New-York tribune., 1912-02-03
HOPE DIAMOND, $4,000
Lawyers Confirm Report of
Settlement by McLeans.

Simpson ThaCher e Bartlett, counsel for
Cartier Of Paris, London and New York.
were seen yesterday I'm reference 10 tho
report from Washington of settlement ~
the action which Cartier brought against
Mr.. and Mrs Edward r. Mclean for the
purchase price ON the Hope diamond. Th"
report that an amicable settlement was
made was confirmed. but n was said that
the terms of this settlement. % reported
from Washington in tho morning papers.
are not correct. There was no reduction IN
the contract price at which Cartier sold
this stone about a wear ago to the Mcl@ans.
The price sct for the stone was tlSgr1. of
which $4,000 was 10 he paid down and tho
remainder paid in three instalmcnts which
were 10 be met within two years after the
date OF purchase. Tho contract contained
the following remarkable clause.
Should any fatality occur 10 the family
of Edward r. Mclean within six months
said Hop" diamond is agreed to be OK
changed for delivery OF equal value al Sc
lection Of Wilton j. Lambert.
The six months limit SGT in the contract
has now passed and the Mclean family is
accordingly without any protection against
the proverbial misfortunes which. are sup
posed 10 follow the diamond. The history
Of the Ills which have fallen to the various
owners Of the jewel has probably grown
greatly m the telling, but enough OF the
diamonds sinister record can be estab-
lished 10 SHOW reason for the curious clause
OF the contract.
According to tradition, the stone was
brought to Paris In 1868 by a French travel
Ter named Taverner. lie boasted that he
had stolen II from the ornaments Of "A
Hindoo idol. He sold the diamond TO
Louis XIV, but did not escape the blight
Of the Jewel. for shortly afterward he was
torn TO pieces by hunting dogs. Nine.
Montespan begged the stone from the
King. and her fall came almost immedi-
ately.
Louis XIV was the next possessor OF the
brilliant, and each OF his favorites to whom
he intrusted the diamond was visited by
tragedy In one form or another Louis
XVI gave the diamond TO Marie Antoi-
nette. and again it upheld It's reputation as
an instrument of misfortune. After the
execution Of the Queen the jewel dropped
ont OF sight for "A period of thirty-eight
years.
Tradition docs not say whether the dia-
mond worked as much havoc among the
obscure
n rcappeared in 1890 1t showed that II was
still a ready worker Of battle, murder and
sudden death. Two suicides and a mur-
der were attributed to it between the
perlod Of its temperance and its purchase
bv Henry Thomas Hope, a London banker.
in 1860 A joweler named Eliason was the
seller and he kindly died pauper in order
that the diamonds record should not be
marred.
!, WAS at this time that the jewel became
known as the Hope diamond. 1t had shrunk
from the original l12 carats credited to it
by tradition to a mere forty-four and three
elghths carats but there was no mistaking
its identity through its wonderful blue
color.
I'm all the cutting IT had undergone its
malignant power had diminished not one
whit. for It is said TO have caused Lord
Francis Hope to marry vaudeville ac-
tress. sent Simon Moncharides tumblng
from a peak in the Alps and ousted Abdul
uamid of Turkey from his throne. The
only misfortune of which Edward Mclean
has heen able to boast since the purchase
of the gem is a lawsuit, which he lost.