Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-04-23
LOSING DIAMONDS.
CURIOUS METHODS OF DEFRAUD-
ING TIE MINING COMPANY.

ING TIE MINING COMPANY.
!, You say no one is allowed t,
either enter or leave the fenced en-
Viron Of the mine without permit?'
, "That is so," replied Mr.. Atkin
I son; "yOu see, if we were not very
strict in enforcing this rule, the
{ number of diamonds we should lose
r would be enormous. There is, how.
ever, one exception: we never stOI
minister of any denomination
from entering at any time"
81 believe you lose great many
precious stones, do you not ?"
We reckon" said Mr.. Atkinson.
although we take every preCaution,
that exactly one quarter of the dia-
monds found in our mines are
stolen"
"Can you tell me how this is man
aged ?"
There are endless methods of
defrauding the company" said Mr..
Atkinson, Zone very common
among the natives is to swallow the
stone A short time ago one of these
gentlemen lowed diamonds
weighing two hundred and ten car
ats, and valued at over one thousand
pounds. One day l was watching
number of men sorting over the
background, when suddenly the
oVerseer rushed up and seized man
by the throat, but it was too late :;
he gave gulp, and the stone was
gone. Then another way the natives
have is to cut hole in their flesh
and bury the diamonds in it.
When the worker leaves the
mine no other man is allowed near
him, either behind or in front, so
that he may have no chance of pass
ing stone to a confederate. / re-
member one day man coming out
of the mine, told the overseer that
the workman who was following him
and happened to be his brother, had
found large diamond; consequently,
directly he appeared he was searched.
1t was discovered that he had con-
cealed in his loin cloth a stone
weighing 42S l-2 carats. That man
was tried and sentenced to six years.
Imprisonment. We use our con-
victs to sort the blue ground for the
third and fourth time for diamonds,
and when l tell you among other
things we allow these cOnvicts a
minimum of three quarters of a
pound of meat day, besides soup,
l think you will own they are not
badly used"
How do the natives get rid of
the stones they steal ?" asked.
"There are at the Cape a set of
men known as tn l. ID. BIS, that is,
Illicit diamond buyers, who lay them
selves out to purchase the stolen jew
els; of course, there is heavy pen
atty attached to their conviction,
but so profitable is this business that
there are any number of men ready
to run the risk. L will tell you of
a most curious occurrence / once
witnessed to illustrate this. / was
watching the department of a gang
OF convicts by train, and among
them / recognized man who had
just received sentence of seven
years. penal servitude for Illicit dia-
mond buying: he was marching in
single file with the other prisoners,
while on the other side of the fence,
separating the cOnvicts from the
public, stood magnificent carriage,
whose occupants. three ladies dressed
in the height of fashion, were wav-
ing adieu. These three ladies
turned out to be the illicit diamond
buyers wife and daughters.
The detective department never
arrests man for the first offenSe
but if he is suspected of buying
stolen jewels, black man is got to
offer him some stones and if he
buys them, the same native goes to
him the second time, and if he again
becomes purchaser, he is sent the
third time, and makes an appoint.
ment to meet him in certain house
Should he keep the appointment, he
is taken into room that either has
a false wall or a grating in the cell
ing, from one Of which positions two
detectives will watch the transaction
and directly the buyer has paid foi
the diamond and has it in his posses.
sion, the detectives enter the room
and seize him."
What do you do to encourage
the honesty of your workpeople ?'
asked.
"The natives" replied Mr.. Atkin
E son, "if they find stone, are givel
, per cent. Of it's value, while tn
overseer receives q per cent. Whel
: a native finds stone in the mine h
, is expected at once to hand il owe
to the overseer, who takes it to tn
, manager Of the mine, receiving il
exchange a certificate stating tn
; weight Of the stone and the name O
: the finder. We also give the con
, victs who search the background 2
r per cent. on the value of stones the,
a find"
E,NERX human hninn il Intnndn