Omaha daily bee., 1885-02-27
GEMS THAI GAMBLERS WEAR
Diamond : Bedecked sports Why
Ivory Speculators.lnvest Their
Cash in Stones.
New York World.

Chambers are among the beet custom
ers we have" said a well-known diamond
broker yesterday. "They buy better
stones than most people and pay better
prices. You see," he continued, they
buy only when Hush, and then a thorough
bred spsculator in worries will not stop at
q few hundred dollars"
"Why Ia 1t that gamblers are 30 fond
of diamonds7'
"Well, there are many reasons why
gamblers buy diamonds" was the reply.
"You see," he continued, "whenever a
man feels like a four-time winner he puts
what money he can into good stones.
These he knows have o permanent
value, and can be turned Into ready
cash with greater facility than any
other of his chattels. If che puts his
his money in real estate and wishes to
dispose of the later, days must elapse be
fore o sale can be made and the title
searched. Horses and carriages are la
BILE to injury and a depreciation In value,
but with diamonds it is different. Should
a man make a loser playing bank he can
obtain ready cash at a few hours notice
by selling or soaking his gems. 1t Is
the work of q few moments to test q
stone, and the gem soon has money
again.
O"Then, too, it must be rendered the
class of men of which we speak generally
have no settled habitAtion. They mi
CRATE from place to place. In moving
about they can carry their diamonds, and
are thus aeady for any emergency. They
could not carry houses and lots. Then,
again, they are, asa rule, men who like to
appear wealthy, and diamonds, it must
be confessed, do give a man the appear
ance of effluence."
"Who that you know has the most val
able diamond2' was asked of Mr.. E. M.
Cattle, who Was seen In his Office under
the Coleman house.
81 thin k that Sbeedy has," was the
reply. ''Mr. Sheedy has a great deal of
money invested In diamonds, many of
which are large and remarkable for their
purity. Some time ago he bought two
and had them set in gold bands for brace
let's for his wife. Each stone weighed ii
and the pair cost over So, 900. He
also purchased a pair of solitaire earrings
for Mrs. Sheedy that cost 81, 500. He
has a 5s-carat stone that he values at
$500. Gus Abel has a fine large stone
set In a ring that is valued at more than
Davy Johnson has one weigh
Ing nearly two carats in a ring In gypsy
Larry O'Brien has a cluster
scarf pin worth $500 and a ring valued at
the same. Matt Corbitt. who went to
New Orleans with Pat Sheedy, wears
So, 600 worth of firat.water gems. AL
Smith has several very fine diamonds.
Ned Jones wears o handsome old mine
stone in a heavy gold ring. Henry Nor
has an odd and valuable diamond.
sat locket. Marty Malone has several
fine gems set in rings and scarf-pins.
Bud Kirby has a large single stone In a
scarf-pin that always secures Bud a poso-
tlon as hotel clerk when his usual voca-
ton Is dull. Sam Emery and George
run over from Philadelphia
occasionally, and sometimes lend the rail-
road company their scarf-pins for locomo-
tive headlights. Johnnie Condor leads
Chicago sports In the diamond line.
Johnnie is worth 500, 900, and has many
thousands invested In diamonds, as has
also "Parson'' Davies.
Ridge LeVien has a large diamond set
In a ring, and 1t never fails to attract at
Little Charles Davis sports q
6ne cluster scarf-pin, as does Pete Della
coy. The latter has also a handsome dia-
mond ring. Peps Downey has two gems
Of the purest ray serene, and John Daily |
a Handsome solitaire scarf-pin.
"Look at these" and Mr.. Cattle drew
a secret pocket a package of unset
diamonds ranking In size from half a
carat to a carat aud a half ''These will
not be seld for some time. The actionof
the authorizes in suppresslng gambling
has had a had effect on business of all
kinds in this part of the city. The boys
have little cash to spare for investment,
aud, indeed, many are leaving this city
for other points. Those who remain are
dabbling In grain, and exc cut an exist
ence. All hands are awaiting the open
Of the racing season, and then the
lucky ones will probably buy more dia-
II- /