laces
were rare antique specimens bought
during her European travels
There had been much talk
about the costly gowns to be worn
by Chicago society women on the oc-
casion. II was an all-star cast perform
ance, and Mrs. Wallace decided to outdo
them all. She did, and society still remem-
bers it.
Mrs. Wallaee's offer to adopt and edu-
cate Miss Cisneros at the time of her
visit to Chicago created considerable dis
cussion. She said at the time: Il have
seen little OF the girl but she has i'm
pressed me as being of sweet, lovable
disposition: just the kind of a young wo-
man would like to claim as a daughter"