davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

How it was brought to Europe is
a story also lost. Andre Tavcrnier.
a French adventurer Of the latter
part Of the seventeenth century,
alone knew, and he never told.
Legend has it that during his
wanderings in Hindustan he saw the
stone in the eye socket of an idol and
when opportunity offered blinded
the god. This is probably fiction,
however, for the diamond was still
uncut when brought to France.
At that time it weighed 112 carats
not large when compared to the
great Cullinan stone and other more
recent discoveries, but its strange
blue color made it immensely valu
able. Tavernier offered his find for
sale, and since jewellers declared it
unique among gems Louis XIV, the
Grand Monarch, decided that no less
a parsonage than he should have it.
Louis was at this time head over
heels in love with Nine. de Monte
span, one of a succession of mis-
tresses, and was determined to give
her the precious stone.
Tavernier drove his bargain we'll.
He sold it for 100000 francs, or
$500,000, and the Grand Monarch
threw in barony to boot. Accord
ing to modern standards the king
was scandalously fooled as to it's
value, for Mr.. Mclean paid only
S180,000 for it in 1911.
However, the stone changed hands.
was sent to Amsterdam to be cut, re-
turned flashing blue fire from each
facet, and was hung about the neck
of Nine. Montespan. Cutting and
polishing had brought it down to a
weight Of 81 carats.
Tavernier settled down on his
barony to enjoy it and the $500 900
fortune his treasure had realized,
and the kings light OF love was as
sured Of his affection because Of the
magniflcencc of his gift.
Less than q year later Tavernier
was torn to pieces by wild dogs while
hunting In Spain. This was the first
blood tAat the diamond had split on
European soil, but it had already in
flicted its first instalment of mis-
fortune.
For Nine. de Montespan was
no longer the favorite Of the king.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
rom da Vncis Dream to the Achievement of TO-DAY

December day In 1908 when the
Wright plane first flew. Orville
Wright himself tells the story:
after running the motor few
minutes to heat it up released the
wire that held the machine to the
track, and the machine started for
ward into the wind. Wilbur ran at
the side of the machine, holding the
wing to balance it on the track.
Wilbur was able to stay with
it until it lifted from the track after
q fortyfoot run. One of the life
saving men snapped the camera for
us, taking a picture just as the ma
chine had reached the end of the
track and had risen to height of
about two feet.
"The course Of the fight up and
down was exceedingly erratic, partly
due to the irregularity of the air and
partly to lack of experience in hand
ling this machine. The control of
the front rudder was difficult on ac-
count of it's being balanced too near
the centre. This gave it tendency
to turn itself when started, so that it
turned too far on one side and then
too far on the other AS result the
machine would rise suddenly to
about ten feet and then as suddenly
dart for the ground. A sudden dart
when little over 100 feet
from the end of the track,
or a little over 12O feet from
the point at which it rose into
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Gem Disappears
For Forty Years

Daniel Elias, a London jeweller
in that year offered for sale a dia-
mond of strange blue color. 1t was
not the diamond of Tavernier and
the Louis-at least not all of it, for
this weighed only ID carats and the
original cut stone had weighed 81.
According to the story that Elias
told, the jewel had been taken into
Holland by the man who stole it
from the royal treasury and sold to
one William Falls, an Amsterdam
jeweller, who, to avoid unpleasant
questions, recut the stone to it's
present dimensions.
Two other fragments Of what is
believed to be the original stone
have since come to light. In 1874
the Duke of Brunswick displayed
another blue diamond weighing ten
carats, Of the exact shade of the
Hope diamond, as it was then called
According to Edward W. Streeter,
an English expert, both we're "of
most beautiful sapphire hue with an
adamantine lustre of extreme bril-
liancy."
The second fragment was bought
IN Vienna by a French jeweller
twenty-five years ago and sold to an
English noblewoman. 1t weighed
only one and quarter carats.
The reduction in size had no ef
feet upon the malevolent power of
the main stone, however. Hendrix
Falls, according to Elias, stole the
diamond from his father, William,
who died ruined man. Hendrix, it
is said, committed suicide and the
gem came into the hands of one
Francis Beaulieu, who died of star
vation. Still another person then
gained possession Of it and through
him Elias purchased it.
Elias sold the stone to Henry
Thomas Hope, London banker. and
here the tragic tale Of the diamonds
existence comes out of the fog of
tradition and legend into the clear
light of fact.
The jeweller sold the diamond To
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

the air, ended the flight. AS the
velocity of the wind was over thirty
five feet second and the speed of
the machine over the ground against
the wind ten feet second, the speed
of the machine relative to the air
was over forty-fve feet a second,
and the length of the flight was
equivalent to a flight Of $40 feet
made in calm air. The fight lasted
only twelve seconds, but it was,
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

wreck and ruin, the diamond van'
ished. Eventually, after no ona
knows what bloody chapters, it re.
appeared in the hands of Selim
Habib, one of the few persons who
have been able to handle the dia.
mond with impunity. He took it to
Paris and was SO eager to get rid Of
it that he accepted $4,000 for it.
According to his story, he pur.
chased the stone from the new
Turkish government. He also told
of two more deaths that it had
caused. Kulub Bey, guardian Of the
Sultan's treasure house, was slain by
mob while trying to escape with
the diamond, and Jehver Agha, into
whose hands the stone then fell,
later was hanged.
On June "a, 1909, the Hope dis4
mond was sold by Habib in Paris
Shortly thereafter it came into the
possession of P. c. Cartier, Jew
eller, from whom Mr.. Mclean pur.
chased it on January %, 1911, as
gift for his wife, who shortly before
had become the mother of the "hun'
dred million dollar baby"
All Of the half-forgotten history
and legend clinging to the great
blue stone was revived in the news
papers at this time, and either this
or the influence of the diamond II
self made the multimillionaire hesf
tate before purchasing it. Into tie
bill of sale was written the following
clause:
Should any fatality occur to tie
family Of Edward B. Mclean within
six months, said Hope diamond
agreed to be exchanged for delivery
of equal value"
But no such fatality was to occur
for eight long years.
Jewellers have always been warm
defenders Of the reputation OF ta0
Hope diamond. Several wears ago.
when discussion of its sinister rs'
tory filled newspapers, T. Edss'
Wilson, of 'The Jewellers Circusi
Weekly wrote a letter OF pro'sss
against the alleged libel Of the stonS'
THE writer he said, "has been
unable to verify one of the incldeH''
as to misfortune overtaking any o''S
known to have had the stone, aio as
therefore asks of you aid in getois
at the facts if there be any onta'I.
able, and if the stories be not tl''
in contradicting the canards wh''a
appear in print every time the hcp'
diamond comes into prominence
Yet something very close to 'no
reason for its existence has lett lho
great home in Washington, ana NV
man who built it in the hope 'ia,
one day it might be his sons sun
owns the diamond of evil inhushSS
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
lVinson Mclean 6
Tragic Death the
Last of it's SIN
lister Associa-
tiOns
By F. F. Van de Water

A MN EYE A R-OLD boy
N slipped away from those
who continually stood watch
over him a week ago. He ran
through the gateway of his fathers
home into the centre of Washing
ton street. For him this was to be
a day of days.
Born heir to s150,oOo,oOo, Vinson
Walsh Mclean. who had passed his
infancy in a gold cradle, present
from King Leopold of Belgium. had
been promised his first ride on a
trolley car! So, thrilled by this ad-
venture, the boy before whom Law
all that money could buy rushed off
TO watch for the approach of the
wonderful car.
But he did not see the automo-
bile that bore down upon him. nor
did its driver see him until it was
100 late to swerve. Six hours later
Vinson Walsh Mclean had turned
his back forever on life that start
ed so auspiciously to end in tragedy
Deep in vault of a WASHINGTON
trust company lies brilliant. pale
blue stone, the size of a robins eoo
1t is worth kings ransom, and. If
legend be believed, has seen two of
its royal owners hurled from their
thrones. 1t Is the hue of a per-
fectly pure ice crystal seen in the
sunlight, but II the tradition that
mas grown up about it be true Il
should have turned long since into
the blood color Of the ruby.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
On Verge
OF Success

Nevertheless Professor Langley
was on the verge of success. Bit
terly disappointed as he was by the
adverse criticism, he had invented
a machine which could fly, though
he never lived to see the proof. For
the machine, which minor accidents
had probably prevented from flying
IN 1908, was taken in hand by
Glenn H. Curtiss in 1915 and flown
successfully without material altera-
ton.
No one can deny now, since the
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

noted Lillienthal, with his carefully
constructed gliders, which he was
perfecting for lateral control at the
time of the accident resulting in
his death.
The question Of lateral control
on the glider was the stumbling
block, problem not to be really
solved until the advent of the
Wright brothers, despite the inves-
legations Of Chanute and Pitcher
and Herring. The Wrights' inven-
ton Of warping the wings to change
the angle with relation to the path
Of flight was the first step to per-
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
And HaWker's
Last

Then turn to week ago and read
of the start Of the Sopwith plane
that carried Hawker and Grieve to
the land of the missing. There, in
startling brevity, is the record of an
achievement in less than two decades
which man had been trying earnestly
during the last four centuries to ac
complish:
"The biplane took the air after
short run across the field exactly at
17:45 Greenwich mean time. Hawker
maneuvred in circles until he at
tanned the desired altitude, then he
headed at tremendous speed for this
city (St. John's), five miles away.
"The machine passed directly over
St. Johns, across the hills in the dis
tance and quickly disappeared from
view"
Yet even at the beginning of this
century and ever since the time when
Leonardo da Vinci added to his fame
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Kings Have Lost
With the Jewel

Legend says that the gem then
fell into the hands of Nicholas Fou-
quet, Louis's superintendent of
finance, a power in his day. He was
accused of embezzlement and COM
mitted to prison for life.
Whether the grand monarch's s
successor, Louis XIV, ever assumed
actual ownership of the baleful gem,
or whether he was content to let it
lie in the royal treasury, is not
known. He may have bestowed it
upon Pompadour and others of the
long line of favorites, most of whom
came to dismal ends. At all events,
he escaped its influence and died
after having contrived to stir up so
much suffering for others that the
revolution ensued.
But when Louis XVI assembled
the throne, his vivacious queen.
Marie Antoinette, wore the beauti-
full stone often. Louis himself be-
slowed it upon her and she treasured
it so highly that as a special mark of
favor, she permitted her dearest
companion, the Princess de Lam
bale, to wear it also.
Then revolution boiled up in
France. Louis, titular owner of the
diamond, was torn from his throne,
and eventually trod the steps of the
gulllotine. His queen, the actual
owner Of the gem, followed him.
Princess de Lamballe, who also had
worn it, was torn to pieces by
mob.
Here the earlier history Of the
dlamond--if it be history-cnds. In
the turmoil Of the revolution it
vanished. Probably it was stolen
during the pillage of Versailles or
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

Only little while after the diamond
had first shone against her white
throat, Louis turned from her to an
other, Nine. de Mantenon.
The new favorite was deeply re-
ligious, and finally inveiglcd the
monarch into marrying her. But
she was of a sober and nun-like dis
position and probably never wore
the stone that had been one of her
husbands final offerings to his earl
ier faVorite.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

time has passed when the airplane
was emerging from its swaddling
clothes, that the Langley contribu-
tion suggested the modern flying
machine and that he came closer to
success even than Hiram Maxim in
England with his huge multiplane
with its 104-foot span and total
weight of 5000 pounds. He was
nearer the right direction than the
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

nevertheless, the first in the history
Of the world in which a machine
carrying a man had raised itself by
its own power into the air in full
flight, had sailed forward without
reduction of speed and had finally
landed at point as high as that
from which it started"
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

the record Of designing the first pair
of wings for man inventors have
tried without stint to perfect a man.
propelled air vehicle. The reasoning
behind it all was simple and time has
proved it correct. A bird has wings
and with them is able to fly. Give
man the proper wings and he also
can fly.
1t remained, however, for Samuel
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
in twelve hours.

in twelve hours. ~
"ln flight" says William Dinw;a.
die in "The Century Magazine,s
1--WE have a huge, headless pair a,
wings, with the front edge roundsa
in a graceful curve, stretching side.
wise to almost feather-like edges =,
the ends and backward in slightly
bowed curve to the tail controls 4,
it purringly cleaves the air tbers
will not be a thing in sight exceot
the FURNISHED wings of this mon.
ster."
And yet who cannot rememh.yy
the Wright brothers in their earlv
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
SuIfan's FavOrife
Its Next Victim

Salma Zubayda, favorite of the
tottering Sultan, is said to have
been the next person to wear the
gem. Then came the Turkish revo-
luton, and the mob that broke into
the royal palace found Abdul gone
mad with fear and the murdered
body of his favorite at his feet.
Again, having brought about
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

advanced stage, although the =.
provements on the aeroplano a.' '''
1alr to change even its convent;oo., NJ
shape. Recent news, for instsa- s'
tells of an aerial leviathan Of ~,
oatwlng type without a strut w "
stay wire, expected to travel at ~. :
rate of 25O miles an hour, and w;s ,.s
such lessened resistance to tho w.; -. I.
that it hopes to cross the Atlanss
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Tragedy Pursued
The Hope Diamond

For the great diamond that Ed
ward r. Mclean, father Of the dead
boy, purchased in 1911 is a stone
with history, and all Of that his
tory Is bad. From the time IL came
into possession Of Louis XIV Of
France down To the present day
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

From then on for forty years
stories of the blue diamond were
continually springing up. This man
had it. This one had been killed to
gain possession of it. But no def
mite trace Of the stone was OBJ
tanned until 1880.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Present and
Future

Even to-day, when a plane can
bank at dizzying angle, it still is
known to slide; it still is known to
crash even in experienced hands.
But in principle at any rate me-
chanical flight has passed into an
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

flights sitting we'll forward between
the wings of their biplanes with
their trousers Tapping in the
breeze?
Yet no less a man than Professor
Simon Newcomb predicted in "Mc-
Clure's Magazine" in September,
1901, that
"The construction of an aerial
vehicle which could carry even a
single man from place to place at
pleasure requires the discovery Of
some new metal or some new force"
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

Pierpont Langley, of the Smith
sonlan Institution, in Washington, to
make the first practical contribution
to practical flying.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

and where toward the end of the last
century NJ. Renaud built a toy model
of an airship which he caused to fly
131 feet in that same garden of the
Tuileries.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25

feet air mastery, though the prin-
ciple has been changed and simpli-
fed.
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Pursuit of
A CharIafan

When Professor Langley started d
his Investigations in 1887 a cloud
New-York tribune., 1919-05-25
Mans First

Mans First
Flight
Or again, draw the veil of time for
moment and look at the Kill Devil
Dunes in North Carolina on windy
Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01
OVER THEF:E. HUNDRED
HOST LIVES IN FLOOD

Corpus Christi. Sept. ga revised
ss,1nmarg OF ti,e casualties made pub
lie by the Dureau Of information place
the known dead in the vicinity OF
Corpus Christi as the result of, hur-
r1cane and tidal wave which swept
over the south Texas Gulf coast Sep
tember Il as $50.
Of this number 157 were identified.
leaving 163 in the list Of those still
unidentified. The known dead IN, the
vicinity Of Rockport. Arkansas Pase
and Port Arkansas, is officially given as
25, bringing the dead roll in the storm
swept area VI, to 245. Ia Corpus
Christi alone the list OF persons still
unaccounteG for contains 2I3 names.
making a grand total Of $40 for the
affected districts. inc!udin" known
dead and missing.
Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01
DRIVER LOSES LIFE
on DILLON RACE TRACK

Dillon. Sept 29:-Driving high
powered Studebaker racing automobile
in the 80 miles race here Thursday al
ternoon Robert Norton of Columbia
was instantly killed when the car
plunged through the fence inclosing
the track, turned turtle after crossing
ditch anr pinned him underneath it,
One of Norton's legs was smashed to
pieces as was one Of his arms and he
was almost disemboweled. besides be-
ing frightfully burned from the en-
plosion Of the gasoline tank on the:
car. Norton was strapped 20 the car.
There were four entrants in the 80
mile event in which Norton lost his
life. All had completed the seventh
lap Of the half mile track and Norton
WAS in the rear and was making the
turn on the back side Of the track
Something went wrong with his car
and it was seen to skid slightly. HE
succeeded in riehting the car. but 1t
again skidded almost Immediately and
plunged through the fence. The other
drivers made another lap or two De-
fore the race was stopped. Mean
while a number of spectators had
rushed TO the assistance Of Norton, but
he was dead when the first one reach
ed him. Practically all the clothing
was burned from his body and the
flames had consumed the machine.
There were $500 present for the
races. but many Of them did not see
the accident as great clouds OF dust
were kicked up by the fast going ma
chimes. The 50 mile race was called
off when it became known thar Nor
ton had been killed.
Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01
GOVERNOR COOPER
PRAISES THF. THIRTIE,TH

Columbia Sept. 9.-"Your record
for valor and devotion to duty is as
good as that made by the Southern
soldiers in the Revolutionary war. or
in the Mexican war or, in the Civil
War. durin" which conflicts soldiers
from the Southern States made rec
or6s which will live rs long as his
tory lives
These words were used by Cover
nor Cooper in q statement given out
here in welcoming the men of the
Thirtieth Division to Greenvilie where
ne initial reunion of the men VINO
broke the tIindenbure line will be
held today and Tuesday.
Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01
AMERICAN LEGION Is
PLANNING CLUBROOM

An enthusiastic meeting OF the Lex
ington branch of the American Legion
was held last Thursday night az which
time bylaws to govern the organiza-
ton were adopted and plans discuss
ed to insure the success Of Legion
Day at the county fair. which will be
Wednesday, October p.
The local branch OF the legion has in
contemplation the maintenance OF q
modern club room for its members.
where athletic and other entertainment
will be provided for its members and
which will be q general recreation CEN
ter for all who affiliate with the or
ganization. 1t is proposed to install
shower baths and other conveniences
for the benefit Of the members.
All soldiers and sailors who served
in the army and navy Of the United
States during the war are eligible to
mem DerSnlp IN the OfSdillHdtiO4i.
which represents to the World War
veterans what the United Confederate
Veterans does to the Confederate SOL
diers. In time to come every man who
participated in the great war will want
to connect himself with the veterans
reaniZatiOn AS time goes on MEM
bership in the legion will be more and
more valued. For this reason all who
are eligible should come forward and
help the organization movement in its
early and critical stage.
Legion day at the fair it is hoped
will be a red letter day and every ex-
soldier or sailor in Lexington county
should turn out and help insure the
success of the occasion.
Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01
BRooKLANn REVIVAL
CREATES INTEREST

The evangeistic meeting that has
heen in progress in New Brookland Tor
four weeks. will continue week
longer. Great good is being accom-
plished from the services and all the
town churches are being increased in
membership. Last Sunday I orning 20
were added to the Baptist church by
BAPTISM and several by letters and
restoration. The services. leading to
the immersion, conducted the pas
tor. the Rev. r. G.. Smith. were very
impressive and instructive. showing
the new converts how essential the
Bible is as y guide to thejr right way
Of living.
The evangelistic ministers assisted
in the solemn ceremonies.
The other churches. held services,
too. and members We're added to their
enlistment for Christ.
Services for the men. women and
children were held III the tent. Bap-
tist and Presbyterian churches. re-
spectively. last Sunday afternoon and
great good is being accomplished from
them all.
Visiting ministers have expressed
their opinion that the meeting in New
Brookiand is the best they have ever
attended.
\ distinctive feature is that so many
young men have joined the churches.
Brookland is being Thoroughly awak7
ened in ~ evanselistic way.
The Rev. Sidney Stringleau and the
Rev. A. a. Iaggard will long he re-
mcmbered. The State.
Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01
(ORLEi BUILDING NOW
GOING Up RAPIDLY

Work on the Corley building. at the
intersection Of Main and Church
streets. has been progressing more
rapidly in the last two weeks because
of the availability Of material. NO
date has been set for its cOmpletlon'
however. though it is hoped to have
il ready for occupancy within Il few
weeks. This will be modern build
inc in every respect. and Will be
enuippcd with all modern improve
rnents. The james l.. Tapp Company
will open u lari;e and up to date de-
partnent store on the ground door.
Mr.. Tapp has been quite anxious 10
get in the building, as he has expect
ed to be ready for business before this
time. The Lexington Cotton and Fer
tilizer Company. it is understood. will
OCCUPY ono OF the stores on the ground
floor. The second story Of the build
ing will ne divided into apartments.
equipped with all modern conven~
fences. The demand for these is ver''
great and it is understood that prac-
,ically all available rooms have been
spoken for.