The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-05-24
ABOUT UNCUT DIAMONDS.

1t is difficult to place value on an
uncut diamond. Ii is irregular IN
shape and often 80 covered with un-
slightly flakes that 1t is impossible to
determine either it's size, weight, or
lustre, upon which its price depends.
But all gems, cut or uncut embody
great value in the smallest space.
There are multitudes OF precious
stones worth each from fifty thousand
dollars to half a million and yet so
small that lady might stuff fortune
oil them inside of her glove in the
palm of her hand.
/ recall the case of woman who had
been terribly disfigured in a burning
theatre her skinny fingers being drawn
tight down upon her palm. And yet
she made space between fingers and
palm 10 squeeze into her uncanny
clutch, while being inspected, an un-
cut gem, on which, had she eyaded the
eyes of the officer, she would have re-
allied an unlawful gain Of nearly $780,
900.
Uncut stones are frequently snug
gled into the country by stokers and
other common steamship hands. 1t
is a comparatively easy thing TO evade
the inspectors with handful OF
seeming pebbles, dumped, perhaps,
into a coal-hod, and still more dis
guised with the CRIME, the whole lot,
gems and coal, treated as If worthless,
until chance occurs to carry them
ashore. But such hands are some
times lordly members Of the bon-ton,
who, to replenish their funds, don
their broadcloths, don cotton jeans,
and shovel coal or wash decks for a
few voyages. One stoker was SO sue
cessful in smuggling that after two
years at the furnace mouth he retired
to an inland city, where he now lives
in grand style; but we could never
procure convicting evidence of his ras-
cality.
A lapidary is one whose trade it Is
to take diamonds in the rough, and
polish them to forms suitable for Or
naments. The Dutch are lapidaries Of
the world, and since the discovery Of
the South African diamond fields in
1867, Immigrants from Holland, skill
full in their trade, have caused the GUS
tom officials of America no little trou-
BILE. They seldom open their shops,
however, in cities along the seaboard.
Having always more or less smuggled
gems 10 cut, they dare not undertake
the work TOO near our chief offices, lest
our vigilance find them out. Hence in
land towns receive them, and their
agents and others having smuggled
stones to cut, steer for them immedi-
ately upon leaving the steamer.
TO cut, steer for them Immediately
upon leaving the steamer.
fGW n
from Chicago that certain Dutch lapid-
aries in that city had a surplus of stock
and it was believed that they had
agents on the seaboard and abroad en-
gagged in illegal business. This put us
on our mettle, for what the message
limited at we were sure Of, since we
were registering very few uncut gems
hence somebody must be entering
them unregistered. After considera-
BILE consultation, the case was placed
in my hands to ferret out
My first move was to obtain a rough
gem of low grade, though to a novice
1t seemed all right, and going to Chi
cago, hunted up the suspected
lapidaries, 10 whom l was totally un-
known, to have them cut it for me. I
pretended to have been a PENNSYLVANIA
at fabulous price as 'oil territory"
and tried to act like a green farmer
suddenly lifted out of his sphere. I
bossted of my wealth, and stated that
the diamond had cost me S., 900. At
ter examining it, the lapidary ex-
claimed:
''Gott in Himmel! how you vos got
sheated ven you bays fife tousan for
6Af Sec dot VlaUo Nn
Wort not file hunder dollar. Ware you
py dot sheat?"
| told him that bought it in Phila-
delphia, and appeared very much
grieved al its defects, but declared my
intention of venturing again, as I was
resolved TO own some rich diamonds.
1--we got the cash." ranted I, "and I'll
buy every jewel in Philadelphia but
III have some fine ones"
"Vell, now, mynheer, you not 20
Phlladelph TO py diamonds. We can
gif you Wrist water shewels. We has
pig shtock, SPLENDID gems, sheap."
"Whyw said |, where do you find
diamonds in Chicago? / thought they
came across the ocean from South
Africa, and landed at the seaports."
dot ish all right. Dey comes from
Sout Afric, but We has agents dare
an anoder on der shteamer, so We has
'em right away from dose mines. Com
dis way, l show you"
Following him, he showed me under
glass a magnificent display Of gems,
such as I had never seen in my rather
abundant opportunities as an official
In genuine wonder, / exclaimed:
why! you must have been years
collecting so many2n
"Nein. We sells many. Shanginp
shtock all der dime. Dem shtones
new. Not been fife monts in Am,
erica"
! did not buy of the Dutohman. bu
J crept so far into his greed and con
iidence that we went out and dranl
together, and l learned that theil
Tant was a deck hand on a oertafI
Saean steamer, and his name Vor
fSiiler. When departed. az he sup
oossd for San Francisco, he was QUIT
elusive.