The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-18
GENERAL JACKS DIAMOND.
A Story of Man Too Honest to Steal When
He Tried to.

he Tr1od 70.
Pretty much everybody has heard of Gen.
eral Jacks penchant for diamonds, and a
great many of US know the man himself
a sturdy character, sound and firm on his
feet as horse-bloclr. A forid face, rather
hard; a square chin determined lips closing
over white teeth, cold gray eyes looking
right at you from under hedge of eye
brows sandy in color, busted with gray a
large, straight nose, broad and fleshy-
you've seen the man. Dressy in his way,
but not as gentlemen dress, and wearing
rings upon his fat, white fiugers, and big
diamond in his expansive shirt front. His
voice is deep aud stern, rather hoarse, too,
and harsh; its volume is tremendous when
ever it comes, freighted with a crash of
osths. General Jack is self-made; began
as a driver of a pair of mules on canal
route, then took the lion-car of Herr Bros
cheers menagerie, became finally ring. mas
ter to circus, owner of his own circus,
keeper Of livery stable, millionaire, art
patron, political leader. His wife was on
the stage once, and charming creature
she is and General Jack is universally
known and liked by the profession-but it
is about General Jacks diamond I am to
tell you.
"First thing / ever bought" says Gener-
al Jack, "when l got to be ring master,
after was properly fitted out in the clothes
department, was diamond, and I've been
buying 'em ever since. It's weakness,
and I've paid for it. Tiffany's people al
ways send for me when they've got in any
thing new, and the Amsterdammers know
me-"
1t is said that those who want to come 1t
over General Jack-no easy thing to do
always approach him on his diamond side.
He takes it Ms compliment to be asked to
show his collection, and does show ii. But
he is good judge of character for all. The
story goes that some thieves conspired to
rob him by profiting by his pleasure in
showing his treasures There were three
of them-nobby English fellowship came
over expressly to do the job, and thorough
ly posted. They made his acquaintance at
| a downtown hotel, where he is often to be
found, and in due course procured the in
vitation to see his diamonds. They claimed
| to be sporting men, ardent TURTLES, but con-
noisseurs in such things. They came to
jacks house one forenoon, in coach, and
he received them alone, opened his safe,
displayed all his treasures, went into their
history, etc. "This," he said, sis my Col
conda specimen-not very large, but re-
markabe for it's brilliancy and pure water.
This is my Briziian-it is bit of color
q suspicion of canary tinge-' whack
smack thwack "You would, would your
and with three successive blows OF his
white, fat fist, his three English visitors
were knocked down and put hors de combat.
1t was mere suspicion on his part-some-
thing he saw in the mems faces, read In
their eyes--but it saved his diamonds. He
summoned aid, locked the safe, secured
the men, and found them fully armed
pistols, burglar tools, handouts, rope, gag,
chloroform, red pepper. He disarmed
them, bundled them into coach, aud gave
them twenty -four hours to leave the coun
try. "As you came here by my invitation