White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-11-07
HBSTORY,,S
MYSTERl ES Il
h - Uasctsed Riddles That Still Puzzle
h @ Authsritiss Ksre and abroad RgII|
The s3so.ooo Necklace

~ France, cajole Cardinal de Rohan
to such an extent that she was able
to rob him of the famous diamond
necklace which formed one OF the
causes leading up to the French revo-
luton? If not, who was responsible
for the scandal which broke with ter
rife violence over the French court
and, finally, what became OF the
money received for the necklace it.
self?
These are questions which have ex-
cited the curiosity and speculation OF
hundreds of historians and novelists
but which, despite the most rigid in
vestigations, remain still unanswered,
tnextricably entwined with the sordid
but spectacular story of Louis XIV,
Madame Du Barry, De Rohan, Madame
Lamotte, and Marie Antoinette herself.
In 1774 Louis XIV was infatuated
with Madame Du Barry and, as an
evidence of his affection, commits
stoned the court jewelers. to collect
the finest diamonds they could lay
their hands on and fashion necklace
that would be absolutely unique. The
jewellers exercised SO much care In
the selection of these stones that, be-
fore the necklace was completed, the
king died. The work was so far ad-
yanced, however, that the gorgeous
piece was finished at cost of some
1850, 900 equivalent at the present
time to practically $1,OOO0O0-in the
hope that it could be sold to Louis
XVI for his queen.
Then suddenly Jeanne de valoise
| MADAM Lamotte) came upon the
scene and hoodwinked Cardinal de
Rohan-arch- enemy to the queen-into
believing that she was Marie Antoi-
nettes most intimate friend. Lamotte
even signed spurious notes with the
| queens name and worked upon the
ambition of the cardinal until De Ro-
han believed that she had succeeded
in overcoming Marie Antoinette's hos
tility toward him.
Finally Lamotte risked note to
the CARDINAL communication which
was supposed to have come directly
from the queen Of France-commis-
sioning him to borrow 10000 francs
for a certain charitable purpose, the
money to be transmitted to the queen
through Madame Lamotte. The cardi-
nal borrowed the money and turned it
over to the intermediary. A second
loan Of an equal amount was also
obtained and with the money the La
NOTES furnished one Of the most mag
nificent houses in the capital and
financed themselves for round OF
ceaseless gaieties.
The success which had attended this
scheme evidently led Jeanne Lamotte
to believe that she could put through
one of the most daring frauds in his
tory-the theft Of the almost priceless
diamond necklace which had become
a white elephant on the hands of the
J court jewelers.. Jeanne therefore in
situated to Cardinal de Rohan that
Marie Antoinette wished to purchase
the necklace for her own use, but that
she particularly desired that the king
know nothing Of the transaction, add
ing that If the cardinal would attend
to the details Of the transaction it
would entirely reinstate him in royal
favor. De Rohan fastened to fulfill
che mission and, on February l, 1885,
the necklace passed into his hands
and his note was accepted by the
jewelers. for the entire purchase price
it being understood (thanks to La
NOTES intrigues) that the transfer
Vas being made with the full approval
of the queen.
The necklace was to be delivered to
Marie Antoinette by the cardinal on
the eve of grand fete at which the
queen was expected to wear it, and
the casket containing the jewels was
taken to the home of the Lamottes,
by whom it was to be handed to the
queens messenger. Still further to
dupe the cardinal, Jeanne Lamotte
employed an actress to impersonate
Marie Antoinette and, because Of the
heavy veil which the substitute wore,
De Rohan believed that he had ac-
tually had an interview with the queen
herself.
Lamotte then dispatched her hus.
band to London with the necklace
where it was broken up and the stones
sold separately. Unfortunately for the
plans of the adventures, however, the
trick was discovered when the jewel.
ers wrote to the queen, thanking her
for purchasing the diamonds. Marie
Antoinette at once demanded an ex-
PLANTATION of their statement and then
asked for the original copy of the
agreement. De Rohan was immedi-
ately arrested and sent to the Bas-
tile to be followed shortly afterward
by Madame Lamotte and number OF
her accomplices. But this by no means
ended the case because the actions of
Marie Antoinette were so strange and
her explanations so strained that many
historians have expressed the belief
that she herself was more or less in
terested in the matter and that she
had profited directly by the sale OF
the stones abroad. Regardless Of this
phase of the matter however the af.