The San Francisco call., 1913-11-11
Continued from Yesterday

He was led through gloomy corrl-
dors and placed in a receptacle just
large enough to hold him uncomfort-
ably in a huge numbering vehicle.
He thought he was the only occupant,
which was true enough. the prison
ers van having made a special call
for his benefit.
After a rumbHng journey through
unseen streets, he emerged into an
other walled in courtyard. He was
led through more corridors, and told
TO skip lively" up a winding stair
case At the top he came out into
a big room, with a. well-like space
in front OF him, filed with a huge
table around which sat several gen
tlemen, among them Mr.. Isaacstein,
while on an elevated platform beyond
was an elderly man, who wore eye
glasses and who wrote something in
a book without looking up when
Philips name was called out.
A police Inspector whom Phillip
had not seen before made a short
statement, and was followed by the
constable who effected the arrest
His story was brief and correct, and
then the inspector stated that Mr.
Wilson of Grant & Sons, Ludgate cir
Gus. would be called at the next hear
ing, as he-the nspector-would ask
for a remand TO enable inquiries to
be made Meanwhile Mr. Isaacstein
of Haitian garden had made it con-
venient to attend that day and would
be pleased to give evidence If his
worship desired TO hear him
Certainly" said Mr.. Abingdon. the
magistrate. This seems to be some
what peculiar case. and I will be glad
If Mr.. Isaacstein can throw any light
upon it"
But Mr.. Isaacstein could no do any
such thing. He wound up succinct
account OF Philips visit and utter
ances by declaring that there was no
collection of meteoric diamonds
known TO him from which such a re-
markable set of stones could be
stolen
This emphatic statement impressed
the magistrate.
aIet me see thern,~ he said.
The parcel was handed to him and
he examined its contents with OBJ
vious interest.
Are you quite sure of their me-
teoric origin, Mr.. Isaacstein?' he
asked.
can you form any estimate of
their possible value?"
About ESQ. .00o.
The reply startled the magistrate
and it sent thrill through the court.
Really So much!' Mr.. Abingdon
If. after cutting. they turn out as
well as I expect that is a moderate
estimate of their worth"
Il take il from what you say that
meteoric diamonds are rare2"
Isaaestein closed his throat with
premonitory cough and hunched his
shoulders. A slight wobble was
steadied bv his stumpy hands on the
rail of the witness box He was
really the greatest living authority
on the subject and he knew it.
1T is a common delusion among
diamond miners that diamonds fail
from the skies in meteoric showers
he said. There is some sort OF
foundation for this mistaken view, as
the stones are found in volcanic pipes
or columns of diamantiferous ma
terial. and the crude idea is that
gigantic meteors fell and plowed
these deep holes, distributing dia-
1nonds in all directions as they
passed. But the so called pipes are
really the vents of extinct volcanoes
Ignorant people do not realize that
4be chemical composition of the earth
does not differ greatly from that OF
the bodies which surround it in space,
SO that the same process OF manu-
facture under high temperature and
at great pressure which creates a
diamond in a meteor has equal powers
here In word. what has happened
in the outer universe has also hap
pened at Kimberley. Iron acts as
the solvent during the period of ere
alton. so to speak Then. in the lapse
of ages. il oxidizes by action of air
or water. and the diamonds remain"
CERTAIN PROOF
The magistrate nodded.
There are particles OF mineral
among these
stones?" he said.
The question gave Isaacstetn time
to draw a fresh supply of breath.
Sure of his audience now. he pro-
ceeded more slowly.
That is certain proof OF me-
teoric source. A striking confirma-
ton of the fact is supplied by dis
trict in Arizona. Here, on plain
five miles in diameter, are scattered
thousands of masses of metallic iron,
varying in weight from half ton
to a fraction of one ounce. An enor-
nous meteoric shower fell there al
some period, and near the center is a
craterlike hole which suggests the
impact of some very large body which
buried itself in the earth. All min
era1ogists know the place as the Can
Won DiabIo, or Devils gulch and
specfnens of its ore are in every
collection Ordinary tools were
spoiled, and even emery wheels worn
nv some hard ingredient in iron. and
ANALYSIS has revealed the presence
therein of three distinct forms of dia-
rnopd-the ordinary stone. like these
now before YOU. both transparent and
black graphite, and amorphous car
Son. that is, carbon without crystal.
1ization.
Il gather that the diamantiferou:
material was present in the form o.
tiny particles and not in stones a.
ali approaching these in size?" sait
Mr.. Abingdon.
WONDERFUL STORIES
Exactly. / have never either seer
or heard of specimens like those. Il
1886 a meteor fell in Russia and con
fained / per cent of diamond In
slightly metamorphosed state. Il
1896 the Ava meteorfte fell in Hun
gary and it held crystalline graphit
in the bright as well as the darl
form. But, again. the distribution
was well dfffused and of slight com
mercial value Sir William Crooke
or any eminent chemist will bear m
out in the assumption that the dia
monds now before your eyes are abso
luteIy matchless by the product o
any recorded meteoric source
Isaacstein having delivered his littl
lecture looked and felt important
The magistrate bent forward with
pleasant smile
Il am very much obliged to you fo
the highly interesting Information
YOU have given" he said. "One NOR
Questionable inevitable corollary o
~fa,sr evfderea Is that the hoy now 4