Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-10
SHOWS PHOTO0F CONTRACT
Also Tells of Announcement at Time
Purchase Was Made.
DEFERs MAKING THE PAYMENT
Reason Given at the Time, It Is
Said, Was Because Money
Could Not Be Raised.


and signed contract agreeing to pay
p. c. Cartier Of New York and Paris
s1SOOOO or its equivalent for the famous
Hope diamond, and that Mr.. Mclean him
self was responsible for the announcement
of the purchase of the gem, was en-
phatically stated today by counsel for
Mr.. Cartier, both in Washington and
New York. Mr.. Cartier is represented by
Clarence w. de knight OF this city, as
sociated with Brandenburg & Branden-
burg and by John 8. Wise, jr.. in New
York.
II am reluctant to discuss for publica-
ton any case which / am to try in court. -
said Mr.. de Knight today to reporter
for The Star. But in justice to Mr.. Car
tier and In view of the insinuations made
that the diamond was left with Mr.. Nc
Lean merely on approval, and that Mr..
Mclean signed only a receipt for the
Hope diamond. we decided to give the
facts in the case.
Il notice that II has been suggested
that Mr.. Mclean was not called upon to
pay $1SO,OOO. the purchase price agreed
upon. merely because Mr.. Cartier may
nave purchased the diamond for a less
sum. Every day men are buying from
others goods FOR which the seller PAID
much less. II 1 purchased building In
this city for $1OU,VOO and sold it the next
day for $l0O.UUV. would the man who pur-
chased the building have any right to re-
CLAIM $oU.UUO?
Statement Of Mr.. Wise.
Mr.. Wise has given out statement in
New York which l am making public
mere"
The statement is. In part, as follows:
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward b. Mclean COM
menced negotiating for the purchase Of
the Hope diamond from Cartier some
months before the sale was consummated
at Washington, the 18th Of January last.
'Mr. Cartier did not so to Washington
in quest Of the McLeans, but was hailed
there by the McLeans. who stated they
wished an appropriate headpiece. Mr..
Carriers representative. who first went.
phoned from Washington to New York
for Mr.. Cartier himself to come down and
bring other pieces, as those first sent
down the NcLeans did not consider sut-
ficientIy important for their purposes. Mr.
Cartier went down, taking other pieces;
still the objection was made that the
pieces presented were not sufnciently inn
pOrtant.
"Thereupon Mr. Cartier phoned to New
York and had brought down to him the
hope diamond as then set.
THE agreement to purchase was con-
cluded between Mr.. Cartier and Mr.. and
Mrs. Mclean. Then, at the suggestion
Of Mr.. Mclean. Wilton ]. Lambert. the
McLeans attorney, was instructed to
meet Mr. Cartier at the New Willard
Hotel some time later in the evening.
Mr. Lambert. Mr.. Cartier and Mr.. Nc
Lean met at the office Of the Washing
ton Post. There the memorandum of
sale WAS completed, and 1t Is absolute in
it's provisions and terms Of payment"
Lateness Of Hour Prevented Payment
Mr.. Cartier was told that evening that
Mr.. Mclean would be unable to make
the payment Of $4,000 cash provided in
the contract because Of the lateness of
the hour. Thereupon Mr.. Cartier took
the midnight train for New York. Upon
his arrival in New York Sunday morning
he found q telegram from Mr.. Rochester,
who had been present at the transaction
at the office Of the Post in Washington.
The telegram read as follows:
Mr.. Edward Mclean says please
send a man to Washington at once to
set the Hope diamond, In order that
Mrs. Mclean can wear 1t Monday aft
ernoon at the reception at the White
House. Please wire me at once on
what train the man will leave. Don't
fail to get him here at the first possible
moment
Monday morning Mr. Cartier. with
one Of his artists. reported at Mrs. Nc
Leans house. where he was told Mrs
Mclean was ILL., He later succeeded in
havingOan interview with some Of the
gentlemen of the Post. But SO far from
Mv- nT yfr,sy 4 ha
ment due under the contract. he was told
something to the effect that MIR. Mclean
had gone to Baltimore to try to raise
money. and 1t was then proposed to Mr..
Cartier by these gentlemen that he had
best take back the stone.
He declined to do so, insisted upon his
payment, but was not paid. From that
day to this he has never been able to Sc
cure an interview with Mr.. Mclean. The
McLeans have the stone and have had it
since it's delivery January %. The state
ments issued by the so-called friends of
the McLeans to the effect that the Nc
Leans never intended to purchase the
stone are deliberate falsehoods.
Failed to Comply With Contract.
From the date of the sale to the pres
ent time. the McLeans have neither COM
piled with any Of the terms Of the con-
tract. nor made to Mr.. Cartier q single
definite proposition of any substituted
terms or offered him any excuse for their
breach of their contract. In view Of the
insinuations that have been circulated
that Mr.. Cartier had delivered the stone
on a memorandum and on approval, and
then sought to claim a sale. it IL fair to
set forth the contract as follows:
I'm consideration Of the payment OF
$4,000 the delivery of emerald and pearl
pendant and the payment OF $lI4,OOO In
three annual instaliments. without in
terest, payable bi-monthly, hereby agree
to sell to Edward b. Mclean what Is
/ known as the Hope diamond and neck.
| lace delivery to be made forthwith and
| if desired by purchaser. a necklace In
shape Of bowknot and diamonds, to be
| taken at cost and deducted from the
sum of $114.0OO deferred payment.
...Should any fatality occur to the FAM
i ily OF Edward B. Mclean within Six
months. said Hope diamond is agreed 10
be exchanged for delivery of equal value
at selection Of Wilton J. Lambert
...It is further agreed that the contract
for sid deferred payment is not to be
| negotiated.
an alleged contract showing the signature
OF Mr.. Cartier and Mr.. Mclean. He also
produced a photograph Of the telegram
said to have been sent to Mr.. Cartier by
Mr. Rochester.
Mr. Lambert declined to discuss the
case today. 1t is announced that asso-
ciated with him as counsel for the Nc
Leans are Attorneys A. 8. Worthington
and ]. J. Darlington.