The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-12-05
MYSTERY OF A RUBY.

MYSTERY OF A RUBY.
Story OF a Gem Sold to Jeweler rn ia
maica by Cody Woman.
Toward the close of the year 1883
q oooiy woman who had recently
disenbarked from an Indian emi.
grant ship entered jewelers. shop
In the seaport town Of Montego Bay,
in Jamaica, and offered large. Pc
culiar looking stone for sale. She
was evidently unaware that any pe-
culiar value attached to it except
as curiosity and readily parted
with it for small sum.
The jeweler himself scarcely real
lied the Importance of the transao-
tion until, after the application of
severe tests, he found himself the
possessor of what appeared to be a
ruby of extraordinary size and great
value. His good fortune almost over
whelmed him, but he was a shrewd
and cautious man, a German, and
kept his secret His business, al
ready prosperous one, having in
creased, he removed to Kingston,
the chief town. and, taking his
brother into partnership, established
himself there. One fine morning a
few months later he took a steamer
to New York, ostensibly on a bust
ness trip. The jewel went with him.
Arriving there, he obtained reports
from experts on his treasure. All
assured him that the gem was gen
uine and of immense value. He then
cautiously opened negotiations with
the dealers. The result was almost
beyond his hopes, but not entirely
to his satisfaction. The highest sum
offered for his ruby was enormous,
but not equal to what he considered
to be its actual value. He sailed for
London, had reports from other ex-
perts and obtained other offers, but
still remaining unsatisfed, he re-
turned to Jamaica. He was now
keenly alive to the value of his pos
session and was by no means in
clined to part with it for sum be-
low its actual worth.
In the meantime his business af-
fairs in Jamaica had become compli.
Gated, and the branch bank in Ja-
maioa of the Colonial bank of Lon
don was threatening him with bank
ruptcy proceedings on account of
overdue bills of exchange. Once
more he sailed for London with the
ruby, and in order to stay the bank
ruptcy proceedings until he could
find purchaser, and as security for
his debt, he deposited the stone with
the bank. IT Is stated that prior to
the banks taking over the ruby as
security the stone was once more
submitted to an expert, and his re-
port was satisfactory. This, howev-
or, is denied by the bank officials,
and in the light of subsequent events
the denial is important.
Unable to find a purchaser willing
to give his price, the jeweler applied
for further advances on security of
the stone. The bank agreed, but
prior to handing over the money de-
oided to have another test made.
The stone was submitted to IA
nous jeweler Of London, and the re-
suit was surprising. He pronounced
the jewel to be merely paste and alb
solutely worthless. On this report
the bank returned the ruby to the
owner, refused the advance and ca
bled instructions to the Jamaica
branch to press the bankruptcy pro-
oeedings. This was done, and the
jeweler was declared bankrupt and
forced to leave the country. At the
present day he is living in one of
the American states, merely a work
man and practically a ruined man.
The jewel returned by the bank
was undoubtedly an imitation, and
but a clumsy imitation at that, but
here the mystery of this case arises.
The stone bought by the jeweler was
undoubtedly genuine. Experts of the
highest repute declared it to be so,
and dealers emphasized the opinion
by offers of hard cash. But the stone
as finally tested was merely, as the
expert stated, colored paste. That
the original stone was stolen and an
imitation substituted appears to be
the only solution. How or by whom
the substitution was effected has
never been discovered. The bank
officials were able to exonerate them
selves from all responsibility in the
matter, and the Scotland Yard au-
thorities declared that the theft
could not have occurred while the
stone was In the possession of the
bank. If stolen, the ruby has never
reappeared on the market, and it's
mystery seems as far from solution
as ever.-New York Sun.
The Snipe's Bill.
The bill of the snipe is provided
with nerve running down to the
tip and then distributing itself over
the end of the beak. This is the on.