Putnam patriot., 1923-07-20
DIVES EIGHT TIMES
 TO RETRIEVE RING
Louis Wilcox, Putnam, Finds Diamond Dropped Into
 Water Of Wharf
seares Fish Trying to Make oH With Brilliant.-Reeeives Reward
Special to The Patriot)

Special to The Patriot)
 Lords Point, July 1a.-To drop one's diamond ring into the deep wa ter at the end of the local wharf and then receive it back into his hands eight or nine hours afterward, was the unique experience of one local summer resident who halls from Bos- ton.
 Although this gentleman had the spotlight of local attention full upon him for several hours. he was soon thrust into the background when a Putnam man stepped into the calei- nm. This individual is none other than Louis Wilcox, the right hand man. for years, of E. l.. Davis. widely known Putnam resident, heavy land owner and postmaster in this summer colony. Mir. Wilcox used to operate m ice business in Putnam, not so many years ago.
 Louis took the community by the ears when he retrieved the diamond ring from it's resting place at the riv- er bottom at the end of the pier. He insists that the trick was simple one and not deserving of any notice. But everybody knows differently, and ap- preciates what he has done.
 The diamond was dropped over board when Louis had just tied up his motor boat about dark after having taken an excursion party to Watch Hill. The diamond was wrapped in a dollar bill The man who owned the brilliant forgot this fact for the mo- ment. and when he pulled out his money to pay for his ride, overheard went the dollar, diamond and all. The bill was recovered in few minutes l. Was hoped the valuable ring was still inside the hill-but 1t wasn't. It was getting dark so fast, that the search made at the time had to be abandoned.
 All but one person was sure that the diamond was lost for good. Even he who had so lately possessed the ring gave up hope of recovering t But Lotus was not doWn-hearted.
 Wait until morning and we'll take another crack at it. he said, encour- agingly. The loss of the stone was the absorbing topic of discussion m this neek-o' -the-woods for that night. Even Che dance at the hotel was nearly forgotten.
 But Louis was up bright and early the next morning. He said 1t was four o'clock, but won't say whether he means standard or daylight saw ing time, for fear he may be arrested for violating the law passed at the last session of the legislature, when most of the representatives and sen- ators had brain storm. Louis does confess however. that 1t was daylight.
 peering down into the water where the diamond was supposed to lay. Louis says he saw two lights.
 Now what is fellow going Go make out of that?
 He claims that it was an optical IL fusion caused by the suns rays strik- ing the diamond, way down deep in the water. Most people believe that t was fish (probably a black tishl whose eyes shone like a eats in the dark. There are some people, how ever, who claim that Louis wash fully awake and thus they account for his strange story.
 At any rate, with eyes wide open, he dove into the water-fresh from the ocean. At 1 a. m. that water wasn't exactly warm, but Louis ayers that it was like hot apple pie-just right. He did not see the diamond on his first trip downward. Nor on the next. or the next But on the eighth dive he located the ring and came Co the surface with it nestling in the palm of his right hand.
 There was no crowd on hand 10 cheer him as he came up on the wharf-vietor in a battle with the greedy ocean. But the news soon spread and Louis came in for his just praise.
 And the owner of the ring was the most surprised and delighted person imaginable. The recovery of the dia mond in the way that it was, was an accomplishment worthy of at least a quart of White Horse, even if such a thing could be secured in these arid days. However, Louis was forced to accept reward for his recovering the diamond. and now he is more than the local fisherman and skipper Of the excursion motor boat-he is the local hero.