The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-11-12
The chah of the rsar.

Among the possessions of the EN-
peror of Russia is diamond of great
value, the history Of which is as ro-
mantle as that of the famous Kohl
moor. 1t is an irregular prism in
shape, of the size and nearly the
length of the finger, and is called
the Chah.
This stone, which formerly belonged
TO the Sophi, was one of the two enor-
mouse diamonds which adorned the
throne of Nadirchah and was called
by the Persians Moon of the Noun
tains.' When Nadir was assassinat-
ed his treasures were pillaged and his
precious stones were divided between
some soldiers, who concealed them
An Armenian named Shafras, who
lived with his brothers in the town OF
Bassora, was one day accosted by an
Afghan, who offered for sale a large
diamond, with a hundred ocher pieces
of less value, for small sum. Say
Ing he had not the necessary funds for
the purchase, Shafras asked the AZ
CHAN to call again. The diamond sell
Ter was evidently suspicious of Sha-
fras, for he disappeared from the
town and could not be found for years.
At last the elder of Shafras' brothers
came across him at Bagdad just after
he had disposed of his gems. The pur-
chaser, who was a Hebrew, refused
double the amount he had paid for the
stones, so the three brothers conspired
to kill him for the possession of
them When this had been accom-
plish they followed the Afghan, pois-
oned him and threw the bodies of
their two victims into the Euphrates.
Next the brothers disagreed among
themselves, and the eldest disposed
of the others in the same way they
had rid themselves Of the Hebrew and
the Afghan.
7 Shafras next appeared att the courts
of Europe, Offering his great diamond
for sale. Catherine of Russia Cath
lerine ID had the man invited to
court and put into communication
with the court jeweller. The condi-
tions offered Shafras were: Letters
of nobility, AIN annuity>of ten thous-
and rubles five hundred thousand ru-
bles, payable in tenths from year to
year. Shafras held out for six hun.
dred thousand rubles in cash. Count
Pancin, who was Minister at the time,
launched the Armenian in a style of
life which obliged him to contract
large debts, and when he knew That
Shafras had no longer a sou with
which TO meet them he broke off nego-
tiations. According to the laws of the
country, Shafras could not leave the
empire or even the town without pay
ing his debts, so his position was pain
fully embarrassing. The jeweler of
tho court was prepared to profit by
the Armenian's distress, but the man
was too sharp for him He secretly
sold some inferior stones to his COM
patriots paid his debts and dlsap-
peared. .E
1t was fully ten years before he
was again heard from. Then he reap
peared in Astralihan on his way to
Turkey, Negotiations were reopened
and Catherine became po3sessor of the
stones. The price paid was the letters
OF nobility, elk hundred thousand gil-
yer rubics In assignats. at4..a ..f.
Shafras, being unable to return. TO
his native land, settled in Astrakhan
and married, Twenty, yeGrs later he
was poisoned by one of his son-in-
laws, who gained little by his death
for the immense fortune was soon dis
sipated Several e. the grandchildren
are now living in AstrakEaa in alb
ject poverty ~,
Old Maids Paradise.