A MISSING OPAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6071, 7 January 1898, Page 4

A MISSING OPAL.

The Court at Ashbiirton was occupied the whole of the day yesterday in hearing the charge against Joseph Lyon, accused of stealing an opal lost from the Record Reign opal mine on Dec. 12. From the evidence of a number of witnesses it appeared that a piece of opal stone had been discovered in the mine after firing a blast of powder. Some of the directors who were present, decided to take the opal stone back with them, and Lyon, who was at the time manager of the mine, undertook to carry the stone from the mine at the top of the hill down to the buggy. Lyon admits having done so, and says that he put the opal stone iv a bag in the conveyance. On reaching the hotel at Rangitata, where the party stopped for the night, it was found that the stone had been changed, the valuable opal stone having been taken, and a worthless river-bed boulder put in its place in the bag. At a subsequent meeting 'of Directors Lyon had said that he knew where the opal stone was,and would return it to them for a certain monetary consideration. The Directors at first agreed to his terms, but Lyorf did not produce the stone, and kept on increasing the amount that he asked for its production. The Directors, thinking that it was a case of black nailing, declined to have anything more to do with him, and issued a warrant for his arrest. The evidence showed that Lyon had asked the Chairman of Directors before the case opened to get it adjourned and he would fix the matter up. Accused, who reserved his defence, was formally committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Timaruon Feb. 14.