New-York tribune., 1896-06-21
DIGGING FOR DIAMONDS.
THE STRINGENT LAWS AT THE MINE

THE STRINGENT LAWS AT THE MINES
From St Paurs
or course the expenses Of company owning
oiock OF ',alns are en"rnops; am arg numoe.
dividend arrives The expense and difficulty 0.
away the rowdy element to be found in our Wost-
Such dirgers have remained on the fields since
OF the rsc they then led d the happies they have
Known. Then each would peg out his claim
and go to work therein with pick aHd shovel. de-
pending scarcely at all upon the uncertain help OF
tackled the hard. pcbbly soil IN which the diamond
was imprisoned. and in primitive way washed"
tho soil for diamonds They are not 10 be picked
up walking through tlc streets or over the doors
Ia Illegal TO own diamond unless one Is a claim
holder or licensed buyer. II private individual
must first obtain permit from the authorizes.
These precautions VIII be seen 10 be necessary
tho facility with which Il can be concealed and
the uncertainty regarding It's existence make It a
classes 1t is therefore against the law for any one
even II licensed buyer, 10 purchase diamond
from any one not claim-holder. unless he can
The law has become so stringent and the detec-
l. ID. BIS Gllicit diamond buyers. for it is a
ter OF .hfteen years hard 10 be convicted OF buy
was passed many went away rich I'm few years
who could not possibly have made their pile" in
any legitimate business in that length OF time
Men who have been suspected for years but have
managed 20 evade detection have been pouncei
upon by detectives at most unexpected moments
but the temptation Is 80 strong that. despite the
penalty, the practice stlll goes on but TO a smaller
extent than before.
1t was astonishing to find how often the culprit
turned out To be man In good and respons bic
position. and often the very who were the
loudest in the denunclation OF the crime them
selves practising IT, The writer was in n cafe one
evening. when there VAS sudden hush followed
by startled buzz of conversation and he he
the name of wcll-known man. followed BY the
word "detecttves.' man standing near. who
suspected OF carrying the same trade be-
and. with n careless laugh. said. Serves him
right" then continued In scarcely audible tone
what fool not TO be more CAREFUL" Before the
writer left the camp that same man was working
In convict dress.
Detectives themselves have been tempted to
dabble In the trade. and have been trapped. and
are now working In convict dress by the side OF
fascinating trade OF gems offers great temptations
10 the weak -willed and 1t takes IA certain amount
OF bulldog courage, combined with caution and
patience. to continue in this dangerous business.
on mail days great envelopes OF dia monds are
sent to London. Some OF these packages contain
nawl as diamonds: others smoky diamonds used IN
machinery Tor polishing and cutting the stones;
others. again, would contain stones of all coors,
sizes and purity. one package worth many
thousands or pounds. contains yellow diamonds
selected stones In size color and purity. Those OF
yellow tinge are bought and worn by the Fast
Indians.
The pure white stone is OF more value than the
yellow, because not 50 plentiful 1t is strange
fact that these diamond merchants seldom wear
diamond jewelry: they prefer rubies coras to
| the too common gem. the diamond
The mines have now drfted into the hands Of q
| few large companies. apd the Transvaal is the
Eldorado to which all eyes In Africa are turned.