The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-07-30
LAWS FOR DIAMOND Digger
1t Is Next to Impossible to PurIOiF Go
from the Mines.

1t Is Next to Impossible to PurIOIF Go ias
from the Mines.
Of course the expenses of a company
owning block of claims are enormou5'
and large number of stones have to w,
found before the margin for dividePio.
arrives. The expense and difficulty Oh
reaching the diamond field in the cal y
days kept away the rowdy element %
be found in our western mines.
Such diggers as have remained OF .he
fields since the early days" seem MI yer
to be tired of talking of the life t iey
then led as the happiest they have d W.
known. Then each would peg out ms
claim and go to work therein witR 4
pick and shovel, depending scarcely lat
all upon the uncertain help of the lazy
kaffir, and with his own strong arm AZ
tackled the hard, pebbly soil in which
the diamond was imprisoned and il
primitive way washed the soil Aol
diamonds. They are not to be pick ca
up walking through the streets or oNi
the floors where the soil lies pulvel
lied by sun and rain. 1t is illegal y
| own a diamond unless one is a claim
holder or licensed buyer. If a privaS
| individual wishes to purchase a stonS
or two for himself he must first obtaiT1
permit from the authorities.
These precautions will be seen I'd
necessary, because the value IT ~ ~,
diamond, it's portability, the FL. =
with which 1t can be concealed and the
uncertainty regarding its existence
make it a source of temptation to dis
| honesty among all classes. 1t is there
| fore against the law for anyone, even
| if a licensed buyer, to purchase a dia-
/ mond from anyone not a claimholder
unless he can produce a permit.
The law has become so stringent and
| the detective force so active that ter
ror has stricken the |. ID. BIS Cillicit
| diamond buyers, for it is a matter of
''15 years hard" to be convicted of
! buying a stolen diamond. Before this
! stringent law was passed many went
away rich in a 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 to evade
| detection have been pounced upon by
| detectives at most unexpected mo-
ments, but the temptation is so strong
| that, despite the penalty, the practice
still goes on, but to a smaller extent
| than before.
1t was astonishing to find out how
often the culprit turned out to be a
man in good and responsible position,
and often the very men who were the
lhudest in the denunciation of the
crime were themselves practicing it.
The writer was in a cafe one evening
when there was a sudden hush, followed
by a startled buzz of conversation, and
he heard the name of a well-knOwn
man, followed by the word detectives"
A man standing near, who was suspect.
ed of carrying on the same trade, be-
came suddenly pale and bit uneasily on
his visor. and. with a careless laugh,
said: Serves him right" then contin-
ued in a scarcely audible tone: What
fool not to be more careful" Be-
fore the writer left the camp that SAINT
man was working in convict dress.
Detectives themselves have been
have been trapped and are now work
ing in convict dress by the side of thu
men they have helped to hunt down.
This fascinating trade of gems offers
great temptations 10 the weak willed.
and it takes certain amount of bull
dog courage, combined with caution
and patience, to continue in this dam
| gerous business.
On mail days great envelopes of dia-
monds are sent to London. Some Of
! these packages certain fiawless dia-
monds, others smoky diamonds used
in machinery for polishing and cutting
| the stones. Others, again, would contain
stones of all colors, sizes and purity.
! One package, worth many thousands of
pounds, contains yellow diamonds, Sc
lected stones in size, color and purity.
Those of yellow tinge are bought and
worn by the East Indians.
The pure white stone is of more value
| than the yellow, because not so plenti-
full. 1t is a strange fact that these dia-
mond merchants seldom wear dia-
mond jewelry; they prefer rubies or
corals to the too common gem, the dia-
mond.
The mines have now drifted into the
hands of a few large companies, and
the Transvaal is the Eldorado to which
all eyes in Africa are turned. - st.
! Paul's.