Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-25

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Some one called to him, not unk indy.
Now, youngster. jump up. The van
is here" q
He was led through gloomy corridors
and placed in o receptacle just large
, enough to hold him intentionally IN a
huge, numbering vehicle. He thought
he was the only occupant, which was
true enough, the prisoners van having
made a special call for his benefit.
After a rumbinx journey through
unseen streets he emerged into another
! walled in courtyard. He was led
through more corridors and told to
"sklp lively" up a winding staircase.
At the top he came out into a big room,
with a well-like space in front Of him,
filed 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 n hook without looking
up when Philips name was called out
A police inspector. whom Philip had
not seen before, made short state
ment and was followed by the con
stable who effected the arrest. Hi,
story was brief and correct, and then
the inspector stated that Mr.. Wilson OF
Grant e. Sons. Ludgate Circus. would
be called at the next hearing. as he
the inspector-woulda ask for remand
to enable inquiries TO be made. Mean.
while Mr.. lsaacstein of Hatton Garden
had made It convenient to attend that
day and would he pleased 10 give evil
dence IL his worship desired to hear
him.
"Certainly," said Mr.. Abingdon, the
magistrate. This seems to be some
what peculiar case and l will be glad
IL Mr.. IsaacsteiD can throw any light
upon it
But Mr.. Isaacstein could not do any
such thing. He wound up n succinct
account of Philips visit and utterances
by declaring that there was no collec
! ton of meteoric diamonds known ia
him from which such a remarkable sci
of stones could be stolen.
} THIS emphatic statement impressed
the magistrate.
"T.et me see them" he said.
The parcel was handed up to him
viOus interest.
| Are you quite sure of their meteor
ic origin, Mr. Isaacstein|' he asked.
Eyes"
"Can you form any estimate OF theh
probable valueT
About fJ0,000"'
The reply startled the magistrate
and it sent a thrill through the court.
Really. SO much" Mr.. Abingdon
was almost scared.
"If, after cutting. they turn out a,
well as l expect, that is moderate
estimate of their worth"
!. 81 take It, from what you say, that
I neteoric diamonds are rare"
a Isaacstein closed his throat with 8
premontory cough and punched up
his shoulders a slight wabble was
n steadied by his stumpy hands on the
rail of the witness box. He was really
: the greatest living authority on the
I subject, and he knew it.
i at Is common delusion among dia-
: mond miners that diamonds fall from
the skies In meteoric showers" be said.
There Is some sort Of founda ton for
;. found in volcanic pipes or columns
: of damantlferous material, and the
4 crude idea is that gigantic meteors fell
= and plowed these deep holes, dlstribut-
I ing diamonds In all directions as they
= passed But the so called pipes are
g really the vents of extinct volcanoes.
, Ignorant people do not realize that the
D chemical composition of the earth does
: not differ greatly from that Of the
c bodies which surround it in space, so
u that the same process of manufacture
I under high temperature and at great
L pressure which creates a diamond in a
g meteor has equal powers here. In a
T word. what has happened in the outer
= universe has also happened at Kimber-
Il ley. Iron acts as the solvent during
/ the period of creation, so TO speak.
Il Then in the lapse Of ages it oxidizes
a by the action of air Or water and the
= diamonds remain"
The ma gistrate nodded.
"There are particles OF mineral
that looks like iron among these
u stones?" he said
II The question gave Isaacstein time to
| u
Of his audience now, he proceeded
more slowly.
"That is n certain proof of meteorfc
source A striking confirmation Of the
fact Is supplied by district In Ari.
IONA. Here, on a plain Ave miles In
diameter, are scattered thousands OF
masses of metallic iron varying In
weight from half ton TO fraction Of
one ounce. An enormous meteoric
shower fell there Mt some period and
near the center is crater-llke hole
which suggests the impact Of some
very large body which buried itself IN
the earth. All mineralogists know the
place as the Canyon Diabolo, or Dew
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, ike
those now before you, both transpar-
ent and black graphite and anonymous
carbon-that is. carbon without crys.
utilization"
II gather that the diamantiferous
material WAS present in the form OF
tiny particles and not in stones at all
approaching these in size" said MI
A abingdon