The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-07-06
THE ROMANCE OF A JEWEL.
STRANGE STORY OF THE FAMOUS
oRLov DIAMOND.


Stolen From the Eve OF nm Indian IdoI--Jyoy
nm Astutc Armenian Merchant Carried IL
to Empress Catherine.
The famous OrlOv diamond, which
adorns the imperial scepter of Rus sia,
once formed the eye of an idol in Il
temple near Trichinopoli, and was alb
stracted by French renegade, who
escaped with his prize TO Persia. Here
he wandered from town to town, try
ing to dispose of it for a 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 ar
rest, he accepted the offer of Hebrew
merchant, and surrendered the dia-
mond for $4,000 The shah at once
gave orders to arrest the man, dead or
alive, and to seize the .anfond; wheth-
er for the purpose of restoring it to its
rightful owners, or in order to retain
it for his own delectation, it is now
impossible to say. The Jewish mer-
chant naturally became alarmed for
the safety of his new acquisition, as
well as that of his head. and gladly
sold the stone to an astute Armenian
merchant named Shafras, for 100000.
The magnifcence of Catherine the
Great and her court was a byword in
Armenia and Persia, and Shafras knew
right well if he could reach st. Peters,
burg with his diamond he would be
able to dispose of it at a handsome
profit.
The greatest difficulty was to secrete
the stone so thoroughly about his per-
son that in case of his arrest it should
not be discovered. 1t was too large
for him to swallow, so he solved the
problem by making deep incision in
the calf of his left leg, inserting the
stone and sewing up the wound with
silver thread. When the cut had cica-
trised sufficiently to allow the removal
of the wire, Shafras began his travels
toward Russia. Had he known on ar
irving at the frontier that the diamond
had been traced to the Jewish mer-
chant, and from him to an Armenian,
he would probably have tried to con-
ceal his nationality. But he boldly pro-
claimed himself an Armenian mer-
chant to the shah's inquisitive officials,
was arrested and consigned to prison
on suspicion. Strong emetics were adj
ministered, but no diamond came to
light. He was stripped naked, plunged
into a hot bath and then examined
from head to foot, with no better sue
cess. Even little torture was tried,
but Shafras was firm; and in the end
he was bundled unceremoniously over
the frOntier--his petty cash, however,
being retained. He reached Orenburg,
and here some compatriots advanced
him sufficient money to reach the capi-
tai.
Catherine the Great was short of
ready money when Shafras offered her
his diamond for sale. He demanded
100000 for it, but the empress could
not raise more than 100000, and,
though she offered 10000 dessiatins
Cat four acres each) of crown lard in
addition to this sum. Shafras refused.
Catherine was greatly chagrined, and
did not hide her annoyance, but she
was too noble character to resort to
Persia would have adopted without a
moments hesitation. Shafras was
allowed to depart unmolested, and
betook himself to Amsterdam to have
his diamond cut. Here it was that
the famous Count Orlov first saw the
jewel for which his imperial mistress
had sighed, and he determined to lay
it as gift at her feet. The bargain
with Shafras was concluded off-hand,
for Count Orlov never hagged. In
exchange for the diamond (Which
weighs 1875 carats, and is valued at
a300,00O) Count Orloy promised
Shafras, on his return to Russia, co.
600 down, an annuity of 1000 rubles
and patent of nobility.
The count kept his word. Shafras
the kupets (merchant) became Laza
rev the dvoranin (gentleman), cashed
his bills at the imperial treasury, and
drew 1000 rubles year for the rest
of his life, which as usual with annui
tants, was very prolonged one. Be
fore he died, he became one of the
richest men in Russia. With the price
of the diamond he bought mines in tn,
Oural, land in Bessarabia. and house!
in st. Petersburg.
The "unearned increment inthirt.
years made him ten times millionaire
and at the present day his descendants
numbering hundreds, are all immense
ly rich. Loris Melikov, former minis
ter of the interior, and Delianov, a
present minister of public instruction
are grandchildren of the Armenian
Lazarey.-LOndOn Truth.