DIAMOND DEAL FAILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20217, 30 March 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

DIAMOND DEAL FAILS.

SEQUEL HEARD IN COURT. EVIDENCE GIVEN BY EXPERTS -A CHARGE OF (CONSPIRACY. DISAGREEMENT OF THE JURY. For over a day and a half the jury at the Old Bailey listened to remarkable details concerning a pendant cross set with stones, and the negotiations for its purchase. and at the conclusion failed to agree whether or not an attempt had been made to defraud a South London jeweller and diamond dealer. A charge of false pretences and conspiracy was preferred against two jewellers. James McAvoy, aged 68. and Aruthur Jameson, aged 38. Mr. R. E. Seaton, for prosecution said that on December 13 McAvoy went to the shop of Mr. Henry Woods, jeweller and diamond dealer, of Clapham Road, and showed him the pendant cross, which, he stated, he wanted to sell. Mentioning £2OO as the figure he would take lor it. He went on to say that his father was a general and had fought in the Crimean War, and afterwards went to India, and brought the cross home from there to England, and it had been in his family for 50 years.

Out of sight of McAvoy, Mr. Woods removed one of the 11 stones from the cross and found that instead of being old-fashioned cut it was modern cut. He told McAvoy he should retain the cross and send for the police, and McAvoy rejoined indignantly: " \ou must not detain inv goods: I run going to the poh.-e myself." He then left the shop. Later he returned with a man who, he stated, was his solicitor and Mr. Woods explained that the matter was then in the hands of the police. A detective was in waiting at the shop. Purchase in Hatton Garden. McAvoy produced a letter-card he had written t* the man from whom he declared he obtained the cross and threatened Mr. Woods with an action. He insisted that he bought the cross for £2OO from a man at Hatton Garden, named Jameson, and he paid £25 on account of the purchase money. His solicitor had the receipt. Mr. Woods reminded him that he had stated that his father brought the from India, and McAvoy admitted that that story was untrue, adding. " But. it is not a crime—it is business." The following day Detective-Sergeant Hawkridge saw .Jameson, who made a long statement. He told the officer lie had advice and he would say nothing bevond that MeAvov bought the cross from him for £2OO and gave hirn £25 on account. If he did not sell the cross he was to receive his deposit back. He added that he was sorry there had been trouble over the cross, as " it had all been settled in court before." When McAvoy was charged with conspiracy he remarked : " I am absolutely innocent of any fraudulent intent or conspiracy, and 1 honestly believe that the cross is worth between £2OO and £300." Suspicions Aroused. The Crown, observed counsel, believed that both int-n knew the cross was worth onlv about £5 or £lO.

When Woods v.as giving evidence he was asked by the judge v.hut light, he had to take stones out of the cross. " I had a suspicion." replied Woods, who added that the stones at, the hack of Uie cross woe imitation, lie would not call himself an expert, but he had had experience of handling precious stones for over 20 years. lie .subjected the setting of the .stones to an acid test and found itwas not pure platinum. H the stories were real diamonds and the setting pure platinum, the cross might be worth. £l6O. bur £l4O would be the market value of it. McAvoy was fold that the stones consisted of thin shells of diamonds pasted on to common stones. Witness formed the opinion that the cross was made to defraud Ihe public, and that was why he took out the stones to examine. He felt it his duty to see that, the public was not lol'l'cd. " L would not have given any price f.>r the cross; I would not have given five shillings for it," declared the jeweller. Expert Alleges Fake. Lxpeils in diamonds were called, one of v.hojii declared that the stones in the f loss were faked, ami they were " doublets." a very clever imitation of diamonds, consisting of very thin layers of diamonds on the top of white sapphires. He valued the cross at about ClO. McAvoy in the witness-box. asserted that he obtained the cross from Jameson. 'I he arrangement was that he should have it for .£2OO. and he paid £25 on account, lie thought it . heap at £2OO, and he tried to get as much more as he could for it. lie told Woods the cross bad belonged to his father merely as proof of possession. Ho had know Jameson as a- dealer in jewellery since 1922. and had had other deals with him, but this was the first big deal.

After a protracted absence the jury announced that, there was no prospect, of reaching an agreement. Remarking that it was a great pity to involve another trial, the judge held the case over to the next session and granted accused bail.