The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-04-16
DIAMOND POLICE.


4 The diamond police of South Africa
/ form wonderful institution, a gentlemen
lately from the diamond mines at Cape Col
ony said, They are appointed by the Gov.
srnment and are ineorruptible, although
rou may hardly believe that. John Fry
! their chief, is most remarkable man, and
has the best memory of any one have even
met. He was formerly Judge. His pres
ent position is one of the greatest import
ance in South Africa. He is about SO years
of age, and very quiet in his manner. He
has under him many white detectives, each
Of whom employs forty or fifty black men
and women to aid him in discovering the
shefts of diamonds from the mines"
. Are many diamonds stolen y
. In the thirteen years that the diamond
mines around the cape have been worked,
more than $1S, 900, 900 worth of diamonds
have been stolen The miners are Caffres,
who steal the diamonds every chance they
get. Take, for Instance, the diamond mines
OF Kimberly, which are two miles in Diane
ter In them are forty or fifty mining COM
panies and nearly 10000 miners and other
employees. The diamonds are embedded
in dark-colored rock which is blasted out.
The fragments containing the gems are
spread ont on level field and Lett to the
action of the atmosphere. In few weeks
The rock crumbles away and the diamonds
are gathered. In blasting out the rock there
are often found free diamonds, which the
miners try to steal. The Caffres are divided
into little squads of fifteen, which are under
the charge of awhile oyerseer, who never
turns his back to them. If one of the CAT.
fres can pick up q free diamond without be-
ing seen, he swallows it. That is the only
way they can conceal it, MS they are search
ed before and after they go into the mines
!" Where are they searched ~ ~.
. In houses built for the purpose. When
man goes to work he first enters the search
houses, as they are called, where he is CON-
PEELED to remove all his garments, and to
put on canvas trousers and jacket, which
have no pockets in them. On their return
from work they are again searched, after
which they are allowed to change the canvas
suit for their own clothes. The searchers
receive $40 a week salary. But these pre-.
cautions by no means prevent the stealing
Of diamonds. II is impossible to entirely
prevent the stealing. but the precaution,
keep the stealing down to very large or.
tent. The searching, however, is only
small matter compared with the other pre
cautions.
: What are they ~
:" Unless the diamonds can be disposed Of
after they are stolen there is little good in
stealing them, and toward preventing the
sale of stolen diamonds the diamond police
have done much. Each diamond buyer
seller, cutter, and broker must have Ii
cense from the Government. The licensed
diamond buyer must keep n register, in
which he is required TO enter the size
weight and appearance of each diamond
TINT he buys, the name of the person from
whom he buys it, and the price paid. He
ls6afd tha i se tl and tie naas Of the
person to whom he sells It, If he is sus-
pected of buying stolen diamonds. the dia.
mond police quietly seal up his place and
compare his stock aud the records on the
register. If they do not tally, and it is APP
parent he has been buying stolen diamonds.
he Is sent to prison TO awnit trial. II he is
convicted he may be sentenced anywhere
from Ave years to twenty years imprison-
ment, II a man buys or sells diamonds
without a license he is subject to the same
penalty" a