The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-12-19
The Cars
Necklace
SOLD Under THE HAMMER IN
NEW YoR CITY FOR

From the New York American.
A magnificent pearl necklace, once
the gift Of a Russian Car, and as i'll
'omened as 1t is beautiful, was sold at
auction for $4,000 on Fifth avenue
yesterday TO prevent a possible panic
in Wall Street.
The great circlet of precious stones,
for which Gar paid $135,O0O. became
tho property of ]. Dreicer & Son, dia-
mond dealers, OF No zoe Fifth ave.
nue.. and any American who will give
the handsome commission its owners
ask and Is willing to face the hoo
doc" that has brought disaster on ev-
erv man or woman TO whom 1t has de-
scanded, may become its possessor.
A year before he died, in 1894, Alex
auder III, father of the present EN-
neror of Russia. ordered the royal jew
eler to search out the flftyfour finest
pearls in Europe of uniform size and
of the first water and to fashion a
necklace for the wife OF his Ambassa'
dor to Austria no had on isww ,Hetao
dor TO Austria, who had won His Maj
esty's undying gratitude by a great
diplomatic stroke which had much to
do with rehabIlitating Russian supre'
macy at time when 1t was in sad de-
cay.
When the present Emperor succeed
ed to his fathers throne he removed
the Austrian Ambassador In disgrace,
1t is said, and the diplomat went to
Paris, where the necklace was the
envy Of all the grand danes of the
Third Republic.
But close on the heels OF their tri-
umphs in France the former envoy
and his wife began to feel the pinch
of poverty, and they sold the circlet
to q Paris diamond merchant for $780,
600.
An American broker, suddenly made
rich by a great Strike" in Wall
street, amazed Paris by his lavish eX'
penditures, which be capped with the
purchase Of the necklace at a price
exceeding 100000,
He brought the pearls to America
and gave them to his wife. AT this
point for time some mystery sur
rounds the baneful gems.
There is a story that, while the wo'
man wore the mat the greatest func'
tions OF the 400" her husband lost
his fortune in the street and had to
take back bis gift to sell 1t for the ne
cessities OF life. But OF this there
no certainty, and when next heard OF
the necklace had passed into the jewel
collection Of the Francis P. Church es'
tate. That was less than five years
aPo.
The necklace became the property
of another Wall street broker, then
and until two years ago a power OH
Change, and man still generally be
lfeved to be worth millions. His for
tune began to dwindle Immediately /;
speculations went wrong, the market
wrought steadily against him, until
it is said that to-day only his collec'
tion of Jewels stands between the for
mer prince Of finance and utter ruin
In his last desperate effort to gain
funds, the Wall street man took the
royal necklace to the Fifth avenue art
galleries, and commissioned the auc'
tioneer to sell it, with his other jewels,
to the highest bidder. He stipulated
only that his name should not be d.
vllged.
az it Is" he declared, mot only
s viii DC c raeq n Wall street as it has
su SUI ,, u CrHSI n - many DAYS and many
MOI ,,,,h KnoT w. ~ ,,,a~ he saved wouId he
n ionna rdive sdSs n'
'eopN'ulAea .,o,. ,.o,t ,,o r,rt If tbe
The auctioneer E yep, h,s nai ~ the
agreement, bat rev le 1no ,icS ~ ro %.u
tragic story, ana aoout l"V rl lSai,aI Ie.,
and women gathered ~ nt,o one IA f@"I nen
at St6 Firth avenue aI'a,, W"en cbaS cato.
with the hammer a,6 nu"iiS ''"e" ~
logue number 10 .int ho con,a toll the
PerhapS ~ S"' ona man offered e..
w" W, WIN ,,o,,onnsr frowned apgrily, and
the crowd grOaned. But by leaps anu