The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
CELEBRATED DIAMOND FRAUD.
Bushels of Kimberly stones Were
"SaIted" in the Great western Desert
From the Philadelphia Times

"SaIted" in the Great western Desert
From the Philadelphia Times.
About once every decade schemers. ard
bunco operators in mining claims come
to the front. Sometimes it is the d,scoy-
cry Of lost Mexican mine, bursting
with gold nuggets, and sometimes it is
diamond mine. Around the newly found
gold mine is heard the old story Of the
dying Mexican, who attempted to reveal
the SITE but died in the attempt This
gives the local coloring;" the schemers
send out prospectors, who dig a hole
and secretly bring valuable ore from a
genuine mine and bury it, When the good
ore IS dug up the richness of the mine is
proVed-to the satisfaction of the wesf-
ern investor, and he buys the mole in
the ground. After this scheme has been
worked for while there is a lull and
when the robbers have been forgotten
by the public new lost Mexican mine
is discovered. The same old game is now
pelng played in the Mojave des erj, Tor the
Denent or the wise men of the east, many
oil whom seem to believe that god
grows as the flowers that bloom IN ms
spring. me false reporS of these schcm-
ing ounce men bring out q number Of
prospectors, restless mining men, who are
ever hunting for the rich fields which
ike the mirage they often see in their
Wanderings, are ever beyond. They trudve
along over the sandy, trackless desert
ana when their provisions are exhaus.pi
they sink from exhaustion hirst ana
munger, and die on its burning sands
Ihese false reports have Whitened the
desert with the bones of thousands of pros
pectors, besides causing the financial ruin
OF many too contding investors. one of
the most gigantic swindles ever perpetrat-
ed IN the far west was the Great Diamond
SWlndie' of a quarter of century ago
IL was Matched in San Francisco, with a
portion OF the plot in Kentucky. The San
Francisco conspirators secured the aid Of
a Aentucky gentleman" one tCoI HAIR
pending Some of them purchased in
London Few bushels of crystals from
the South Africa diamond fields and I'M
der the guise of prospecIors visited re-
mote portion of the desert. The expedition
was conducted secretly, and at night these
diamonds We're planted in district of
several acres.
The schemers returned. located the land
as mining and mineral lands and then
Kept quiet Tor several months.
Finally they sent out a prospecting
expedition TO uncover the stuff as de-
tectfNcs would say.
Reports of the discovery of diamonds ~,
the sands of the desert soon reached San
francisco. The consDirators at this end
shrewdly circulated the reports. vet pre-
tended that they knew nothing of the
Facts. Specimen finds We're examined by
experts and reported to be of the 'prest
rays. The city was thrown into a fever
of excitement and speculation ran high
Many sold their mining properties All a
sacrifice, thus bearing the market and
running others, and many mortgaged real
estate and houses in order to buy stock In
the diamond fields"
Millionaire spectators accomDanied
some or the conspirators to the fields ana
with spades they burrowed in the sand ana
turned up diamonds. So plentiful were
they that by digging with a pocket knife
alamohds were found. Some of these were
worth from 800 10 $500 each They Mad
been carefully planted and located 6v the
conspirators. and these occasional rieh
hnds Ted 10 the belief that there must be
many DINERS. one man uuearthed about
q quart OF these crystals. Greatly regang-
nllnE diamonds. and among them were set-
efal genuine stones. There could b. ia
doubt about that-the millionaire own
expert was an the ground ana saw M