The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-02-22
A DIAMOND STORY.
The Glover Work Now Accomplished hy
Dishonest Lapidaries.

"
A well known diamond dealer, who
has become m expert from many years
handling of precious stones, was near
~ taken in II few days ago by Il shrewd
diamond shark, whose new scheme de-
serves attention, as it is likely to be at
tempted in some other quarter. The
dodge consists in trying to palm off a
clcvcrlv ''doctorcd' diamond rs Il very
valuable stone and IN telling u plausible
and picturesque story to give it coun-
tenancc.
Tho short, stout man, with a grizzlcd,
gray mustachc, who tried to victimizo
the jewclcr in question, brought TO him
an clcgant-looking solitaire ring. pur-
porting to contain a diamond of unusual
size and brilliancy. 10 the eye even
of the expert the stone looked all right,
and the man tried hard 10 make q bar
gain with him ut once, without pro
cceding II further. AS it looked, the
| diamond was easily worth E2O0, and
the man, who told II talc of dire neces'
sitv, offered to sell it for G10O.
The story of the diamond as told by
the man. who gave the name of Charles
Iiarwood, WAS that it belonged origin
| ally 10 The Grand Duke Alexis of Russia.
In December 1871. when the Grand
Duke, who was young and handsome,
attended the reception given in his
honor in The Academy of Music. an
episode ACQUIRED that attracted consid-
cradle attention at the time and has
been much talked Of since.
Some timc after the promenade, and
when everything was IN motion, the at
tcntion OF the Dulc. who had gone up
stairs with two of tho gentleman Of the
committee, was attracted by a lady in
ono of the corner rows of curtaincu
balcony boxes. There were but two
ladies in the box, one of them an elder
" lady and the other Il tail, beautiful
young oma about 20 years of age,
who had remarkably fine eyes, which
could not fail TO be noticed.
The Grand Duke expressed Il desire to
be introduced, which was soon gratiiicd,
and after standing for a few moments
III front Of the box he asked permission
to 90 inside. In Il little while he asked
tic lady to 90 on the promenade, and
otherwise showed his pleasure ut meet
ing her, but She mildly and persistcntly
| refused.
AS he rose to go, tho Duke, holding
her hand Il moment and slipping from
one of his fingers n diamond ring, pre-
scutcd i, to her and asked her TO keep
il rs Il souvenir of the occasion. The
lady did so, and kept it for several
years, until ut last sho fell INTO reduced
circumstances and determined to get
rid OF tho ring in spite of its associa-
lions.
Such, in substance, arc the facts Of an
occurrence upon which the man 18th
the diamond to sell told his story. He
represented that The diamond he had
was the one given to tins lady, and he
endoavorcd very clearly TO trace its his
tory to her. The jcwcler, however. in
sisted upon removing the stone from the
allowed him to do.
The mans willingness to do this very
nearly threw the icwclcr of his guard
at the last moment. especially rs upon
removing The stone he could see nothing
wrong with it. Taking up Il microscope.
however, he was able TO detect, with II
close scrutiny. Il slight variation in the
| quality and texture Of The stone between
the middle portions and The ends.
Then he held the stone near n lamp,
and i'll Il few minutes the whole nature
% Tie ingenious fraud dawncd upon
him. y small real diamond of inferior
quality formed the top and bottom, and
4 tiUn piece of crystal had been sand
wicicd between chem, adding nearly
ten times 20 the value OF the stone. 1t
mad been 50 c.nVcvly and ingrniouSly
put together with Il c1lor.css ccmcn!
that il was almost beyond the . cr OF
detection. The man, of coarse, express,
Ci surprise. and asserted that The dia-
nond WAS just as he received it.--ItG-
hiES.