The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-22
THE AMERICAN GOLCONDA.
STORY OF TIE MAN WHO SAYS HE
DISCOTERED TIE DIAMONDS.

STORY OF THE NAN WHO SAYS HE
DISCOTERED TIE DIAMONDS.
Rush In San Francisco to See the Dia-
monds-The Jewels Hidden from
sIght-Old Tom Miner and What he
says-A Fight for the Possession OF
the Diamond Mines.
From the San Francisco Chronicle. August A.
The diamond excitement continues with
scarcely any abatement. The trustees yester-
day withdrew the jewels from exhibition, and
will hereafter keep them In the vault of the
Bank of California. The reason assigned for
this action Is that the rush of people greatly
hIudered the transaction of business In the
office, and was great inconvenience to the
secretary and Mr.. Lent. Hundreds of people
Yesterday mounted the stairs ahd wended
their way to the Office of the secretary to get
o view of the Jewels, notwithstanding the fact
that a notice of the removal of the stones was
posted at the door. The trustees sag the e1-
element has been raised without their connt-
vance, and they only allowed the gems 10 be
exhibited from mere desire 10 crafty the
natural curiosity of the public; and having ex-
hibited them for two days, they do not desire
10 be annoyed by the rush OF people any
longer.
There is stll a great difference OF opinion
among brokers aud others with regard to the
truth Of the reports of the discovery, and many
prefer to walt until they know more about 1t
before investing insthe enterprise. But there
are others who are 80 firmly convinced OF the
truth and integrity of The owners and correct
ness OF their reports, that they are willing 10
risk almost any sum In the enterprise. The
stock has all been taken and there Is sllll
cry Tor more, but none Is offered lot sale.
General Gashwiller has secured twenty-five
hundred shares OF the stock, aud would no
doubt doubt take more if he could get II. ue took
the one thousand held for MIN IN his own
name, secured another thousand shares
through friend, and yesterday succeeded IN
purchasing i've hundred shares ADDITIONAL.
Another broker that We know OF has put iils
whole fortune into the stock, and only regrets
that he hasn't got more.
TOO BIG THING ON HAND.
The attorney for the company, Colonel
Barnes, was asked by q reporter yesterday
whether be had any new points to give IN re-
gard to the matter, and he replied: mo, there
are no new points to give; everything Just
az it has been represented to be. People cay,
.Why do these men make stock -jobblng ope-
ration out of 1t II they have got such good
thingH say they huV'nt made stock)0o-
bling operation out OF 1t. The three men VINO
were posled on The real value of the discovery
had 10 pay s350,00O for their interest. They
found they had too big thing on their hands
To manage alone. Tney must have men ana
troops there to project their Interests. IL IL
an Immense undertaking. OF course the three
men could make good thing out OF II, but
thew can make q better thing by letting In
other capitalists, for the field is large, and II
there Is more than three men can successfully
manage others are bound to share the prohLs,
and they concluded that 1t would be better 10
have their friends share the profits than TO
have them gobbled by strangers. 30 they Let
in lew wealthy friends at forty dollars q
SHARE" i.g.t
Mr.. Lent, In o conversation with o Chroni.
Gle reporter yesterday, emphaticaly denied
the statement that the trustees we're PAID l0oe
shares for the use OF their names with lhe
privilege OF buying it a. their option for IS a
snare within stated period. We published
the statement as i5 was told to us. and with
no desire to iuIure any one of the lrostees.
A Wild rumor was current on the street. yes.
terdaY that Iaplu had been -murdrSeda, PM
upon making inquiry at the secretarys once
we ascertalned tnat the officers have no 1n'
formation of any such thing. and that lhey 40
not place the least credence In the report, ont,
on the contrary, they expect 10 see him BACK
here In elk weeks, bringing with MIN mil
lion dollars more in diamonds and ruoes from
the new helds.r
OLD TOM MINER.
In The meantime, the company are vigor-
ousIy prosecuting the work and rapidly dnVel'
opins their mine. Within the past few days
nm actor, who threatens 10 Interfere seriously
with their plans, has appeared In The city.
On LAST Sunday. prospector named TON
Miner arrived Ia this city on the Newbern from
Arizona, having some silver ore with him.
from mise OF his In Arizona.
Since this diamoud excitement has broken
out Miner lays claim to having been the ori
glual discoverer OF these diamond aelds, ano
Is actively at work preparing TO assert MS
rights To the ground Containing lne gems
against the present owners. He mas interest,"
ed number of heavy capitalists IN mis-
scheme. and yesterday company was iorm'
ed and Incorporated, with u capital OF $l0,-
600, 600, Tor the purpose of organizing an ex-
pedIton to the diamond regions, 10 lake pos
session of the ground and work 1T. The trus-
tees are Charles Hosmer. W. j. Kip, Jr.. n.
D. Townsend, Robert Sherwood, E. J. Ely,
Seth Cook und Joseph Trench. ~
Some vague iniimations IN regard 10 ths
mans story and claims having been gwen IN
one of the evening papers, Chronicle repor-
ler called upon Mlutr ut his hotel, and re-
cejyed his version of the affair>from hi5 own
Iips. Miner ls o small man, u type OF the non
eat miner, very quiet In demeauor, aud what
ever may be thought of his story, bis manner
leaves nU doubt In The mind OF The listener as
TO his honesty and sincerity. He makes no
parade of his story, and there Is an utter lack
of braegadoclo about him. We reproduce his
story In bis own words:
OLD TOM MINERS STORY.
have been on two expeditions to Arizona.
In 1861 went down there with u prospecting
party and stayed o little over eleven months.
We went through Arizona, New Mexico and q
psrt of Colorado. While III Central Arizona
we found some placer mines which were
pretty rich aud began to work there, but were
driven ofr-the whole party OF lib, forty-two In
number by the Indians, and had to leave the
country. Ip April, 1871, I organized party
In Hamilton, White Pine, to 60 back to these
mines. We went down to Bradshaw and
began 10 collect large party. About forty
more men Joined us there, and we agreed
that we would all meet at Florence. We
started from there on The Let OF August, bllt
Governor Stafford sent for me- alter sturled
and wanted 10 go with me, und offered 10
furnish troops III wanted them 10 accompany
me. Iaccep,ed. and he accompanied us. We
lett there August Z, 1871, party vi iour nun
dred and seventy-seven. We went ID camp
Grant, which | consider the starting point, and
travelled from there Till we struck The ella
RIVER. There difference arose among us in
r,pard to the route 10 be taken. wanted Ia
take tnp route that I knew, but Governor
Saff;,rd md the others wanted 10 go another
-, 6nolly nnnspItpd If he would assume