The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-11
The chah Of the Tsar.

ne Cnan OF the ear.
Among the possessions OF the En-
peror of Russia is a diamond of great
value. the history of which is as ro-
mantle as that of the famous Kohl.
moor. Ii 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
Bassofa, was one day accosted by an
Afghan, who offered for sale a large
diamond. with hundred other 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 Shefras brothers
came across him at Bagdad just after
he had disposed Of his gems. The pur-
chaser, who was q Hebrew. refused
double the amount he had paid for the
stones, so the three brothers consplred
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
Shafras next appeared at the courts
of Europe. Offering his great diamond
for sale. Catherine OF Russia Cath
crime I'D had the man invited to
court and put into communication
with the court jeweller The condi-
tlons offered Shafras were: Letter"
Of nobility. an annuity OF ten thous
and rubles. FIVE hundred thousand ru.
bles, payable in tenths from year {,
year. Shafras held ont for six hun
dred thousand rubes In cash. Coun
Pancln, who was Minister at the time
launched the Armenian In a style
life which obliged him TO contrac
large debts, and when he knew ina
Shafras had no longer a sou will
which to meet them he broke off nego
tlatlons. According to the laws of tn,
country. Shafras could not leave tn,
empire or even the town without pay.
ing his debts. so his position was pain.
fully embarrassing The jeweller
the court was prepared to profit b,
the Armenian's distress. but the MAJ
was too sharp for him. He secretly
sold some inferior stones to his com
patriots, paid his debts and disap.
peared.
II was fully ten years before h
was again heard from Then he reap.
peared in Astrakhan on his way tt
Turkey. Negotiations were reopenet
and Catherine became possessor OF tn,
stones The price paid was the Letters
OF nobility. six hundred thousand sill
yer rubles in assignats.
Shafras, being unable to return TO
his native land. settled in Astrakhan
and married. Twenty years later he
was poisoned by one of his son-n-
laws, who gained little by his death
for the immense fortune was soon dis
sipated. Several OF the grandchildren
are now living in AstralShan In alb
ject poverty.