Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-10-06
Travels OF A DIAMOND.
Hsw t:caeral Menkoess Aueoueoe ssSa ne
Jewel that Made HIa an1 01o Dese> ID.
ants lO0cascty RtcA.


From the London Truth.l
The following details OF the orioin Of
the famous jewel which adorns the i'm
s'er.al sceptrc of Russia were furnished
ne during a residence in st. Petersburg
|.,y descendant Of the Armenian mer-
4 liant who brought the stone to Rusx~.
The diamond in its rouch state, formed
The eye of an idol III q temple near Trich-
inopoli and was distracted by French
renegade. who escaped with his prize to
Persia. Here he wandered from town
10 town trying to dispose of it for mod
rate sum, but only meeting with dis
rust and suspicion. At length when
he news of the theft had spread over
India aud reaches Persia. fearing arrest.
,e accepted the Offer of n Hebrew mcr-
.hant and surrendered the diamond for
$4,000. Meantime the Shah WAS in.
'ormed. not only OF the robbery, but also
that the thief was residing in his
'erritorv, and had offered the stone re.
oeatedly for sale
At once his Highness gave orders to
,rrest the man, dead or alive. and 10
,eize the diamond. The Jewish mer-
'hant naturally became alarmed for the
Aety of his new acquisition. as we'll A.
hat of his head. and gladly sold tho
stone to an astute Armenian merchant
FAMED Shafras for 100000. Tls" mag
liticence Of Catherine the Great and her
,ourt WAS by-wogd in Armenia and Per-
E,ia, and Shafras knew right we'll that if
| ne could reach ST Petersburg with his
l. T., 30 4
t at n handsomo profit. The greatest
liiiiculty was to secrete the stone so
thoroughly about his person that in case
4 his arrest it should not be discovered.
L was too large for him to swallow.
he solved the problem by making "a
leep incision in the calf Of his left l-p
asserting the stone. and sewing up tho
wound with silver thread.
F When the cut had cicatriZed sufficient.
V TO allow the removal Of the wire.
Shaffas began his travels toward Russia.
Had he knowuOn arriving at tne frontier
that the diamond had been traced TO the
Jewish merchant, and from him to an
Armenian. he would probably have tried
~ esoIaaGl.efal his n.ationaTity. Ia. But he bold,
.hant to the Shats inqnisitive officials.
WIS arrested, and consigned to prison on
,nspicion. Strong emetics were admin
stored, but no diamond came to light
He was slipped naked, plunged into a
llot bath, and then examined from head
% foot, with no better success. Even
title torture was tried, but Shafras was
irm; and in the end he was bundled m-
tremendously over tho fron,l.r-hi.
'ctty cash being retained. He reached
! Drenburg. and here some compasriots
,dvanced him some money to reach the
| capital.
Catherine the Great was short Of ready,
money when Shafras offered her hls
| iaEland for sale He demanded 5000
DO for it, but the Empress coul not
raise more than 100000, and though
he offered 10000 dessia.ins (of four
cres each) of rown land in addition To
! his sum, Shafras refused. Catherine
IA greatly chagrined and did not hide
| ,er annoyance; but she was too noble a
| .haracter to resort to the coercive meas
nre which Shah Of Persia would hava
| ulopted without moments hesitation.
shafras was allowed to depart unmolest"d
and betook himself to Amsterdam 10
have his diamond cut. Here It WAS that
| the famous Count Orlov first saw the
.ewel for which his imperial mis.r. ss had
sighed, and he determined to lav II as n
gift at her feet. The bargain with Sha-
fras was concluded off-hand, for Cnnnt
Orlov never haggled. In exchange for
the diamond (Which weighs l65 cara's.
and is valnei at 81. 500, O0) Cohn; orlov
promised Shafras, Oh his retuyn 10 En..
.ia. $3.50. coo down, an annuity of 81, 900.
and patent Of nobility.
The Count KEEP. his word; Shat az The
merchant became Iazarev the gentlemen n
cashed his bills at the imperial treasury
and drew g, 900 year for the rest o. has
life, which, ~ nsulai with annni.aI.. sa'
very prolonged one. Before he died
he became one Of the richest men IL
Russia With the price Of the diamn's
he bought mines IN Oural. land ia E4.s
sarabia, and houses in ST. Petersburg
The ..unearred increment" IN ;hir'
wears male him ten t!rRss . millionaire
and at the presen. day his de.cendaia'-
numbering hundreds, are all immen-ei
3 rich. Isoris Meiikoy. former Minister :
the Interior, and De!ianov, at pr-s'-'
Minister OF Pablo Instruction. are gras.s
children Of the Armenian Lszere..