Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-02-26
CLAIMS GEM SECRET.
FRENcHMAN DECLARES he CAN
MANUFACTURE DIAMONDS.
Induces Others to Invest and Now
Courts Are neutrality-suspicious.
Said to Be Locked Up In
London Bank.

Paris.-Whether the secret of manu-
featuring diamonds in commercial
quantities has been discovered, or GER
tain Parisians have been made the
victims of a swindle more ingenious
than the Humbert safe mystery, is a
question which the courts are trying
to solve. All hinges on a supposed
secret possessed by prisoner named
Lemoine, and he prefers to anguish
in cell on the charge of swindling
Sir Julius Wernher out of $4,000 to
revealing his method
Lemoines formula for the manufac-
ture of diamonds is securely locked
up in bank in London, the officials
of which, upon Lemoine's demand, re-
fuse to deliver it to the French court,
which desires to make a trial of its
efficacy in the presence of experts who
are now examining specimens of dia-
monds Lemoine claims to have manu-
featured
Meanwhile Lemoine, who, few
years ago was a canvasser for an adj
Vertising firm, but who, since he be-
gan his present operations, has lived
luxuriously in a magnificent house in
the Rue Pigalle, languishes in Jail,
offering if released to repeat his ex-
periments and prove the legitimacy of
lis invention
While Wernher is convinced that he
was duped and the public is amused
at the many curious incidents of the
case, there is enough division of opin-
ion in the scientific camp to Keep up
a lively interest in the affair. Scien-
lists point out that the substitution Of
genuine diamond in an electric fur
mace would be impossible, as the tenn
perature of the electric. arc would
transform the diamond into graphite.
Henri Moissan, winner of the Nobel
prize, who died recently, produced mi
croscopic diamonds from iron and
carbon in an electric furnace at a
temperature of 1000 degrees, but they
were of insignificant commercial value
Nevertheless, others like Wurtz, the
eminent chemist, are of the opinion
that it is not impossible to produce
chemical diamonds. Lemoine. it is
known, unlike Efogkan, uses chemicals
and not metals. Scientists doubt, how
ever, the discovery of a solvent of
carbon. They think Lemoine's crys-
tails are silicate of carbon.
Lord Armstrong. who witnesses the
experiments, publicly avows his abso-
lutte faith in I.emoine's method Dia-
mond merchants. although skeptical
are greatly interested in the outcome
Of the case.
Since Lemoine was arrested It has
developed that he has not confined his
operations to NJ. WernEer He sold a
half interest in his secret to Edgar
Cohen in 1901. and through an associ-
ate secured $4,000 from an American
named Siegman. The latter, who lives
at Neuilly, has complained to the pub
lie that mysterious attempts have been
made against himself and his wife
since his connection with the affair
was revealed.
strange feature Of the case is that |
M. Wernher, although he charges that
he was duped, offered Lemoine $50, 900
additional last week for his formula.
Several alleged formulas have been
published, the principal ingredients Of
which are carbon and sugar, but Lee
moline prononnces them bogus.
The latest development is the tes- I
timony of a Paris ieweler that Lee
noine last year wanted him to put up
100000 and sell De Beers short, when
nc should publish Wernher's contract
and cover at an enormous profit.