The Yellowstone journal., 1894-12-31
8z4d1aRMH5 81ll4;M5
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A PARTISAN DIAMOND TRICK.
The swindler Substituted an Imitation Fc
o. Gem Before the jewelers. Eyes.


One of the foreign travellers of ia /
nous jewelry house in this city has just
returned from his annual trip abroad. !
and upon reading of clever shoplifter'
trick executed here told Of bold and
clever diamond robbery in Paris that
borders on nigh art
The swindle was perpetrated in dia
mond shop on the Rue de la Paix, one
of the busiest centers of the trade III
Paris. A stranger came in and told the
proprietor that he had found stone
amung his family effects which had
been there great many years. and the
value of which he was anxious to know.
Hesaid he didn't suppose it could bC
worth very much, as otherwise 1t would
not be found among his family posses
sions The jeweler took the diamond
out of the soiled paper i'll which the
stranger brought it, and examining ii
closely with strong glass seemed sur
prised. Hesitating moment, he stepped
into his private office to show IL To an
other expert Returning. he said:
why, sir. that is not only good
stone but remarkably clear one and
very valuable
The stranger laughed incredulously
remarking lightly: Nonsense; II may
be a fine imitation, but certainly not
real diamond, for how would it get into
the possession of my family, who were
always poor? And how could II lie
among our effects undisturbed for -
many years.!
The jeweler assured him that il Ger
tainly WI, diamond and gem Of the
first water and added that If the owneI
would leave it for day or two he would
show the stone To other jewellers and get
their opinion. The owner agreed To this
and two days later called again. The
diamond merchant promptly repeated
his assertion as to the purity Of the
stone and added that it was worth al
least IS, 600 francs.
Well " the owner replied, Il cant
believe yo" yet. for am certain IL must
be an imitation. no matter how good II
looks but want to sell it, and. if yol
are willing to buy it. how much will
you pay for il and take your chances or
the stone,''
well, under the circumstances | vii.
give 1000 francs for the stone " the
merchant replied.
And when can get the money 81
your check for it,''
"You may call in day or two.
The jew-ler was not novice in busi
ness Moreover he was a Partisan OF
the purest type. and in matters Of busi
ness was ~ shrewd ~ any of his brothe'
merchants in that busy city. He tool
no chanoes, and. ~ make doubly sure
% ha INIT tho ssy u,aro Of
again, and in the interval not only re
moved all possible doubt ~ TO the gen
uineness of the stone, but also found al
least two very willing purchasers at q
handsome advance over what he had Of
fered. Therefore when the stranger paid
his final visit the Jeweler had the STONE
In his safe and with it a check all fill
ed out. As the Jeweler turned 10 han,
the check over t. the stranger the lat
ter said, with half a sigh:
well, If must part with it, let ms
have one last look at it y
The check still lay on the counter a
the stranger picked mp the paper con
tanning the gem and slowly opened it
folds Then, after long look, with ;
heavy sigh he folded the paper agaiI
and handed it back to the joweler.
As the lewelei started to make out ;
receipt for the money the stranger said
Now, il II not very clear in my mint
that this Can be a genuine stone, and a
am very peculiar about some thing
please make your receipt read. 'Receive'
for one imitation stone :, 900 francs,
for can never believe that our famil.
ever posse1sed anything else.
''Thst is strange popularity o
yours, the jeweler replied, but
don't know that it makes much differ
snce."
The receipt was made out rs the stran
ger desired, who signed it, and the jew
eler deposited the paper containing tn
stone with the receipt once more in tn
drawer Of his safe.
The following day friend oalled, tn
recent purchase was spoken Of, and tn
paper containing the stone was brough
out. As the jeweler took ont the ston
his face grew pale
mon Dieup' he cried. my money
my mon
The cios2r he now examined the ston
the more evident it grew that the ston
was really an imitation after all, and q
be sank down in his chair and read tn
wording of his receipt and then recalle
al the circumstances and how the straI
ger took one last long look ut the trea,
ore il became clear D him that in ths
moment he was robbed and an imitatio
bubstituted for the good stone befo'
his very eyes.-New York Sun.
johann Strauss Today.
Johann Strauss is an old and de.rep
man tSday. hut with his 90 yeais !
y L.. IL rIx.., no.