THE CULLINAN DIAMOND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 80, 28 December 1907, Page 15

THE CULLINAN DIAMOND.

: IN A "GROWLER." ■' j 'At eight o'clock on a Saturday morning a harmless looking taxi-dab drove down Lothbury. It was full of detectives, who presently alighted . and wandered aimlessly 1 up and down!,Me." street. . A 'few minutes later tin official of'the London and; Westminster Bank arrived at the office, and was joined by Sir; Richard. Solomon, who accompanied him. to the strong rooms. . A passing fourwheeled cab, No.; 10,082, had moanwhile beon ; hailed; and a moment later Sir Richard Solomon came down tho steps of the bank carrying an. ordinary' looking square brown :bag.in his hand. At the'sight of the bag the detectives' interest became pronounced. They closed .up. • ' . ' ■'* ; The'' " growler" carrying the brown bag and the prioeless- diamond was _ slowly driven' through- tho streets, to Liverpool Street Station. . Close behind came tho taxi-cab filled .with detectives ready to leap out at the first sign- of any marked public interest in the leading cab. On No. 8 platfonn a group of men wero waiting by a specially reserved saloon carriage attached to the 9.10 ■ a.m. train for W<3ferton, the Royal station; for Sandringham. ' ' i /Tho waiting group consisted of Sir-Francis Hopwcod, ■ Permanent Under-Secretary for tho Colonies, Chief Inspector Drew and Inspector Gough, who - know by sight every living jowel thief of note/ ' 1 Liverpool-Street Station was alive with detectives v scanning evory suspicious person, and ready 'fbr any : emergency. ■•vfv/v' '} ' ■ 'Both sides of" tho train'. guarded, and Sir RichaM Solomon (removed from'the window the "reserved." slip which :had revealed his name and his probable mission to a knot" of curious spectators. . Compartments on ■ both . of. the ; firstrola£s saloon 'selected wero'examined' and "locked,, and then at the last moment the two chief detectivest-ook'oornerseats. , THE BROWN BAG. j- On the seat between them and facing Sir : Richard Solomon was tho brown bag, with a newspaper carelessly flung by its side. . ' When the train reached Wolfertbn, Chief DetectiveJnspoctor Spencer was waiting with carnago,' and Sir-Richard' Solomon ahdf : Sir ' Franois. Hopwood were driven to • Sandringliani.' Two detectives on bicycles accompanied tho party, and at,every few : .hun-: dred.yards along the avenues of firs stretching to tho Royal homo special . constables wero stationed. 'sin tho'drawing-room at Sandringham were seated -King Edward, Queen Alexandra,: the . Q'uem of Queen Maud, : th'o' Priiicess, off-.Wales, Lord Rosebery, 'tho Duke -and Diichess of Westminster, and other friends. , Tho'King rose to'greet Sir Richard SOIO7 jnori. who said:— : ' • " I have come, Your Majesty, to' offer yon, on, behalf of tho .Transvaal, tho-hoartiest congratulations' on your sixty-sixth birthday. ■ I 'havo.also, been -asked ; to beg, Your , Majesty's.'aoceptan6o of this diamond of. : which , you may have heard — as a mark of affection, "devotion, and loyalty from your subjects' in' the Transvaal Colony." v ''' .'As ho spoke, Sir Richard, on bended knoo, handed the great diamond to tho King. • ill , reply, warmly thanked tlio';.Tt;anisvaal ooloiiists for this magnificent gift.. He presented Sir Richard with' the decoration of Knight Commander of tho Victorian Order. . ' . ■The, diamond was. then handed to tho Queen, who passed i<^round.!';'' '* -