The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-24
The OrIov Diamond.

1
AS freguent illusions TO this Jewel (which
adorns the imperial sceptre OF Russia) have
Oeen made by my daily contemporaries
ana as various conflicting accounts OF lis
origin have been published by them, |
think II may be Of interest 10 give the fol-
lowing authentic details, furnished me dtl-
ring residence in st. Petersburg by de-
sccndant OF the Armenian merchant who
brought the stone 10 Russia. The dia-
mond in Its rough state formed the eye
OF am idol in a temple near Trichi-
nopoli, aud was distracted by French
renegade, who escaped with his prize TO
Persia. Here he wandered from town 20
town, trying 10 dispose OF il for moderate
sum. but only meeting with distrust and
suspicion. At length, when the news OF
the theft had spread over India and reached
Persia, fearing arrest, he accepted The offer
OF Hebrew merchant and surrendered
the diamond for $4,000. Meantime the
shah was informed not only OF the rob-
berry. but also that the thief was residing in
his territory. and had offered the stone
repeatedly for sale. At once his High
ness gave orders TO arrest the man,
dead or alive, and to seize the
diamond, whether for the purpose
of restoring it to It's rightful owners. or in
order 20 retain il for his own dedication.
il is now impossible TO say. The Jewish
merchant naturally became alarmed for the
safety Of his new acquisition. rs well as
that OF his head, and gladly sold the stone
10 an astllte Armenian merchant named
Shafras for cl2.0O0. The magnihcence OF
Catherine the Great and her Court was q
bywOrd in Armenia and Persia, and Sha-
fras knew right well that il he could
reach st. Petersburg with his diamond he
would be able 10 dispose OF IL at hand
some profit. The greatest difficulty was to
sccrete the stone so thoroughly about his
person TINT i'm case OF his arrest it should
not be discovered. 1t was too large for
him 10 swallow; 80 he solved the problem
by making a deep incision in the calf Of his
left lee, inserting the stone, and sewing up
the wound with silver thread. When the
cut had cicatriZed sufficiently TO allow the
removal OF the wire, Shafras began his
travels toward Russia. Had he known on
arriving at the frontier that the diamond
had been traced to the Jewish merchant.
and from him to an Armenian, he would
probably have tried 10 conceal his ma
tiOnalty; hut he boldly proclaimed
himself an Armenian merchant to the
Shah'S inquiSitive officials. was arrested
and consigned to prison on suspicion.
Strong emeticS were administered, but no
diamond came to light. He was stripped
naked. plunged into q hot bath, and then
examined from head to foot, with no bet
ter success. Even little torture was tried,
but Shafras was firm, and in the end he
was bundled unceremOniously over the
irontier-his petty cash, however, being
retained. lie reached Orenburg, and here
some COmpatri0ts advanced him sufficient
money to reach the capital.
Catherine the Great was short OF ready
money when Shafras offered her his dia-
mond for sale. He demanded 100000 for
if, but the Empress could not raise more
than G20,001, and though she offered 10000
dessiatins (at four acres each) OF Crown
land in addition to this sum, Shafras re-
fused. Catherine was greatly chagrined,
and did not hide her annoyance; but she
was too noble character TO resort TO the co.
crcive measures which a Shah of Persia
would have adopted without mo-
ment's hesitation. Shafras was allow
ed to depart unmOleSted, and be-
took himself TO Amsterdam to have
his diamond cut. Here it was that tie
famous Count OrlOv first saw the jewel
for which his imperial mistress had sighed,
and he determined to lay it as 4 gilt at her
feet. The bargain with Shafras was con-
cluded off-hand. for Count Orlov never
haggled. In exchange for the diamond
(Which weighs 1Sj carats, and is valued at
G3O0, OO0) Count Orlov promised Shafras.
on his return to Russia, 10000 down, an
annuity OF 1900 rubles, and patent of no.
bility.
The Count kept his word. Shafras the
kupetS (merchanO became Lazarey the dro-
ridnin (gentlcman), cashed his bills at the
Imperial Treasury, and drew 1000 rubles
wear for the rest of his life, which, as
usual with annutantS, was Il very pro-
longed one. Before he died he became
one Of the richest men in Russia. With
the price of the diamond he bought
mines in the Oural, land in BeSsa-
rabia. and houses in st. Petersburg The
..uneaIned increment" in thirty years
made him ten times millionaire, and at
the present day his descendants, number
ing hundreds, are all immensely rich.
Loris Meikov, former Minister OF the In
terror, and DELANEY, at present Minister OF
Public Instruction. are grandchildren OF the
Armenian Lazarey.