The New York herald., 1879-08-01
TRANSACTIONS IN DIAMONDS.


HAscY AND JOHN t. LYNcH-ExPERTs IN
COURT.
The case of Mary s. Hascy and John T. Lynch, who
are charged by Messrs. Rogers and Fay. two Fulton
Market fish dealers. with swndiing them out Of
$500 by false pretences in business transaction
involving the transfer of diamonds. was continued
yesterday afternoon before Justice Morgan in the
Jefferson Market Police Court. Major Noah and ex-
Judge Morris represented the prosecution. and Mr..
Hummel conducted the defence The session, which
was only about half an hour long. was taken up
with the testimony of two experts who like doctors
and jurors agreed to disagree. One of them posi-
lively identified the diamonds produced in connec.
ton with the case and the other swore that their
positive identification was impossible. The latter
gentleman also said that the valuation of the same
diamonds by different parties might differ as much
a. from 81 500 to $4,000.
WHAT HE KNEW ABOUT DIAMONDS
The first witness called WAS Mr.. Marx G. Harris .
diamond dealer doing business in Tiffany Il Co.'s
He was called expert. The diamonds were
shown him. and he said he believed they were the
same ones he had inspected for Mr.. Rogers. At any
rate they were in the same condition. Witness had
been forty years in business. When asked what
price he had set upon the diamonds-whethcr it was
WI whas he would @ Pay tor OF whss
piled that the price he had named. Sl50O. was
the price he would be willing to pay for them.
deed from diamond sales, and consequently
they varied greatly in the prices they put upon
monds dealers were generally guided by the market
price, but in diamonds there was no criterion; he
frequently appraised the value OF such articles for
his employers.
THE VALUE OF DIAMONDS.
Some earrings were here handed to witness, and
he asked to give his valuation Of them He said
their weight about thirty carats and the retail
price about $50 carat; so that he considered them
worth from 81 200 to s., 500.
'tiara' OF diamonds next shown witness.
He did not know that the exhibit had been formerly
such diamonds was about $50 carat. the specmen ed
showed weighed about twenty eight csrats, making
the total value about $3.50.
sin a sale OF diamonds aggreGatng $1,000" asked
counsel. us proft OF 100 more exorbitant than
customary in retail sales?''
"No. answered Mr.. Harris.
q. How did you appraise the diamonds on July
17l A. used . magnifying glass.
q. Are such articles difficult OF Identification? A.
There are SO many stones exactly like those in
these earrings that perhaps i've hundred of them
q. What prices do dealers generally charge? A.
In the retail trade they generally charge as much 40
Q. Upon what then, did you base your yaluationf
A. asked Rogers when he came whether he wanted
to know the retail price, the importing price. the
price would give; he said the latter, and told him
SLIGHT DISCREPANCIES.
Q. What discrepancies are there in the valuation
ces among even experts than between 81 500 and
$4,000; the price depends good deal upon the
customer.
Q. How much win brokers loan diamonds? A..
Loan brokers will generally give as much as three
fourths OF their value.
Mr.. Franklin Hauck. of No. SIG Washington ave-
nue. Brooklyn, jeweller and diamond dealer doing
business at No. ~ Fulton street. this city, also
called as an expert He had seen the diamonds in
question about the lst of May; Mr. Rogers had lett
them with him eight or ten days. (The diamonds
were shown to witness, and he stated positively
had seen them on the occasion referred tol
; +rad maa years IN sne ous,. @
the largest sale OF diamonds he ever made for
$25O0; after valuing the diamonds in the present
case he took them to another expert he positively
identified them the ones in his possession for
merly. both from the color the size and the spots
on them.
SPOTS. WEIGHT AND COLOR.
One Of the earrings was here shown him and then
Now. how many spots are there on ths stone Inc
quired Mr.. Hummel.
II don't know" replied the witness.
How much does 1t weigh?'
"Does it differ from any other stone in its size that
II don't know. but willing to swear positively
that that is the same stone had in my hand. ~
Witness further stated that he had known Rogers
for ten years; Rogers never bought nythng him;
part OF the time he exposed the diamonds in his
store window to which his three clerks had
This closed Mr.. Hauck's testimony.
The prosecution next desired to produce witnesses
who could testify asto the identity Of Mrs. schoon.
discussion between counsel. Mr.. Hummel said that
the question OF the ladies named being one and the
same person had not been raised, and, without adj
mitting anything, he did not the necessity Of
proving anything Of the sort. Major Noah here sug
gested an adjournment He wished to introduce the
testimony OF u Roman Catholic priest and did not
want to bring in yet it would defeat the ends Of
justice In the prosecution Of other criminal
Mr. Hummel protested that the had been de-
layed too long already. Justice Morgan finally
granted adjournment until next Wednesday after
noon
Mrs. Hascy burst into tears when the session drew
to close, and going to the wall of the room leaned
against it with her handkerchief to her eyes.