About the Jagersfontein Mine and Illicit Diamond Buying

THE JAGERSFONTEIN.

Diamond Robberies at the Cape--Receivers and Illicit Dealers--A Serious Question for Companies--A 209 Carat Stone Stolen--Chase of the Thieves--Singular Capture and Discovery of the Stone--Life at the Diamond Fields--Singular Shopkeepers--Kafirs and their Masters--The Great Stone sold for pound 15--Confession of the Thieves.

During the month of December, 1881 there appeared in the London papers a dispatch from the Cape Diamond Fields which stated, in half a dozen lines, the fact that two thieves, having stolen a diamond of 209 carats had been captured with the stone in their possession. The story is interesting, more particularly as an illustration of the risk in diamond mining to which we have previously referred, and which will crop up again during our investigations, namely, that of robbery. From the very earliest days diamond seekers, slaves, or freemen, employed by princes or companies, have yielded to the temptation of concealing their most valuable discoveries. At the South African Fields to-day this incentive to dishonesty is increased by the existence of an active system of dealing in stolen stones. It is an axiom of English law that the receiver is as bad as the thief; but in Cape Colony the former seems to flourish even more securely than he does in England. "Illicit Diamond Buying" is quite a business in South Africa. The police have done a good deal to reduce the nefarious operations of the receivers at Kimberley; but The Friend of the Free State, in an editorial article, recently complains that at Jagersfontein, the illicit traffic is carried on without let or hindrance. Says this colonial journal, under date, December 1st, 1881:--"Some of the best companies are paying out pound 300 weekly for expenses, which is about recouped by the diamonds handed over and sold on account of the company; but there is little or no profit, and, consequently, no dividends. Now, it is not too much to suspect that the larger diamonds are stolen, the proceeds of sale of which would, perhaps, yield a handsome dividend. It is passing strange, too, that Kimberley has, according to the telegrams and the public journals, yielded more large white stones since the working of Jagersfontein than before. Even the famous 'Porter-Rhodes' diamond had to remain in its matrix at Kimberley, until Jagersfontein produced large first-water stones! We understand from correspondents, and from gentlemen recently from Fauresmith and Jagersfontein, that the arrangements of the illicit diamond buying are perfect between that mine and Kimberley; and, seeing that the crime of illicit diamond buying is not included in the extradition treaty between this state and Griqualand West, they are likely to remain so! There is also a good deal of righteous indignation among those who are claimholders, diggers, and shareholders in the various companies, and some even go so far as to assert that 'lynching' is not too bad for those who are aiding and abetting 'boys' and overseers to steal their employers' goods. We are, however, afraid that public opinion is not so much against the dishonest I.D. B's as one would think. If the illicit diamond buying hurt the traders--instead of enriching them!--as much as it does the digger, those who are engaged in the unholy traffic would have been wiped off the face of the earth long ago. When all classes benefit by it, it is vain to expect that a speedy end will be made of it. Can this last long? We very much doubt it, for the expenses of working are now so enormous that in nine cases out of ten no dividends are paid. The question then arises, How long will this state of things be permitted to last? There are but two ways out of the difficulty: either do away with the illicits altogether or stop digging, which is being carried on at a loss, even if the Kimberley, Du Toit's Pan, De Beers and Jagersfontein shopkeepers have to close their establishments, and the churches, chapels, clubs, theatres, hotels, and other public places of resort have to be shut up altogether! One or other of the two things must happen soon, and the sooner it takes place the better. Perhaps, after all, 'our civilization is a failure,' and the digging for diamonds should be done by those who are the owners of the claims; and maybe the illicit diamond buying is the only natural outcome of men wishing to be rich without the trouble of working for money."

It is the incident of the robbery of the 209 carat stone that called forth these remarks. The story runs thus: Mr. Frames is a private digger at Jagersfontein; that is, he has a claim of his own, apart from a company and employs diggers. On the 15th of November he was informed that he was being robbed. It was more particularly mentioned that at that very time he had just been plundered of several diamonds, and among them one weighing probably 200 carats. On the following day the Government Inspector received information to the same effect from a different source. He and Mr. Frames compared notes, and found that they had sufficient evidence to justify them in having the suspected parties apprehended; but it was agreed, in order to secure the diamond, to give the thieves the chance of getting some distance on the road to Kimberley, where it was said they were going to sell it. Several young men, diggers and others, were sent on and stationed somewhere along the road to intercept the culprits. The result is related by Mr. G. S. Armstrong, manager of the Fauresmith Company. He says: "I voluntarily assisted to capture the accused thieves, Jacob Kleb and Frederick Adamson. A plan was made to allow them to go to a certain distance and then apprehend them. The accused took the Koffyfontein road to Kimberley. We had made a circuit, and were returning, when we met the accused, about three miles this side of Swanepoel's. The distance from here to Swanepoel's is about four hours on horseback, or twenty-four miles. My comrade Dykes and myself pretended to be drunk. Kleb asked how far it was to the house? Dykes tried to answer in Dutch, saying, 'a klein beitje farder.' Dykes' horse was almost knocked up. Mine, being better, I crossed country to head the cart which Kleb and Adamson were driving, Dykes following the cart. It was about half-past nine when we came to Swanepoel's. We found the cart outspanned, and sent in one of the other party, which had now joined us, to see if the accused were there. He gave us the signal that they were. We went up to the door, six of us, and went in. The two accused were sitting at a table having a singsong, a darkey lady sitting on the right. There was also a travelling Jew. On going in we covered them with our revolvers. Mr. Dykes (who could not read Dutch) told them we had a warrant for their apprehension. Kleb asked for what? Mr. Frames then read the warrant in Dutch. We next handcuffed the accused. We took Kleb into another room and searched him, a few being left to guard the prisoners. We found no diamonds on him. We then searched Adamson, but found no diamonds on him. We brought the woman into the room, and asked Mrs. Swanepoel to search her. Mrs. Swanepoel said she was afraid, so we had to do it ourselves. We found no diamonds on the woman. We took the others out of the room into the room where Kleb was. We searched carpet-bag, &c. Kleb's were the first we searched. We found no diamonds. I saw a side-bag lying on a bed in another room, and asked the woman if it was hers? The bag is the same as is now before the Court. The woman said the bag did not belong to her, nor to Adamson. I picked it up and took it to the room where Kleb was. I asked Kleb if the bag belonged to him. He said, 'yes.' I opened it, and pulled out a silk handkerchief, and then a pair of trousers. The trousers produced by the Court are the same. I asked Kleb if the trousers were his? He said, 'Yes.' I put the trousers on the table. Mr. Wilson was by my side. He commenced searching. I was going to the other room when Wilson shouted. I do not know what he said; but, knowing there was something up, rushed back. Wilson was excited. I don't know what he said. I was also excited. He (Wilson) had a diamond in his hand. I am not certain from whom I got it, but I got hold of it. Mr. Wilson said he found it in one of the pockets of the trousers. We searched the cart, after which we took the prisoners and brought them back to Jagersfontein, and handed them over to the police."

The stone weighed 209 1/4 carats. The way in which information of its existence and robbery was obtained, may be gathered from the evidence given before the police magistrate, by a Mr. Phillip Anthony Rivers, who related how he went into a drinking shop where Adamson and others were talking about diamonds. They openly spoke of a large stone which Kleb was going to take to Kimberley. Adamson keeps a shop opposite to the one of which Rivers is the owner. One night after the conversation referred to, he says:--"I remember a kafir coming to me one night, between nine and ten. The kafir asked me the price of a blanket. I showed him one. He said he would come some other day and buy it. I looked at him, he made sign and said, 'Baas, I want to see you.' He went out of my shop, and I followed. He said he had something, but was afraid of me. I asked him how it was he was afraid of me? 'Why, because,' he replied, 'I have been to the other shop,' pointing to Adamson's, 'and it is closed.' I told him to show me what he had got. He said it was a large diamond, and showed me the bowl of his pipe, and said it was as large as that. I told him to take it out and show it to me. He said, 'No, I am afraid.' Afterwards he said he would go and fetch the diamond, which was hidden under a stone. I was not to go to sleep; he would be back presently. As he passed Adamson's door it opened, and a kafir came out by the name of Woolwash, I think. The two talked a short time, and then went into Adamson's shop. The other side-door of the shop opened shortly afterwards. I saw the same boy that had been with me come out. I knew him by his white trowsers, which had stripes on them. Two other kafirs also came out. The first passed the dwelling-house of Adamson. I saw men going to Adamson's house. The dwelling-house is about five yards from the shop. A little time afterwards the kafir who had the stone returned to Adamson's shop. He went in at the back door. My boy (a Bushman) was with me. I told him he might go to bed. Next morning I asked my boy if he had seen the kafir who had the big diamond? He said he had seen him in Adamson's place, and saw him go to the tent where Adamson's kafirs stayed. I sent my boy to the tent to tell the kafir I wanted to see him. My boy came back and told me the kafir would not come. I stood on my stoop and watched, and saw the boy going to Adamson's shop. I called out to him 'how is it with the big diamond you did'nt bring?' He said, 'It's too late, the baas has the diamond,' pointing to Adamson's shop. I asked him if he had sold it? He replied, yes. I asked how much he got for it. He answered, it was not yet all settled.

It created quite a sensation in court when it was proved that Adamson only gave pound 15 for the stone; while from further evidence it was shown that he expected to get pound 5000 for it at Kimberley.

Since the committal of the prisoners for trial, they have confessed to having sold within the last two months, diamonds of, respectively, 65, 10, and 2 1/2 carats in weight for pound 1,200; and two of 19 1/2 carats each, and one of 21 1/2 carats for pound 375 at Kimberley.