Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-08-01
The Diamond Gang.

A New York correspondent throws
some light upon n certain class of
swindlers in that city. No doubt, he
writes, you have noticed good deal in
the papers about gang of swindlers
wEo have been playing the diamond
game pretty freely. There are supposed
to be about a dozen persons in the gang,
and half of them are women-regular
confidence women, of course. The
method is very simple. 1t is necessary,
30 begin with, to have a couple of pawn.
brokers and two or three diamond brok-
ers in the ring. When the gang is ready
for business, one of its members, "a lady
in Distress perhaps, puts an advertise
ment in the Herald asking some capital
ist to release her diamonds from pawn,
as they are in danger of being sold. The
capitalist appears and has talk with
the afflicted woman, who is usually very
handsome, and exceedingly talented in
the tongue. She tells him all about her
imaginary troubles, works vigorously on
his sympathy, and occasionally goes so
far as to make some demonstrations of
affection. He agrees to visit the pa wn-
broker next day and see about the dia-
monds. Ten to one he knows nothing
about diamonds, and he means to be
wide awake in this affair. and is dead
sure that no one can get the best of him.
He calls on the pawnbroker next day,
with the interesting and distressed crea-
ture, probably pretended widow, who
has excited his sympathy. He asks
what sum has been loaned on them, and
is told 1900. But are they worth thatp
Oh, yes, and much more. The capitalist
wants to know how he can find out
The distressed widow then takes her cue.
Perhaps the pawnbrOker will be so kind
as to let his clerk take the diamonds to
an expert, who can tell the gentleman
what they are worth. Certainly; so the
clerk takes the diamonds, and he and
the lady and gentleman go off to find an
expert. The capitalist does not know
where to look for one. The clerk finally
remembers one, a well-knowh diamond
broker in the neighborhood. He is one
of the gang, but when the parties enter
his shop, of course, he does not know
any of them. The diamonds are shown,
and his opinion as an expert is asked as
to their value. He looks them over
carefully, and thinks they are worth
from 81, 500 to $4,000. The woman had
said that they cost her husband $3,0OO
They return to the pawnbroker's and
matters are arranged. The capitalist
1--WE may as well call him that, though
perhaps he is worth $4,000 all told)
hands over the 81, 500 and receives the
diamonds. He is to receive ten per cent.
interest until the diamonds are redeemed,
and perhaps bonus as well. The trans
action is over and the parties separate.
The capitalist tells some friend about it
next day. The friend suggests that it
might be well to look into things little
deeper. A reputable jeweler, possibly
Tiffany, is consulted He says the dia-
monds are probably worth $500 OFF
goes the capitalist in rage to find the
woman who has swindled him. She has
folded her tent in the night time and
silently gone away The pawnbroker is
visited, but he does not know the wo-
man and he is not loaning money upon
diamonds at present. The expert is
called upon, and he sticks to his belief
that the diamonds are worth from SO, 500
to $4,000. Will he buy them for 81, 500?
No, he is not buying diamonds just now.
The market is dull, and he has large
stock on hand. 1t is clear to the capital
ist, at last. that it is a .first-class swindle,
and he thinks all the paI ties are in it.
But the chief swindler is gone, and he
can get no trace of her. This game has
been played over and over again in twenty
different ways. Thepolice lately caught
woman who has been identified as one
of the chief operators. She denies it
fatty, and it may not be easy to convict
her.