The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-27

by wearing which they hope to attain a
higher standing In what they call "soci-
ety."
belief on the part Of the purchasers that
they may be readily converted into money
make the diamond business on the Bowery
good industry. There are concerns on
the street which sell "stones as good as
diamonds" at low figures, and there are
others in which, according to the state
ments OF those interested, only. the real
article Is handled, and diamonds to suit
the taste and .he purse Of any person may
be found. IL Is even claimed by some OF
the dealers that .heir trade extends far
beyond the East Side limits, and that
many people from the fashionable part
of the city come o their places of busl-
ness TO buy precious stones.
pie who live In this neighborhood pretend
to know more about diamonds than Gus
toners from uptown, and when they come
to buy an engagement ring or any other
piece or jewellery they are apt to let the
salesman know In advance that they un-
derstand all about diamonds, and thai they
cannot be fooled. II Is nothing unusual
dealers say, 10 have customers In nptown
concerns introduce themselves by saying
that they know nothing about precious
stones and that they must rely entirely
upon the dealer for an article as good as
the amount which they wish TO spend
will buy, But that is an experience which
the Bowery diamond dealers knows Moth
ing about"
The diamond dealers on the Bowery are
not all storekeepers, and many of the
gems are sold by men who show their
wares in barrooms and on the street, In
byways and In dark corners, and who
carry their whole stock in trade In their
pockets, wrapped up In white tissue paper.
These itinerant diamond merchants VI
brate between the Bowery and the race
tracks IN the season, and they are as
ready 20 buy as to sell.
when a customer wins money on the
track ne Is apt % buy a spaarkleE," said
broke the man who Is on hand IL apt
TO get a chance to buy diamonds cheap"
The wandering diamond merchants are
known In the lodging houses and In the
haunts of the light-hngered world. and
some OF the goods which they handle
reach them through sources which would
Another strong competitor Is the pawn.
broker who buys and sells gems and who
lmpresses people with the idea that what
he offers Is a downright bargain. Goods
are kept on hand for the people who nunt
for bargains. The connding customer
hears about the articles having been
pledged for an amount entirely dispropor-
tionate 10 their value and that "the party
could not redeem them. not even for the
rldiculously small amount for which they
were pledged, and which would have been
cheap between brothers" The dupe rare
" knows that the articles may be bought
anywhere at the same II not at lower
figure.
ramihcatlons which come IN direct compe.
tltion with the legitimate diamond dealer.
one Of these Is the fraternity which sells
are really the runners" or "cappcrs" for
the paWnbroltera. They show their Gus
toners tickets which represent all sorts
OF jewelry-watches worth 500. on which
$40 had been advanced, diamond pins or
rings worth 500, which were "sOaked'
for go and 10 along the whole line. The
statesmen hunts his game, and then direct
become known that he has pawned a LOT
Of jeWeiry for less, much ces, than 10
value and that he wants TO asll the tickets
for their face value or FOR a trlnc ieea.
Hympathizlnr people ana tho Sc who are
anxious % set something tor nothing