The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-12-10
History of the Great Diamond Frauds
SAN Francisco, Dec. Z.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. I.
William NJ. Leut's history Of the great
diamond fraud occupies four columns o.
the Bulletin. X bcrts was the first mau
who hiuted to him the nature Of the pre-.
tended discoveries, who took him to the
uarpeudug House aud scattered the
gems over u billiard tabls Lent was ex.
cited aud wanted Ralston to be let in.
Roberts and Arnold would not consent to
that He refused to sell the claims or to
tell where they were located. Lent, Har-
pending aud Arnold met in New York,
where The diamonds were valued by Tiff
fauy's experts ut Sl50,000. Jauiu's re.
port, obtained afterwards, confirmed Ar
uold's stories. Ralston, Barlow, Dodge,
Fry and others were led Into the enter.
prise. There was hard struggle to Sc
cure the benefit Of the discovery to the
people of California, Lent was finally
successful; Arnold was successful aud got
his pay; Jauiu also got his pay. The
company was organized here. Lcut was
made President aud Ralston Treasurer
Arucld, Slack aud Cooper own that they
employed Harpending to sell BAtribari
niue, New Mexico, to English capitalists.
Near Fort Defiance were found rabies
aud garnets, aud it was determined to sell
the discovery. 1t was iouud necessary
to change the precious stones frow rubies
aud Diamonds. Cooper fualy proposed
to get some diamonds from the Diamond
drill company Of this city aud mix them
with other stones and salt the earth and
make show. The proposition was ac-
cepted. The parties begun to hunt for
capitalists. To Roberts, the first capital
list they spoke to, they said they wished
to sell part of the fields,so as to procure
the means for developing the rest. Rob-
erts said he would have Harpendng join
in and wrote to him to that effect. Then
Slack and Arnold went to New York with
a bag of rubies aud the old diamond drill
stock. The gems were deposited with
Tiffany, who pronounced the diamonds
genuine. Arnold talked Of the vast de-
posts but refused to disclose the location,
aud declared that he was unable to either
sell, or show the gems. They determined
70 salt the ground and to lead n party to
the place in Colorado near Fort Defiance
With the gems in their possession and
those purchased in London, the ground
was fixed for scientific exploration. The
Jaulu and Rubery party followed CLAIR
euce King, aud watched him in the fields
as he hunted aud dug. At Mesa King
subsequently, met Rubery, laughed, aud
said he thought the thing was sell, in
which idea Kubery coucurred for eue
foot outside OF certain lines moi a diamoud
could be found. Rubery afterwards met
man who lived near the ground, who
said that Arnold aud Slack told him n
year before that if they had a bucket full
OF red stones and two hundred dollars
worth Of diamonds they would get up a
big excitement and make fortune.
they got the stones and diamonds, and
the rest follow, d. The grand jury still
have the swiudle before them, but they
have made 10 report Of their proceedings.
Nothing Of the kind ever occurred in
California which has produced greater
excitement 10 all circles. Cooper is here
aud Arnold and Slack are reported TO be
in the country