The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-19

The history OF Harding, who stole the
mailbag from the New Rush, South
Africa. post-oiIlce, containing four or
Ave hundred thousand dollars worth OF
DIAMONDS besides q large amount OF
ready money and checks, is remarkable
in more ways than one. The oulprit is
the younger son Of q gentleman resid
ing in Surrey, England. When he left
college Young Harding was fitted to
shine as man Of leisure, hut not to sue
coed as q man Of business. Indeed, it
seems TINT to go into business at all was
never contemplated by him. Harding's
idleness soon became intolerable TO him.
self. He solicited permission, which was
Gladly granted we may he sure, TO go to
South Africa. Perhaps he had vague
visions OF making a fortune by digging
diamonds. Such hope was proper
enough In its way at distance, but when
he reached the spot it soon came to
naught. Harding did nothing-could
get nothing to do. He realized fully the
Scriptural description Of another person.
Z" lie could not dig, and to hog he was
ashamed But unfortunately he was
not ashamed to steal, He ilched Gl0O
from his room.mate, Mr.. BeauClerck,
mud left Cape Town for the Diamond
Fields. While there he learned that II
warrant WIS out for his arrest on n com.
PLANT for theft. What could he do2 He
was standing in the vicinity of the post,
office, and the postmaster and his assis.
tant leaving the building before his eyes
suggested a why Of escape. A mailbag
would surely contain one hundred
pounds! It Is robbing Peter TO pay Paul;
hut then Peter, here meaning the public,
can better afford to lose the amount than
Paul, and besides no one will know the
robber Of the mail.bag-this was the
illusion-while every one would hear Of
the thief Of one hundred pounds when
produced in court. Harding reasoned
quite speciously that he would by pur'
suing such course, keep his own body
out Of Jail and save his family from the
resulting disgrace.
This "gentleman " robber appears to
he man in many respects Of fine organ.
ization. No Hamlet is he, What his
head commands his hands execute, aud
at the moment. He did not proclsti-
nate. He did not even whit to see
whether any one was watching him.
He advanced to the window of the post
Office, broke pane OF glass, opened the
sash, and without the slightest trepida-
ton took out the mailbag, and having
concealed It walked of. He was not in
error as to finding one hundred pounds
-he found more than thousand when
he opened the bag in his tent at Du
Toit's Pan. But he found in tho bag
what he had not thought OF. Two thOus
and three hundred and scventy.four
diamonds OF all weights, from eighty.
nine cnrats down, and Of all degrees Of
brillinncy, were spread before lis gaze
On meeting Mr.. Beauclerck, Ha1ding,
after denying at first the theft, offered to
settle the matter by paying goo. This
the former refused, as le wanted only
his own money. Harding counted ont
ono hundred gnineaS, and this circum-
stance led to the suspicion which finally
stamped him as the diamond robber. Ho
worked on ut Du Tots Pan for some
time, but finally left for Cape Town,
after having concealed his diamonds in
the barrel OF his gun. His nrrest just
before leaving in the Syria for England
and lis bearing when arnigned-cOol
without efltontcry-haye been fully de.
scribed,