The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-07-18
ROMANTIC HISTORY OF TwEED's DIAMOND.

Boss Tweed's diamond has attained world
wide notoriety from the prominence given to
it in Nast's well known delineations of the
great master of the Ring. 1t is stone of
great beauty and purity OF color, weighs some
thing over IL carats, and is valued at about
5000 in gold. 1t was imported by a dia-
mond dealer In New York, in whose Office it
was seen and admired by the leading dealers
of such baubles At the request of a dealer
in this city. whom from convenience sake we
will call 6, it was brought to Boston, and by
him sold to gentleman in this city, whowore it
in solitaire" pin.
But in time the owner, tired of his trinket,
and another Boston dealer-M, we will call
him Offering to find purchaser In Chicago,
it was ntrusted to him. M did not go to
Chicago, but stuck the pin in his bosom, and
sported it in New York for some days, trying
to sell it, but without success. He accordingly.
returned to Boston, surrendered the gem to its
owner, who in turn took it to G for safe keep
ing and sale should buyer appear.
Now, it chanced that NJ, just previous to
his appearance in New York with his spark
ling Jewel in his bosom, had returned from
Europe with small invoice of gems, which he
had entered at the Custom house. The keen
detectives at that institution, ever on the
watch for fat reward for detecting snug
Cling, thought they smelled the 0dor of
very large-sized rat about this affair, jumped
at once at the conclusion that the smaller
stones had been passed through the Custom
house as blind, merely, and that the large
one had been brought in contrary to law.
Accordingly they came to Boston. took pos
session of Ms premises, got the KEYS to his
safe, examined his books, and compOrted them
selves as agents of the Government are wont
to do when fraud upon the revenue is suspected.
But they found nothing, and were about to
give up the case, when they accidentally
learned that G had large diamond in his pos
session, whose description corresponded ex-
actly with the one they had seen flushing upon
Ms breast in Gotham.
Following up this lead, they called upon G,
and asked to see the large diamond of which,
they said, "a friend had told them" G court
eously complied, when one of the pair, after
carefully examining the stone with glass, in
formed his companions that "that was the
stone"
G was then told that the stone had been
smuggled, and that he would have TO surren-
der it to them. G quietly remarked that he
did not know them, shouldn't surrender the
stone, and that they couldn't have it unless
they took it by force. After some parley 1t
was decided that the stone should be taken TO
| Collector Russell of this port; that he should
have custody of it, and become personally re-
sponsible for its return in case the charges
proved to be unfounded, and that in no case
should he allow it to be taken to New York
City
Then the detectives went to work, and so did
G, who had bought the stone direct from the
| importer, could trace it much quicker than the
officials In three or four days he was able to
give Collector Russell the exact page and line
| of the Custom house book of entries where 1t
had been entered, with its weight. description,
duties, etc. as we'll as the names of the parties
who shipped it, and by whom it was received.
! Upon investigation this proved to be straight
story, and before the detectives had fairly be-
gun to work up the case, Collector Russell sent
a polite note to G, asking him to come and take
the stone away, as he did not care to be re-
sponsible for so valuable piece of property.
1 From G's store the stone went to New York,
where it was reset and surrounded with one
carat stones. and in this shape it was bought
by Boss Tweed, who, we believe, still wears
| it. Where it came from, or how many years
or centuries it has been worn, is beyond the
stretch of mortal ken, nor can one even con-
lecture into whose hands it may fall. and
what changes it may see in the near and far
distant future; for though Tweed and all his
followers may fade from the memory of men,
and though centuries may pass away, and with
them the name and glory of yet unborn nations
that stone will retain all the magnificent beau.
lty-all the marvellous and fading lustre
and all the priceless wealth it now has-in
truth. g a thing of beauty and JOY forever
Boston Bulletin.