THE BLUE DIAMOND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1925, Page 23

THE BLUE DIAMOND.

WSHBBE IS ITT All effort* of Scotland Yard detectives to trace the "blue" diamond have failed. Nor was any light obtained when Albert Clark, tbe admitted thief, was tried at the London Sessions and sentenced to 21 months' Imprisonment for tbe robbery. It Is a theory of tho police that Clark, a allm-built man, managed to slip the stone Into a confederate's hand. Ha had often gone about with a hammer, In tbe past 20 years, ready to smash windows when a chance arose. Belonged to Eccentric Marquis. It bad come from tbe wonderful collection of precious Btones formed by the Marquis of Anglesey. Originally lt bad belonged to the Russian Royal family. "The Diamond Marquis" is sold to have spent at least a quarter of a million precious stones. In that vand In other fanciful ways be quickly dissipated a vast fortune. Ha once paid £100,000 for one costume alone, mainly for the gems with which It was ornamented. One of his "eccentricities" was the'turning of the beautiful Gothic chapel at Plas Newydd, Anglesey, Into a theatre. Its fine old carvings and memorial windows Were torn down, and a rose-pink playhouse was fashioned, with furnishings that cost £20,000! By way of crowning his extravagance he wore a £100,000- costume in "Aladdin," '•which was produced "regardless of expense." On that costume, lt la believed, was the "blue" diamond, the whereabouts of which la now unknown. When, at last, disaster came, bis £100,000----a-year estate* had become an actual burden to bim; and long before his death his hoard of jewels was sacrificed, i Although tbe Anglesey "bine" diamond has no "tragic history** like the famous Hope gem, known as the "Diamond ol Death," the two stones were significantly similar in colour. As to the prosaic thief who stole the romantic Jewel, apart from minor sentences, he has served four years* penal servitude, followed by two years' police supervision, for Jewellery theft, and be has also served three years for shop-breaking. In the latter case be smashed a showcase with a brick. He left prison last December after serving nine months as an Incorrigible rogue.