Evening star., 1947-04-27

Marie Antoinette-both were guillo
tined. It disappeared in the revolu
ton. The diamond was blue, O
enormous size. In 1880 a blue ston,
of A carats showed up in France
Diamond historians figure it was th'
royal diamond cut down from it.
original 66 carats to conceal its iden
tity.
A London banker named Thoma
Hope bought it. He gave it to hi
daughter. the Duckess of Newcastle
She left it to her son, Lord Francis
Pelham Clinton. He gave it to hi
music-hall bride, May Yohe. How
the curse affected Thomas Hope
the duchess and Lord Francis is mo-
recorded. But May Yohe elopee
from her noble husband. She LEFT
the Hope diamond behind her. But
she finished up scrubbing floors.
After toying with the idea ane
sending the diamond back to CARTE,
once. Mrs. Mclean bought it ir
1912. She paid $180,000-$40, ,0O(
down, and she and her young hus-
band signed a note to pay the rest
in three years. She became nervous
about the story Of the curse anc
took the diamond to q priest to be
blessed. The sensational press never
recognized the efficacy of that
blessing.
Son Killed by Auto.
Her son, Vinson, was killed near
the gate of Friendship by passing
automobile in the spring of 1913
when she and her husband were at
tending the Kentucky Derby.
Through all the years, Mrs. Nc
Lean and her husband led a full
social life, entertaining notables
obscure friends, casual acquaint-
ances who caught their interest
cave-dwellers of Washington society
and amusing or important new
comers.
During the Harding administra-
tion the McLeans were almost un-
rivaled in entertaining official Wash
ington. Mr.. Mclean, whose father
had died, ordered the Cincinnati
Enquirer, which had always been 8
Democratic paper, to support Hard
ing in the 1920 campaign. Harding
was grateful The attendance of the
President and members of his cabinet
at the Mclean functions made the
couple the leading hosts of Washing
ton. They then had three houses
John r. Mclean had given them
his big house on I street between
Fifteenth street and Vermont avenue
where the Lafayette Building nov
stands. The Walsh mansion on Mas.
sachusetts avenue was second
Friendship, on Wisconsin avenue, a
gigantic country estate in. the heart
of the Northwest residential section
was their country place. Just before
World War II Mrs. Mclean sold II
to the Government and it was the
site of the big Mclean Gardens
housing project. Mrs. Mclean then
moved to another home at Wiscon-
sin and r street which she named
Friendship also.
President Harding frequently
played golf on the private course
of the original Friendship. Secre-
tary of War Weeks, Attorney Gen
eral Daugherty and Senator Charles
Curtis Qater Vice PresidenD were
Ned McLean's constant poker COM
panions.
Harding died, was succeeded by
Coolidge and then came the blow
off.
Senator Tom Walsh of Montana
(who was no relation to Mrs. Nc
Leans father blew the lid off the
Teapot Dome oil scandals. Secre-
tary of the Interior Albert B. Fall
asked Ned Mclean to say that he
had loaned Fall the 100000 in
crease In his fortune which Senator
Walsh was investigating. Mclean
made a statement that it was his
$100, 900 and it was a loan and left
for Palm Beach. Senator Walsh
followed him and interrogated him
as witness. The Senator showed
that Mr.. Mclean had no such bal
ance to write a check on. Mr.. Nc
Lean was brought before the COM
mittee in Washington and admitted
the true circumstances. The money
had come from Edward L. Doheny
the oil magnate.
Frequently in Courts.
In the ensuing years Mr.. and Mrs
Mclean were frequently in the
courts as his eccentricities and
responsibility increased. She tried
to head off his attempts to obtain
a divorce in other jurisdictions. He
asked the courts to relieve him oi
responsibility for her spending. The
Washington Post passed out OF
family control when q sale was
forced to satisfy paper manufac-
turers and other creditors. Mrs
Mclean tried to pawn her jewels
to save the property. but to nc