River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-07-26
A FAMOUS DIAMOND STORY
How Gen. MeiiSov's Ancestor Hid
the Jewel from the Persians.

From the London Truth.
The GLOWING details Of the origin of
the famous jewel which a1ons the i'm
perial sceptre of Russia we're furnished
me during a residence in st. Petersburg
by descendant OF the Armenian mer-
chant who brought the stone to Russia.
The diamond in its rough state,
formed the eye of an idol in temple
near Toichinopoi. and was distracted
by French renegade, who escaped
with his prize to Persia. Here he wan
dered from town to town trying 10 dls-
nose 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 Per-
STA, fearing arrest. he accepted the offer
of a Hebrew merchant and surrendered
the diamond for $4,000. Meantime
the Shan was informed, not only OF the
robbery, but also that the thief was re-
siding in his territory, and aad offered
the stone repeatedly FIR sale.
At once his highness gave orders to ar
rest the man, dead or alive, and to seize
the diamond. The Jewish merchant
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 Sha-
fras for $50, 600 The magniticence OF
Catherine the Great and her court was a
bv-word in Armenia and Persia, and
Shafras knew right well that if he could
reach st. Petersburg with his diamond
he would be able to dispose of 1t at q
handsome profit. The greatest difficulty
was t. secrete the stone so thoroughly
about his person that in case of his ar
rest it should not be discovered. 1t was
too large for him to swallow, so he solved
the problem by making deep lnc1slon
in the calf Of his left leg, inserting the
stone, and sowing up the wound with
silver thread.
When the cut had cicatrized sufficient
lv to allow the removal of the wire,
Shafras began bis travels toward Russia.
Had he known on arriving at the
frontier that the diamo nd had been
traced to the Jewish merchant and from
him to an Armenian, he would probably
have tried to conceal his nationality.
But he boldly proclaimed himsalfan Ar
menan merchant to the Shah's lnqulsl-
tive officials. was arrested, and consigned
to prison ON suspicion. Strong emetlcs
were administered, but no diamond
came to light. He was stripped naked.
plunged into hot bath, and then eX-
amined from head to foot, with no bet
ter success. Even little torture was
tried, but Sh afras was firm; and in the
end he was bundled unceremoniously
over the frontier-his petty cash, how
ever, being detained, He reached Oren-
burg, and here some compatfiots adj
yanced him some money to reach the
capital.
Gatharine the G. bat was short Of
ready money when Shafras offered her
his diamond for sale He demanded
$500. 600 for it, but the Empress could
not raise more than 100000, and though
she offered 10000 dessiatins lat four
acres each) of Crown land in addition to
this sum, Shafras refused. Catharlne
was greatly chagrined. and did not hide
her annoyance; but she was too noble a
character to resort to the coerGye meas
ures which Shah of Persia would have
adopted without moments hesitation.
Shafras was allowed to depart unmolest-
ed and betook himself to Amsterdam to
have his diamond cut. Here 1t was that
the famous Count Orlow first saw the
level for he determined to lay 1t as a
Gift at her feet. The bargain with 81, Sh 10,
fras was concluded ott-hand, tor Count
Orlow never haggled In exchange for
the diamond (Which weighs 1876 carats,
and is valued at 81 500, 0ON Count Orlov
promised Shafras, on his return to Rus
STA. S35 900 down, an annuity Of $1,000,
and patent of nobility.
The Count kept his word; Shafras the
merchant became Lazarev the. gentle,
man, cashed his bills at the imperial
treasury, and drew $1,000 year for the
rest of his life, which, as usual with an
nnitants. was a very prolonged one.
Before he died he became one of the
richest men in Russia. With the. price
of the diamond he bought mines IN the
Oura, land in Bessarahia, and houses II
st. Petersburg. The "unearned incre-
ment" in thirty years made him ten times
a millionaire, and at the present time
his descendants, numbering, hundreds.
are all immensely rich Loris Melikov,
former Minister of the Interior, and
Delianov, at present Minister of Public
instruction, are grandchildren of the
Armenian LaZarev.