Morning journal and courier., 1890-10-08
DIAMOND DRUMMERs.

Every Precautfon Taken to Prevent
 Thieves Stealing Valuable Gems.
 From the New York Herald.l
 ''Do carry any great sum of money in diamonds with me on my trips through the countryl Do you call hundred thou sand dollars any great sum. Well, have frequently carried that amount inside my vest in loose diamonds" said a salesman of one of the largest wholesale diamond houses in the country. ''Ten you how I carry such valuable s.ones. Well, I don't know as it makes any particular differ ence, although it is a subject about which few diamond men like to talk.
 ssI have been in the business now over fifteen years,m continued the salesman, settling himself comfortably in a big arm chair, lighting cigar and sending grace full clouds of smoke curling towards the ceiling. s'I don't think it's a very hard life, us living goes, though somewhat of a dangerous one, as you are known to many crooks and frequently run the risk of a desperate attack through the mistaken no ion that yon zn about the city at night with diamonds on your person. l have had several little scIimmages, but have al wtNS lududpctl ID StNc lllN CAlllOuuS.
 "Now, in telling you how I carry loose diamonds, I am speaking orly of unset stones. Men who have set stones have tl lnks and boxes made especially for that purpose and are tolera5le safe, except in hotels where sneak thieves can get in or crooks follow you, taking the adjoining room and coming into your bedroom while you are asleep. You wake { ) find reyol- yer against your head and gloved hand over your mouth. \ confederate goes through the trraks, as such thieves nearly always work in pairs, and before you can extricate yourself from the well tied cords and gag after the thieves have gone they have too much the start of you to be ever caught.
 ''When filst began on the road used to carry the stones in a chamois belt lined with silk around my waist next to the skin. This was not only uncomfortable, but troublesome to get at when I arrived at hotel and wished to deposit the stones in q safe. Now my tailor always lines my vest after peculiar fashion of my own, continued he, opening his vest and show tug four large pockets attached to the lin ing of the front of the vest. "You SC, the lining is of very strong material, ana sewed to the first lining of the vest witl the best of thread. The four pockets ar simply the two usual pockets with a dou ble seam in the middle div iding them. O course they are made somewhat larger, sl that the pocketbooks holding the dia monds will exactly fit them. The pocket books are hooked with a spring to close ly woven, finely tempered steel chain tha is attached to light but strong bel around the waist. Even if a pickpocke succeeded in getting hold of one of tn books he could not go off w.th it on ac count of the chain. Some men hav' pockets put on the inside of the iron waistband of their trousers, but I prefe these in my vest The whole secret of tn thing is to get the books as near the per son as possible, as you can feel them al the time.
 'sNow for the pocketbooks that hold tn papers of diamonds. Here is one. Yo see it is two pieces of close grained, rathe stiff leather. joined by more pliable piec of leather, so as to admit of doubling on over the other. These two thin strips c steel across the two backs, as We wall ca them, are finished in the front of the boo with two holes to admit of the hook O the steel chain catching through them an so holding them strong and safe. The in side is of Russian leather, tw.ce as long 8 the back of the book, SC as to double owe the papers of diamonds. Each side of th pocketbook wil usually hold four paperi but have mine made so that they wi hold six, as I frequently have extra larg quantities to take w.th me.
 "Now, last but not least" said the sale. man, opening one of the papers of dis monds by unfolding it twice, opening tn ends and then lifting the last fold off c the third fold, on which rested the dis monds, in much the same way as e drug gist folds papers for prescription powders with the exception of turning the ends il before taking the second fold, "this out side paper is, as you see, of the very bes quality linen paper, but not too stiff, an an eighth of an inch larger than the insid sheet of tissue paper that holds the dis monds.
 ''The rea ,,ation size for the outsid sheet is eight by ten inches, which whel folded up makes package two and hal inches long and an inch and a half wide As place the papers in the box rubbe band holds each indi, idual paper in it place, and second and stronger rubbe band holds the two flap ends of the inne book over the papers.
 Pretty dangerousi Well, not a bit mon so than hundreds of other callings. Tn pay is good, the company is good, and i you keep your weather eye open it is al easy, pleasant life"