DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 13, 15 January 1875, Page 4

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.

There is, says the Boston (U,S.) Commercial Courier, a very important traffic carried on in diamonds ovar the various European lines to tbis country, and, as the duty is 10 per cent, ad valorem, the sharpest watch is kept upon those suspected to be engaged in it. By means of agents abroad the collector's office has often information by cable of tbe departure from tbe various ports of suspected diamond smugglers, and is prepared to intercept them. In nine cases out of ten the stones are concealed upon the persons of the passehgers. When this becomes a certainty the passenger is arrested and taken to tbe Searcher's Bureau, ia the Custom House. Here, if found necessary, the party is stripped to the skin, and his clothes examined inch by inch and seam by seam ; the heejs are taken from his boots, bis hair and beard are combed, and every means taken to discover tbe hiding place of the secreted treasures Once this mode of search used to be tolerably successful, but now it rarely serves any" purpose except in the case of raw recruits to the smuggling ranks,. An old bird is caught with chaff but once. A New York Jew, who was reputed to be in the business of smuggling diamonds, used to cross the water on the Cuuard line from three to four times a season. Two years ago, in the early part of the season, he was seized upon his arrival and taken to the searcher's room. Nearly 1000 dollars worth of precious stones were found secreted in the lining of his boots. He returned to Liverpool by tbe same steamer, add four weeks afterwards again landed upon the company's wharf on North River. He was again seized and subjected to the same rigorous search, but with no success. The Jew took it smilingly and philosophically. When ht. took his leave, he said, " Better luck next time, gentlemen. I shall go back by tbe same steamer on business, and when I return you can try it again." The officers mentally determined, if he di-3, they would try it again. Upon inquiry it was found that be had engaged a return passage, having held his stateroom for that purpose. Two hours before tbe sailing of tho steamer, ho was driven down to the pier in his carriage, his wife and daughters with him to see him off. When tbey returned, they carried with them over £10,000 worth of diamonds, which had lain secrete/ in his stateroom during the whole time the steamer had remained in port. Before his return to New York, tlie collector was notified by one of trie revenue agents abroad that " Max Fischer would return by the , which would leave Liverpool, October 25, with several thousand dollars worth of diamonds." In due timo the Jew arrived, and for the third time was escorted before the searcher. He was evidently not prepared for such persistent attention. He seemed nervous and- agitated, aod finally attempted to compromise. He was politely told tbat that was out of tho question... He was again put through the searching' process. His pocket-book, which was first investigated, revealed n memorandum showing the purchase of eighteen diamonds of various sizes and prices, amounting in all to about ££42,000. When this came to light the Jew begged with tears to be allowed* to coroL promise. A deaf ear was turned to his entreaties. .He coat was removed and the lining examined. Nothing tbere. Then the waistcoat. As the searcher passed his practical fingers along the lining hip heart gave a tremendous thump as he recognized the feel of something pebbly, like little -rows of buttons. The garment was hastily ripped, a strip of chamois skin withdrawn and unrolled, and there lay, one, two, tht.ee — eighteen ! All there. "You can put on your coat and waistcoat again, Mr Fischer," said the searcher, blandly. " Good day." Without a word tbe Jew departed, took a horse-car home, kissed his family, ate a rousing dinuer, repaired to the bathroom, and after soaking a rather capacious plaster across the small ot his ba*-k for a few minutes in warm water, peeled it off, and with it " eighteen diamonds of various cofjte and prices." What the searcher aad collector may have said or thought whon they fouud their seizure to bft nothing but clever glass imitations,) worth from 10 to 13 cents each, nobody knows, as although it was loudly heralded, the finale was never made/ public. /