The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-08
Associate Presidents.
DIAMONDS MAY BE DoCroRED.
A SISiIIfuI Artist Can Make n Fort
une-HOw the Shah Was Fooled.


From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
With the arrest Of Mrs. r. E. Roberts.
in Washington, D. c., recently, a clever
fraud which, for many years has been
dormant, has again been revived, and will
probably induce some smart rascal to
turn his skill to that direction. Mrs.
Roberts was caught in the attempt to
sell ''doctored' diamonds, and but for the
suspicion of the would-be purchaser
would have Melted a big profit The dia-
monds which Mrs. Roberts tried to dis
pose of were cheap yellow stones which
had been skillfully colored.
Diamond experts say that stones can he
so skillfully colored that detection is next
to impossible; that there is a mint of mon
ey in such a scheme for the man who can
do the coloring cleverly, and at the same
time use discretion in the disposition of
his goods.
And yet so perfect are the relations be-
tween the importers and dealers in these
precious stones that the thing has no,
been attempted, commercially speaking.
within the memory of the oldest expert
The stones selected for this treatment
are yellow stones of poor grade, in whose
cutting little care has been empoyed. The
f1ne stones are usually cut into what is
known as the knife edge but in the vel
to find rough edges over which the cuttar
has glided carelessly.
1t IS these rough edges, so to sneak
which the diamond colorist selects for his
manlpulatlons. BY means of touch ever
so in1nitesimal, of aniline dive he is able
to impart to the yellow stone the bean
tful ttnts which distinguish the white
and more valuable diamond. When II is
remembered that the white stone with its
iridescent blush radiance, is worth more
than twice the yellow diamond, the sight
ncance of the color scheme is at once an
parent.
Purple is the most effective color for this
deception Laid on with a fine brush and
then coated over with preparation of
glue and other substances 1t Will success
Iully resist the action Of alcohol. which
Is ordinarily relied upon by diamond deal
erS 70 uncover frauds of this kind.
That this deception is not more exten-
slYely practiced is to the updyiner credit
OF the diamond trade. This is a businesS
which first, last and all the time mnst
proceed upon confidence Importers get
thelr diamonds IN packages direct from
the european cutters, and the goods are
never known to fall below the grade in
come. tney
It will easily be comprehended. how
ever that an expert colorist couId with
out fear of detection so manipuIafe mt
rlor stones as to realize large profits frono
inexpert but confiding customers. ia
mere is a story current that a number
OF apparently magnificent white stones
were once purchased by the shan If paT
sla, Who when they were brought 70 him
was engaged in the discussion of an an
American cocktail. His majesty. while
holding one Of the stones between thumb
any niger Tor better scrutiny, inadver-
tentiy dropped 1t into the cocktail when
Il was tished out the diamond was observ-
ed TO have changed its beautiful white
and blue tint for a sickly yellow. The
wise men who explained TO the shah the
nave received the lash. But after that tbe
ruler, Whenever he received a consien
ment OF diamonds invariably took the
preca ution Of dumping them into a bowl
CT crude alcohol which was near at hand.