The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-02-03

| JdCODld OIL west superior -Wl1lc III
Duluth office few days ago. 81 used
to think I knew a thing or two about
diamonds, but the older I get the less
certain I am that I know anything
about the sparklers."
The speaker is a man that has han
died sparklers all his life, and who
| frequently acquires them and seldom
disposes Of one. Mr.. JaGobia takes a
special delight in handling diamonds
yestment, he can afford to crafty his
pleasure in having them. He is con-
sidered a diamond expert by many
and his remark that it takes a wise
man to tell a diamond when he sees
| it interested his hearers. They ques-
toned him on the subject and he told
the following story:
"About 10 years ago a man, a. strang-
er, came to me with large diamond
that he wished to dispose of. It was
one Of the biggest stones that I had
ever seen and I was surprised at it's
magnificence. I told the stranger that
did not have money enough to buy
the stone, which I calculated must be
worth $4,000. He then said he would
sell it to me for small sum if I
would agree to sell it back to him at a
certain time. became suspicious about
that time. The great size of the stone
had caused me to wonder considerably
and when he told me that he would sell
it to me for about $40O if I would sell
it back again, I told him that would
h 10 70 1,,1 of
stone. He said that he had no objec-
ton, and we started out to the jewel
ry stores on Tower avenue. went into
four or five jewelry stores, and in ev-
cry case they pronounced the stone
genuine. They said it was a very val
liable stone: With all this testimony in
favor Of the stone, from people that
make a business of dealing in dia-
monds, forked out the money against
my own judgment.
= ''In spite of the numerous recon-
mendations of the jewelers. I was not
satisfied about the genuineness of the
alleged diamond. There were a few
more jewelry store in town that 1 had
not exhibited the diamond in and I
started out again. The first man that
1 showed it TO examined it long and
carefully. I had told him before show
ing it to him that several jewelers. pro-
nounced it genuine, but that I did not
agree with them. The jeweler, finally
handed it back to me with the remark
that it was the best imitation that he
had ever seen. He examined it again
with great professional interest, much
as an astronomer might examine a
newly discovered star with his tele--
scope.
81 started out after Mr.. Stranger
really forget his name now-and with
the assistance. of the detectives Of Du-
luth and Superior combined, managed
to get hold of him. He was just leav-
ing Duluth on a train late at night,
car berth. I had him arrested for OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses
and got back a good share of my mon
ey. The case was. afterward dropped
and the scamp disappeared"
''What became Of the diamond?" Mr..
Jacobia was asked.
ct guess it is kicking around the
house somewhere. It is big enough to
wear in a coon makeup at a masquer-
AIDE and would create sensation any
where answered Mr.. Jacobia.
81 learned from the stranger. some
thing Of the history of the big dia-
mond. He told me that a wealthy
Of San Francisco had desired
to buy a large and valuable diamond,
and not being satisfied with the offer
lngs of the jewellers, or their prices,
had advertised for a large diamond A
private individual answered the iadver-
tisement and offered to sell her stone
Of great size. She examined the gem.
and depositing satisfactory amount
Of money with the owner, asked to
take it out to. the jewelers. and see if
it was all right The price that the
owner of the diamond had made her
was $500. The jewelers. said it was
cheap and advised her to buy it, She
hastened back to the owner and told
him she was pleased with it and would
take the stone. The owner smiled, and
said he was glad that she was salts
fed, and taking the diamond in his
hands, Sexpatiated anew on it's beauties
and then wrapped it up carefully for
her. The woman went away delighted,
and the first thing she did, and it prov
ed to be a good thing for her, was to
show the stone to some more jewelers.
She merely wanted to have them ad-
mire it; she was already satisfied that
the stone was genuine. To her dismay,
she was told that the stone was not
genuine. She fastened back to the
jeweler that had told her that it was
genuine. He turned pale after giving
the stone second examination, and
told her that it was not the same dia-
mond that she had first shown him.
He knew in minute that she had been
swindled; that the genuine diamond
had been switched to cover and an ex-
act duplicate had been given her.
"The stranger told me that the wo-
man, as result Of the early discovery
Of the swindle, recovered her money
and that the big fake diamond that he
had worked on me was the one that
was given her when she supposed she
was buying the real diamond"
How did the stranger come by the
imitation diamond" inquired an In
listener.
II asked him that" said Mr.. Jaco-
bia, "but he did not tell me.'