The Washington herald., 1911-04-02
ANOTHER CHAPTER
IN DIAMOND SUIT
McLeans Deny Claims OF New
York jewelers..
MISREPRESENTATION ALLEGED
Wife Declares She Was Not Party 10
Any Transaction and Young Mil
Cartier with view of becoming
Owner of UnIucky Hope Gem.

Alleging the value of the Hope dia-
mond was misrepresented 20 him, and
that the negotiations were carried on
individually between him and Pierre c.
Cartier. and not with the jewelr9- firm
of Cartier. Edward B. Mclean, with his
wife, Evelyn Walsh Mclean. yesterday
fled answers to the suit instituted
against them by the firm of Cartier to
compel them to pay $4,000. the supposed
purchase price of the precious stone.
Mrs. Mclean, who was named as the
principal defendant. declares the dla-
mond was left at her residence in Mas
sachusctts avenue about January 3 fo-
inspection but denies she or her huS-
band. individually or jointly, purchased
the gem. If there were any subsequent
transactions relating to he purchase
Mrs. Mclean says on oath. she was not
Il party to them. In her affidavit Mrs.
Mclean says:
Denies Carticr's Claim.
L. Evelyn W. Mclean. on oath say
that am on" of the defendants named in
the above entitled cause, and that 1 de-
ny the whole and every part of the claim
Of the plaintiffs, as set forth in the affi-
declaration in this case The grounds of
my defense. among other things, are as
follows:
Il never. either Jointly with my code
fendant. Edward E. Mclean, or sevcrally.
purchased from the plaintiffs the diamond
and appurtenant necklace described in
the said affidavit of Pierre c. Cartier,
and in said affidavit referred to as the
Hope diamond That diamond, on or
about the 2Hth day of January. 1911. was
left by the plaintiff. Pierre c. Cartier,
at the residence of my co-dafendant and
myself. in the city of Washington, sole
" for inspection. If there were any sub
sequent transactions relating TO the pur
chase of the so-called Hope diamond.
was not party to them. personally or
otherwise
I'ndcr the agreement which the Carriers
made the basis of their suit. Mr.. MLean
was to pay $4,000 in cash. trade in an
emerald and pearl necklace, valued at
s26.Oco now owned by the McLeans, and
pay the balance of the $1SO,0o0 purchase
price in bi-monthly installments, cover
ing a period of three years.
In an affidavit attached to his plea, Mr..
Mclean says that he never dealt with
the Carriers with view OF becoming the
owner of the Hope diamond. and declares
he should not be held to the terms of
the agreement with eiPrre Cartier, be-
cause of the allesCd false statements of
the latter who claimed to be a diamond
expert
Valued at S25O.O1O.
According to Mr.. Mclean, he was told
by Cartier the diamond and the appurte-
nant necklace were rea sonably worth
$4,000 to $500 900: that the gem had been
purchased from a French syndicate for
an amount that would give Cartier no
profit with a resale at S1S0.0o0, and that
the diamond had never been offered for
sale at less than $50, 900.
Mr.. Mclean advises the court that he
relied on Cartier entirely. since he had
no knowledge of the value of precious
stones. Experts. however. have informed
him since. he says. that Cartier's state
ments were false. and that Pierre {.
Cartier well knew them TO be false when
he made them
Mr.. Mclean says the Carriers bought
the diamond from a French syndicate
at an amount that would nave given
them 100000 profit If he CMr. NcIeanl
paid the slS0,noo asked. and declares
further that prior to January IS the
a sum not in excess of SsOOOe Mr.. Nc
Lean corroborates the claim if his wife
that she had nothing TO do with negotfa-
lions for the diamond and exonerates her
from all liability.
In proof that his negotiations with
Pierre c. Cartier were conducted as an
individual and not as a firm. Mr.. Mclean
sets forth a copy of the contract which
he calls attention to. threads:
Washington, d. c. Jan. IS, 1911.
In consideration OF the payment of
forty thousand dollars Cs4O,o00) cash, the
delivery Of emerald and pearl pendant.
and the payment Of s114,o00 in three an
nual installments, without interest. pay
able biInonthly. I hereby agree to sell
70 EDWARD B. Mclean what is known
as the Hope diamond and necklace. de-
livery to be made forthwith. and II de-