Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-04-07
STOLEN DIAMONDS
some cuRIoslTlEs OF THE so,,ru
AFRICAN TRAFFIC IN ILLICIT erme

schemes and Articles n, H.,
1's'ernity' the Il D. B."-Hov s,o,.,,
o'""''s Reach Europe Some Ipterss,,,.
e''r'e'--fhe Dying Digger.
.,h ~ Matthews, an English practitionar
6aiJ sPent many years in the diamond
In En w looIeh Afrca, has just published
~ England book ON the subject An
aiieeIlesting part Of his book b that xybich
d;a, WIN the development of the great
schao digging industry, and the
f rata.Is ana articles Of that rascaIIv
h,s.e liity, the |. ID. b., or Illicit diamond
IN S eas. mere is saying that five years
H. ,'ou.h AFRICA Is sufficient to corrlInt
~ iiosI immaculate, and that a man
he ho lac nsed there for seven should not
,a,, DIaieVeu upon his oath. DIR. Matthews'
aaY;,.l asioiis certainly give color to the
jayr, 20, -, zceoIaing to tbs account, the
lev h. pa.s ~ the community of Kimber-
nm = anlAeu up In this nefarious traffic.
aware, are sorted out of diaTnond;far, 70
STUN by native hands" Some ~ thaas
ilands are probably in the pay Of tbe ' fra'
ternity. A fine stone is turned nm hy &C :.
Oh them when nobody Il IoolriYo, IL
SEXES 1t, hides it in his hair. in his month
" IN some other portion of his nFrs1,a
VI II a goat lie handy he twists it in bia
WOOL, and tends the animal affectionate1v
III an opportunity occurs Of redeers mo
inc stone. Or, pcrchance, he conceaIs f
gelilhd a rock, or forces it down fbe
throat OF dog, or, Homeric device he
swallows It himself. The gem BEING re-
stored 70 the light Of day from its bidino
pillce' Whatever it may have beep-and
many diamond now sparkling on a
i1uJ neck has made acquaintance with
siie stolhach OF Kafir-the dusky thief
~ d1e course puts himself in conrnlIri-
eaeeu WIN another native Of a superior
CLASS ms man is tout IN the nav of a
~" WI1te mana mean white" as he
Is called in the colonies.
HOW 1T Is DONE.
The tout buys the stone for. LET ma cav
hundredth part of its value and fba
thlef spends the money in the vile drink
winch 1t Is the peculiar pride Of civil
izatlon to supply to the unsophisticated
savage, and, so far as he is concerned
there Is an end Of the transaction. Then
the tout carries the stone to the "nean
white and receives from him a sum of
money, perhaps double what he has
gwen to the actual thief. The "mean
whlte" IN his turn takes it to the licensed
buyer OF diamonds, who is possibly a
person OF glazing and even aggressive
responsibilities church warden or A
member Of the municipality, or at least
merchant of good antecedents-and
from MN receives perhaps tenth part
OF the worth Of the gem. So far so
gooa' out sun there are slips between
the cup and the lip, and it is sometimes
found dltncult TO convey the stuff out of
the country TO the final receiver in Lon
don. To this end many articles are re-
sorted to. Innocent looking fowling
| pieces, on examination, have been found
TO be loaded with diamonds to within an
inch of the muzzle, while such depos-
ltor1es as novels with holes cut in the
! leaves, the quilts of ostrich feathers and
| boots with hollow heels are not unco1n-
mon.
Often the fair sex are found to be use
| ful auxiliaries in thess adventures, for
there is q peculiar sacredness about a
| ladys Undertaking that appeals to the
| mind of the customs officer. The man
| would be bold who merely ventured on
/ her back hair. However this may be,
1 by far the greater number Of stones 50
| procured arrive safely in Europe. Most
| people will naturally think that the ma
! tive rascal who takes the stone is respon-
| slble for this state OF things, but IN is not
/ the case. The native never dreamed Of
stealing diamonds until he was taught t
! thieve by the white receiver Of stole1
| goods.