Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1895-11-29

Nkmw-5 mine, bursting
I3ysb5 with goldE nuggets,
t,CGCJ] and sometimes it
is diamond mine.
Around the newly-found gold mine is
heard the old story of the dying Mexi-
can, who attempted to reveal the site,
but died in the attempt. This gives
the local coloring;" the scbemers
send out prospectors who dig a hole
and secretly bring valuable re(from'
genuine mine, and bury it. When the
gold ore is dug up the richness oil the
mine is proved-to the satisfaction OF
the Western investor, and he buys the
hole in the ground After this scheme
has been worked a while there ISL
lull and when the robbers have been
forgotten by the public new lost
Mexican mine is discovered. The same
old game is now being played in the
Molare Desert, for the benefit of the
wise men Of the East, many Of whom
seem to believe that gold grows as
the flowers that bloom in the spring
The false reports of these scheming
Dunco men bring out a number OF
pfospectors, restless mining men VINO
are ever hunting for the rich helds,
which, like the mirage they often see
In their wanderings. is ever beyond.
They trudge along over the sandy,
trackless desert and when their proyis-
ions are exhausted they sink from ex-
haustion, thirst and hunger and die on
the burning sands.
These false reports have whitened
the desert with the bones OF thousands
Of prospectors, besides causing the
financial ruin OF many too confding
Investors One of the most gigantic
schemes ever perpetrated in the far
West was the Great Diamond Swim
die" of quarter of a century ago. II
was Matched in San Francisco, with q
portion of the plot in Kentucky, The
San Francisco conspirators secured the
aid of Kentucky gentleman" one
Colonel Harpending." Some of them
purchased in London few bushels OF
crystals from the South Africa dia-
mond fields, and under the guise OF
prospectors, visited a remote portion
OF the desert. The expedition was con-
Quoted secretly and at night these dia-
monds were planted in a district of
several acres.
The schemers returned, located the
land as mining and mineral lands and
then kept quiet for several months.
Finally they sent out prospect
Ing" expedition to uncover the stuff,
as detectives would say.
: ..f +bo II 81 4 10 N, ~, dc
in the sands OF the desert soon reached
San Francisco The conspirators
shrewdly circulated the reports, yet
pretended that they knew nothing of
the facts. Specimen finds were exhib-
tied by experts and reported to be of
the "purest rays" The city was thrown
into fever of excitement and specula-
ton ran high. Many sold their mining
properties at a sacrifice, thus bearing
the market and running others, and
many mortgaged real estate and houses
in order to buy stock in the diamond
iieids', Millionaire spectators ac-
companied some of the spectators to
the fields, and with a spade they bur-
rowed in the sands and turned ND dia-
monds. So plentiful were they that
by digging with pocket knife dia-
monds were found. Some of these We're
worth from 500 to $500 each. They
had been carefully planted and locat-
ed by the conspirators, and these oc-
casional rich finds led to the belief that
there must be many others. One man
unearthed about a quart of these crys-
tails, greatly resembling diamonds, and
among them were several genuine
stones. There could be no doubt about
that-the millionaire's own expert was
on the ground and saw the diamonds
taken from the earth and pronounced
them to be without flaw
But the expert and the millionaire
were both deceiysd--as to how the dia-
monds came to be there. The million
aires took $4,000 worth of stock. On
their return to San Francisco the ex-
eitement grew into frenzy. Even the 4
late w. G. Ralston, then cashier Of the
Bank of California, was victim. 1t
is believed that he invested 500. 900.
Finally there was a quarrel among
the conspirators as to an equitable di- !
vision, for there is no such thing as
"honor" among a certain class. The
diamond bubble burst, the conspiracy
was exposed. In the meantime the
"Kentucky colonel was Suddenly
called East" He had invested about
100000 in new Kentucky home, and
had purchased all the lands adjoining
and was preparing to enjoy himself as
feudal lord. Lawyers and detectives
were sent on to interview the colonel
amid his palatial surroundings and
they finally induced him to disgorge a
portion Of the money.
Some of the California conspirators,
however, could not be forced to dis
gorge, as they worked somewhat in
the background. They, however. soon
left for New York, where a few of them
yet remain, working their California
mining stock on gullible public.
She Took 1t!