Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1908-03-28
DEFRAUDED DEALERS
OF S500.000 IN GEMS
John E. Boeck. Son Of Former
University of Virginia Instruc-
tor, Arrested in Frisco.
WAS JEwELRY SALESMAN
Negotiated Sale 70 Pierpont Nor
gan of 100000 Pearl Collar.
Robbed Girl Of $4,000.
Had Pleasant Address.

NEW YORK pccial.--Joh ohm Ed
Va-d Boeck soldier OF fortune. Gle
yer 5cwei-y salesman. and prospective
dictator OF the Chinese Empire. who
v skipped out % New York last Nay
7 when ne found THAI he was O. he
I indicted FOR stealing 100000 worth
+ OF o-veiry from lOcol dealers. was arr
/ rested in san Francisco 10y the
I nrrrst chance. after the detectives
/ had trai'ed him ali over Europe and
Asia Word % the arrest came 60
/. Inspector NcCaffcrty from Chief 90
. Police BiErv. ~ san Francisco. who
was Immediately notified 20 keep
close watch on Boeck until he could
De extradited.
Bocck was seen coming out % "a
saloon IN that city by a detective. who
RECON zcd him from MS picture in the
circular sent cut BY a detective aEcn-
cy. Boeck denied his identity az first.
ters and confronted with his picture
ne broke down and confessed.
Eoeck said that since he left New
4 Nc-k ne has been working as Jew
\ elrv salesman in China much % the
thine lie said that he had only come
20 this country FOR ca short visit and
INTENDED 20 ro right back 20 China
BEGAN Scheme- Early.
Bceck- who IS only thirty-eiEht
years old. was the son % Polish
b Srno ar VINO az one lEle LaAENA lsA-AA-
Isnc and civil engineering in the Uni
vcrSI-v o. Virginia in which state
Boeck was born Later his rather
taught in a school near Philadelphia.
J and eight years ago Roeck was car
. tracer for the Reading Railroad al
5 Iphnfclphia He borrowed 50 much
! money that he lost MS Job. and then
foatet scheme Tor developing a
. summer resort ia Pennsylvania he
was about 90 be arrested FOR swinchnE
-. Hn =
rie6 90 Mary Giassmire. OF TaDacua-
Pa and he was let on
In 1900 Bocck went over 20 China
with an exhibit sent there by the
National Association OF Manufactur-
lers. The Boxer outbreak came az the
tune. and the exhibit was q failure
50 Boeck stayed there and went int
= the copper business IN Shanghai hs
Eot into the good graces or man.
Chinese officials. and when Prince n
Lun came over 20 the ST. Louis
Exposition as the Chinese commission
er Poeck accompanied him 20 hell
Q handle the exhibit
, Made Rich Friends.
AFTER the exposition Boeck got n
Job OF dlsposing % most OF the *
lhihits. and 81 doing so became &C
Icuatnte6 with many bis 1ewelrg nrrn
, a-1 rich art collectors Ne was ais
coumissioned 20 buy copper for n
Chinese mint. and thus became &C
lcualnted with Senator William =
clark and the GugEenheirns- Then p
fh-anrhed out into the 5ewelry com
- mission bushes and got the 1eWelr
~ which led 90 his arrest
his success from tire frst was OF
usual he began by negotiating ~
sale 20 !. Plcrpont Morgan o. ola
mond and pearl collar thai cost PROF.
or ably 100000. soon ne was askin
-g odds OF no man as a salesman OF pr
es cious stones. and in an astonishing
Sc short space % time ne commanded
Sc position which enabled him 10 90
~ mand from diamond dealers their CO
ds prices. and 20 offer 20 split the PROT
20 of retail sale with them
re Girl Loaned Him $4,000.
I'd he continued 20 make Wealti
OF friends 81 this city. and. although
hs had a wife. carried on a courtsh
d. with a wealthy young girl % Pitt
lc burg. who came here broken-heart'
SO on learning OF his disappearanc
is wearing his engagement ring on j
al finger she had loaned the brok
a. $4,000. she told many people. >
-, she did not regret the money
be one cared 20 tell her that BOeck "
60 already married
.nt Because OF his social and busine
re- success. his courtly manners and
on fine looks BOcck apparently foLl
70 no dIFlculty in obtaining thoue2ncs
TO- dollars worth o. gems from oeaie
with 20 other security than his wo'
80 Books father served IN the Hu
81. garian revolution. and later IN oipl
q matte positions He came 10 tf
country after the civil way and ?
~. came professor o. math eIuatics a
~ engineering in the University OF v
h ginia-