Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-05-22
Diamond Stealing.
rsrrnr THIEVES IN TIE ploONos.

Diamonds. n most people will b
aware. are sorted out by Ksihr "hands.
A fine stone is turned up by one Of then
when nobody !. looking. lie ssires IL
hide. IL In hi. hair. In his mouth. or II ,
goat lie handy. he twists Il In bis WOO
aud tends the animal sffectiona,,ly till
an opportunity occurs Of redeeming the
stone. Or perchanee he conessls !, be-
hind a rock, OF forces Il down the throat
Of dog. or be swallows II himself.
The gem being restored TO the light Of
day from ia hiding.plaee. whatever Il
may have besn-snd many a diamond
nov sparkling on lsdy's neck has made
acquaintance with the stomach OF q
K.fhr-,he dusky thief In due course
put. himself in communication With an
other native Of q superior class. This
man /, toa, in the pay Of low white
man "mesn white" as he !. called
in the colonies. The tout buys the
stone for. let no say. a hundred,h psr, Of
i,s value. and the thief spends the money
on the vile drink which |, Is the peealir
pride Of civilization to supply TO the un-
sophisticated savage. and. 80 far |. be !,
concerned. there !. an end Of the trans.
action. Then the tou, carries the stone
TO the mean white. aud receives from
him . sum Of money. perhaps double
what be Ia. given 10 the actual thief.
The mean white In bis turn takes !, TO
the licensed buyer Of diamonds, who i'
possibly . person Of glsring and even AZ.
gre,sivc rspee,abili,y-a church warden
or member Of ,hs municipality, OF At The
lsa., merchant Of good Ahiseedenu-
and from him receives. perhaps. tenth
par, Of the worth Of the gem.
No f.r 90 good but still there are
slip. between the cup and the lip, and !,
4. sometimes found difficult 10 convey
the stuff oa, Of III. eoaniry 20 the hnal
receiver in London. To this end many
articles are re,or,ed 10. We have heard
Of innocen,.lOoking fo~lins pieces. which
on examination. have been found 10 be
loaded With diamonds TO within an inch
Of the murIle. while such repositories as
novel. with holes Gu, In the leaves, the
quill. Of ostrich feathers, and boots with
hollow heels. are no, uncommon. Often
the fair ,eI are found 10 be useful autili.
are. ia these adventures. BY hr the
greater number Of stones 50 procured AZ.
rive safely in Europe. Mos, people will
naturally think ths, the native rascal
Who take. the stone. is responsible for
ihi. state Of things, bu, IL !. no, the
case. The native. a. !, well known.
never dreamed Of stealing diamonds un-
Ill be W. taught TO thisve by the white
receiver Of stolen goods. and after bis
simple virtue had been debauehed by
"C.pe smoke" More especially s this
true Of native. Of the Zulu race. among
whom. when they are as ye, uneon,,mi.
mated by civilization, honesty !. universal.
d. Matthew. tell. some interesting
tale. Of the I. d. u. (llliei, Dsmond
Bayer) fraternity. In the dead Of q
certain nigh, IN the year 1872 he wa.
reused from .lsep and confronted by =
trembling and middle-aged ei,itsn Of the
feds. who informed him ih., he had
swallowed . thirty cara, diamond and
two ,over,ign.-ja., TO show his friends
bow the ,eoundrel. did Il, and was now
anIioa. to b. rid Of these foreign sub
stances. which had presumably begun 10
disagree. Ultimately they were recover.
ed. and the happy citizen departed with
the diamond, leaving the gold in pay.
ment OF course, thi, man had disposed
Of the diamond under immineni fear Of
detection bu, Why he took the two
.o,er,isn.. no, knowing We eanno, say.
some people, by the way. ,PPsar to be
able TO swallow very large stones, Tor so
lately n las, year native dying under
suspicious circumstances, bis body was
opened. and a 'iI,y.elrs, stone WAS found
Ia hi, stomach.