Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-22
DIAMONDS CREATE CRIMES.
How the Costly Gems Have Provoked
Passions of Men.

Passions of Men.
The PIrmier diamond of 3.O32 car
ats, is unlike any other gem that has
ever been found. 1t Is of far greater
dimensions. of course, than the Ex-
celsior, the Jagersfontein diamond,
the 20 carets of which were split up
last year by Tiffany of New York. 1t
Is unlike the Koh-i-noor, the Great
Mogul or the Table of the Shaw, its
unusual size uniting it either as a
rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear or an
adornment for a head that wears
crown. 1t Is not 80 accommodating
n this respect either, as was that Ver-
liable sphinx Of precious stones, the
Great SanCy gem. When its original
possessor, King Henry Nv, handed the
Great Sancy for safety to servant,
the faithful valet swallowed the stone
when attacked by robbers. and there
it was found, in the recesses of his sa-
gacious stomach, after his lifeless
body had been denuded of everything
else of value he possessed. Such an
adventure Is impossible with the new
est product Of the Transvaal mine. In
bringing good luck to the share
holders let us hope that 1t is also un-
like the Regent diamond. the celebra-
ted Orloff gem, the famous diamond
necklace of Mary Antoinette or the
Great Mogul, each of these jewels
having distinguished itself In history
by the ill-luck attached to 1t.
The Pitt. or Regent diamond. dis
covered by slave, was at first bought
for $1,000: then. having acted as the
centre around which innumerable
ghastly crimes were perpetrated, 1t
passed into the hands Of the French
Regent. 1t was then successfully
stolen, pawned to the Dutch, redeem
ed by Napoleon, captured after Wa
terloo, and taken to Berlin, until we
hear of 1t again among the crown
jewels Of France. its value being es-
timated at f4SO,000. The necklace Of
the ill-fated Mary Antoinette consist
ed of equal stones. fiawless, of the
very first water, and of perfect Brazil
ian lustre. The "doubly inexpressi-
BILE siX-fold row" was sold by the
French govern ment not many years
ago to Joseph Pulitzer. The 1913 car
ats Of the Orloff diamond. now put
entirely in the shade by the South Af-
rican discovery. are celebrated In
Russia as being the chief ornament
of the sceptre welded by the unfor-
tunate czar. 1t reached Russia
through Holland from India. having
been stolen by a deserting French
of statue in one of the temples OF
Brahma.
The Great Mogul was first seen by
white man In the year 1865. 1t
belonged to Shah Jehan. This gen.
tleman was put into prison by Usurp-
er Aurangzen. his four sons were muir
dered, and his great gem, the only
consolation he had left. was taken
from him. Thenceforward it vanish
ed from history, having been carried
off, probably by the Persians. no Eu-
ropean being allowed again to see 1T.
The most terrible chapter In the his
tory of these adornments Of Asiatic
despotism is that devoted to the Koh-
i-noor, the heirloom of our own royal
family. The stone is first mentioned
in the memoirs of the Sultan Baber.
the founder of the Mogul line, of
whom Shah Jehan was the fifth de-
scendant. 1t would seem, from this
historical narrative, that the son OF
Sultan Baber captured 1t in battle
from the family Of the Rajah of Gy-
ailor, they having acquired 1t from
the Sultan Ala-er-Din. who ruled In
Hindostan from 1928 to 1921. Prior
to that II had been an immemorial
heirloom of the Rajahs of Malwa.
After many bloody adventures 1t
was secured by Nadir Shah, who in
vaded India in 1899, during the reign
of Mohammed Shah. Mohammed
wore 1t in his turban, and when the
conqueror asked for an exchange OF
turbans as a pledge of peace the Koh-
i-noor went with the royal headgear.
After the death of Nadir it went into
the possession of his son, Shah Rokh.
Its new owner loved 1t so much that
he was eventually dethroned-for bad
luck accompanied it wherever 1t
went. He suffered the torture to put
out his eyes rather than disclose its
whereabouts. In 1851, however, he
gave it as a pledge of alliance to All
med Shah, the founder of the Durani
Afghan empire. and the evil destiny
Of the gem was once more In evil
dence. The diamond was in the pos
session of Shah Zaman, Ahmar's
successor. when that unfortunate |
monarch was blinded by his brother,
Shah Shuja ul Mulk. The treasure
was discovered hidden below the plas-
ter of the wall, and Shuja was wearing
it when Elphinstone came up as Brit
ish envoy to Peshawur. Then Shuja was
blinded by another brother, Shah
MahM Mud, who fed with the fatal rel |
ic to Runjit Singh, the Lion Of the
Punjab." The latter celebrity event
ually secured the gem. and wore 1t on
bracelet until his death in 1889, at
that never-to- be forgotten period when
the Beers were treking into the north
TranSvaal while the British were
firmly establishing themselves along
the seacoast of Natal. The diamond
lay then in the treasury of Lahore un-
til the annexation Of Punjab, when it
was presented to Queen Victoria by
the East India mpany.-Chicago
Record-Herald.