The Washington herald., 1909-07-11
HOPE DIAMOND HAS
A TRAGIC HISTORY
Public Really Afraid to Oh
tain Possession of 1t.
LEGEND SURROUNDS STONE
Gloomy Traditions Add to Authenti-
Gated Tragedies-Wns I'm Posses
sion OF the DePOsed Sultan Abdul
Hamid, and His FavOrite Was
Shot While wearing it.

Paris, July 10.-It looks as II people
were really getting afraid Of the famous
Blue Hope diamond. On Thursday last
it fetched only sI6cOO at auction in
Paris, though it changed hands few
years ago for e2SOOO. SO long ago as
1870 Mr. Hope. the banker, gave s1S,OO0
for 1t. and none of these sums
represents its true value, which is said
70 be 10000, at least
There is no doubt a great deal OF legend
about the story of the diamond. and.
strangely enough, it is its recent history
that is wrapped in most obscurity. II
was certainly in Constantinople for a few
years The story goes that 1t was in the
possession of the deposed Sultan Abdul
Hamid. that bis favorite was wearing it
when she was shot, and that nearly
every one connected with it met speedy
death or disaster.
All this would only be In keeping with
the gloomy traditions that hang about
the stone The list Of the authenticated
tragedies with which il has been con-
nected IS certainly suggestive Of evil.
It was first heard Of as the property Of
the French traveller and writer. Jean
Baptiste Tavernier. who. on his return
from voyage TO the East in 16SS. sold
It 10 Louis XIV of France. Tavernier
was the first known victim OF the dia-
mond's evil spell Reduced 10 poverty
at the age of eighty-one, he set out
again fer the East 10 recoup his for
tune and died Of fever on the journey.
Begins to Decline.
The famous Nine. de Montespan wore
the diamond. and simultaneously began
her decline IN the favor Of Louis XIV.
and she was, before long. supplanted by
Nine. de Maintenon. The next 10 wear
It was Nicolas FOuquet. coUrtier. schem-
ct, and fnancier. who borrowed it from
Louis Shortly afterward he fell into
disgrace and died in prison
Next the diamond graced the neck of
Marie Antoinette at a TuIeries bail. and
sometimes she lent it TO her friend. the
Princess de Lamballe. Marie Antoinette
was beheaded and the Princess de Lam
bale was torn 10 pieces by the Paris
mob. Another owner, Louis XVI. was
beheaded.
To this extent. the history OF the stone
is authentic. After the stone left Paris
1t was divided. and the Hope diamond.
as was proved many years later, IS the
smaller portion Of the Tavernler- For
forty years after leaving Paris little is
known Of the gem. II IS said that il
was given TO an Amsterdam diamond cut
ter TO be divided, that his son stole il
and, after running his father, committed
suicide
Francis BeaUlieu IS the next recorded
owner. He, It IS said, was unable to sell
Il In time TO save himself from death by
starvation, but died the day. after he sold
It TO a London dealer, named EIiason
who IN turn sold il 10 the late Francis
Henry Hope. Of Deepdene. It then passed
into the hands Of Lord Francis Hope
whose life, il not a tragedy, was GER
tainly not OF the most enyiable I'd tc
the date OF his divorce from May Yohe
In 1902.
Sold 90 Russian Prince.
Simon Frankel. OF New York. its next
purchaser. met with financial difficulties
and the diamond was sold 10 the Russian
Prince Kanitovski. who lent Il 70 a beau
tiful actress Of the FOlies Bergeres. IN
Paris. and shot her dead from a box
the first night she wore II. Subsequently,
It IS said, the diamond passed through
the hands Of a French broker. who went
mad; Russian prince, who was stabbed
by revOlutionaries. and a Greek jeweler
who threw himself over precipiee. II
then undoubtedly reached Constantinople
and eventually formed part Of the Hamid
collection. which was sold IN Paris last
Thursday.
As mentioned above, II IS believed tc
have been in the possession Of Abdul
Hamid when he was depOsed and worn
by his favorite. Salma ZJbayaba. wheU
she was shot But that does not COM
plete the story OF It's bad luck while IN
possession Of Abdul. The man 10 whom
II was intrusted 10 be polished was bas-
tinadOed and thrown into prison. The
keeper OF the vault in which It was KEEP
was found strangled, and the eunuch IL
whose charge it was placed was hanged
in the street by the mob
Such in outline are the history and th.
legend OF the Hope diamond One ma!
hope that the new pOssessor IS a mar
Of sound nerves