El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-10
! THE METEOR DIAMOND ;
How IL Was Recovered by a
Detective.
e0:S.0:o:o:o"'


1, was the night Of Nov. 4. 1899. ne
Mr.. David Allen sat blue penciiinr
some proof sheets. when there came
,ouierous thud that to him seemed
tus, under the window. Ii shook the
whole house. and when he looked out
OF the window he saw that something
had made n deep hole In the garden
The next day hc dug up small me
fror. 1t was a most formidable look
fng piece of metal 1t contained at the
surface n small crystal
The stone In size and shape resem-
bsed the egg of a rock pigeon. but In
color IL was watery. with Just a tinge
Of yellow. Mr.. Allen wrapped II up In
tissue paper. placed IL in box and call
ed on the scientist To ask his opinion
DR.. Reford said 1t was leopardite-
n mineral. ne said. found always In a
crrstaIiized condition-and talkedabout
lateral planes. oblique prisms. trans
lucent edges and wound up 10y giving
the component parts of this wonderful
stone and it's specific gravity.
LIS the stone of any value. DIR. Re
fort1y Allen asked.
We'll. scientifically. yes; intrinsical-
Iy. no. But before returning II l
would like to make n further and more
exhaustive inquiry into the chemical
paris OF IT,"
Certainly, DIR. Reford. Keep 1t as
Iony As you wish Then Allen went
home.
He thought no more about II until
his friend Jones asked:
What have you done with the peb-
BE. Allen
oh. l took it to a local doctor who
dabbles bit in science"
Did he tell you what Ii was: III
tell you why ! ask. Do you remember
CLAYTON of Yale: Well. no matter.
Hes wonderfully smart chap L saw
Kim absolutely make diamond a few
weeks back. He explained that the
pinhead he produced was OF the hrst
wnier and that when electricity was
better known diamonds would be as
cheap rs they are now dear. He placed
4 few metals and other ingredients in
to a crucible and then boiled the lot up
by the aid OF Il powerful electric cur
rent with the result I've told you
Now. Clayton says if he could only get
m odd hundred or thousand degrees.
! forget which. more heat he could
make a diamond as big as hens egg.
Despite all efforts OF Allen TO dispel
fhe thoughts conjured up by Jones re-
marks the matter would recur- He
tried to laugh IT away, but to no avail.
30 he walked over to DIR. Reford's To
ask for the pcbble's return.
The doctor was in and disensaged-
Well, Mr.. Allen. l have dissolved
thai stone. 1t. was nothing more than
Klz.s- DIR. Eeford showed Allen q
wide necked vial with some whitish
hauid in IL and beneath which was a
small ridge of green sediment
There said he. lis all that Is left
Of your treasure. Mr.. Allen"
Allen was disappointed in not having
the pebble to keep a. n memento. He
Aoxeyer. said it couldn't be helped.
I'll tell you what I will do, Mr.. AL
Sen I'll soIidify that sediment so that
you may have something to remind you
Of your midnight visitor"
Allen jumped ut the offer and left
.coutcnted.
About a week after this DIR. Reford
accompanied by IA youngish looking
lEzan. called upon Allen. The doctor
sHfroduced the yOungish looking mar
as Dr. Smith. lie said DIR. Smith was
guing to take charge of his practice
Nhise lie voyaged TO Europe
The next day n gentlemanly individ
nal called To see Mr.. Allen on urgent
Business.
Ny name IL John Westlock," said
he. -and I'm detective sent to you
under instructions from Mr.. Albert
gSnes. friend OF yours"
-ssood heavens. man, what's upT
According to Mr.. Jones. sir. few
'stsks back YOU had a meteor fall In
your garden"
I had. What them
You sent n pebble it contained TO &
esczi doctor named Reford for exam
fnssion?''
Certainly
well. sir. the day before yesterday
stzs doctor called upon Mr.. Clayton
M eminent scientist. and explained
shzs the meteor fell in his garden and
fkzz ne found the pebble. Mr.. Clayton
lesxmined IL and found il TO be most
sxsuabie diamond. 4 few minutes aft
or the doctor left Mr.. Clayton's house
ypEr friend. Mr.. Jones. called and wal
is<5 the story about the meteor. He
w.-s satisfied that somehow this doctor
sssd got the pebble from you and had
-a,rrjved you. Of course it's your at
sxsr. but II my advice Is worth any
thing I'd go and get what he says II
al that remains Of your pebble"
To this MIR Allen agreed