Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-20
: : 1he KING Of :
DIAMONDS.
By Louis Tracy.
COPYRIGHT. 1904. EDWARD J. GLOBE.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
[coNTINuED.1
Author Of .'Winss Of the Mornins." 1.-The Pillar Of
Light" Etc.

COPYRIG II L. l8U4. b
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CONTINUED
| After rumbling journey through
unseen streets he emerged into another
walled In courtyard. He was led
through more corridors and told to
"skip lively" up winding staircase.
At the top he came out into big room,
with a well-like space in front Of him,
filled with a huge table, around which
sat several gentlemen. among them
Mr.. Isaacstein, while on an elevated
platform beyond was an elderly man,
who wore eyeglasses and who wrote
something in book without looking
up when Philips name was called out.
A police inspector, whom Philip had
not seen before, made a short state
ment and was followed by the con-
stable who effected the arrest. His
story was brief and correct, and then
the inspector stated that Mr.. Wilson of
Grant l. Sons, Ludgate Circus, would
be called at the next hearing, as he
the inspector-weuld ask for a remand
to enable inquiries to be made. Mean
while Mr.. Isaacstein of Hatton Garden
had made it convenient to attend that
day and would be pleased to give evil
dence If his worship desired to hear
him.
Certainly" said Mr.. Abingdon, the
magistrate. "This seems to be some
| what peculiar case, and will be glad
If Mr.. Isaacstein can throw any light
upon it,
But Mr.. Isaacstein could not do any
such thing. He wound up succinct
account of Philips visit and utterances
by declaring that there was no collec-
| ton Of meteoric diamonds known to
him from which such u remarkable set
Of stones could be stolen.
This emphatic statement impressed
the magistrate.
LET me see them," he said.
The parcel was handed up to him,
and he examined its contents with OBJ
vious interest.
"Are you quite sure Of their meteor
ic origin, Mr.. Isaacstein" he asked.
Eyes"
"Can you form any estimate Of their
probable value?"
about 100000"
The reply startled the magistrate,
| and it sent thrill through the court.
Really. So much" Mr.. Abingdon
was almost scared.
"If, after cutting, they turn out as
we'll as l expect, that Is a moderate
estimate of their worth"
81 take it. from what you say, that
meteoric diamonds are rare"
Isaacstein closed his throat with a
premCnitory cough and punched up
his shoulders. A slight wabble was
| steadied by his stumpy hands on the
| rail of the witness box. He was really
the greatest living authority on the
subject, and he knew 1t.
at Is u common delusion among dia-
mond miners that diamonds fall from
the skies in meteoric showers" he said.
There is some sort of foundation for
this mistaken view. as the stones are
found in volcanic pipes or columns
of diamantiferous material, and the
| crude idea is that gigantic meteors fell
and plowed these deep holes, distribut,
ing diamonds in all directions as they
passed. But the SO called pipes are
\ really the vents Of extinct volcanoes.
| Ignorant people do not realize that the
chemical composition Of the earth does
| not differ greatly from that OF the
bodies which surround it in space, so
that the same process of manufacture
under high temperature and at great
pressure which creates diamond In
meteor has equal powers here. In a
word, what has happened in the outer
universe has also happened at kimber-
ley. Iron acts as the solvent during
the period of creation. so to speak.
Then in the lapse Of ages 1t oxidizes
by the action of air or water and the
diamond; remain"
| The magistrate nodded.
"There are particles Of mineral
that looks like iron among these
stcnes!" he said
The question gave Isaacstein time to
draw n fresl supply of breath. Sure
OF hi arf.eacp nov. he proceeded
more slowl.
"That is certain prccf cf metcoric
so:rte. A s.ril.!r- confirmation of the
fact Is suip,irl b.: district In Ari-
| zona. Here. on u r'a!n Eve miles In
lia:natcr. .::e scattered thousands of
Eu.. es Of Mc!nl!.t iron va. ing In
| Eei.ht frGu, half Il ten TO fraction or
one ounce. All enormous meteoric
shower fell there at some period, and
near the center Is crater-like hole
which suggests the impact Of some
very large body which buried Itself In
.he earth. All mineralogists know the
place az the Canyon DiabolO, or Dev-
lis gulch, and specimens of Its ore are
in every collection. Ordinary tools
were spoiled and even emery wheels
worn by some hard ingredient In the
iron, and analysis has revealed the
presence therein of three distinct forms
Of diamond-the ordinary stone, like
those now before you, both transpar.
ent and black graphite and amorphous
carbon-that is, carbon without crys'
tallizatlon."
az gather that the dlamantiferoui
material was present in the form OF
tiny particles and not in stones at al
approaching these In size" said Mr.
Abingdon.
exactly. have never either seer
or heard Of specimens like those. In
1886 meteor fell In Russia and con
tanned per cent Of diamond In
slightly metamorphOsed state. In 1S4t
the Ava meteorite fell In Hungary
and 1t held crystalline graphite IN the
bright us well as the dark form. Hut
again, the distribution was well dif
fused and of slight commercial value
Sir William CroOkes or any eminent
chemist will bear me out In the as
sumption that the diamonds now be
fore your eyes are absolutely match
less by the product Of any recorded
meteoric source"
J Isaacstein, having delivered his LITTLE
lecture, looked and felt important
The magistrate bent forward, with