The San Francisco call., 1909-03-12
Bus Boy, Arrested for Theft at
st. Francis, Tells Detec-
tiyes of Clasp
knowledge Was Withheld From
Public When Loss OF Gems
Was Announced
Package Sent to Prisoners
Mother in Hungary Supposed
to Contain Pearls
Roommate of Confessed RObber
Arrested and Expected to
Furnish Facts

IDLACED in darkened cell and
subjected to all the rigors of an
intensely severe sweating pro-
cess, Johann BONNER. the "bus boy
at the St. Francis hotel arrested for
the THEFT of a purse, partially broke
down yesterday and made statements
which tend to implicate him in the
robbery Of the $35,O0O pearl necklace
belonging to Miss Jennie Crocker.
Through the accidental discovery
of Mrs. Campbell Shorb, who saw
Bohmer throw a napkin over the
purse left by Mrs. w. P Fuller on
table at the St Francis, there may
be cleared up the puzzling disappear
ance of the famed pearls and the
solution of mystery which has puz-
zled the best detectives in the coun-
try
Clever Theft Detected
Had not Mrs. Shorb seen the quick
land clever theft of Mrs FniIer's purse
suspicion against BONNER would
never have been aroused. 1t was ON
her discovery that he was arrested.
Up to that time he was looked
upon as one of the safest of the en-
ployes around the hotel 1t was not
until he fell into the clutches of the
police that there developed story OF
systematic and bold thieving and the
first tangible elew regarding the loss
Of the Croker pearls
Under the sweating of the police
Bohmer showed that he possessed a
startling knowledge of the gems. He
knew what few others did, namely.
that they were possessed of what IS
known as the French clasp"
Secret Known to BONNER
This information was kept secret
by the police and the Crocker family
No one else knew it, but when
Bohmer was questioned he seemed to
be thoroughly familiar with the secret
clasp. Asked as to where he OBJ
tanned his information, he said thar
he had read about it in the news
papers
Inasmuch as this fact was never
published in any of the papers and
was known only to few persons the
police believe that BONNER acquired
his knowledge from practical expert
ments with the necklace
Package Sent to Hungary
Another damaging piece Of evil
dence uttered against himself was his
admission that four days after the
robbery he shipped small package to
his mother in Hungary. The parcel
was sent by the Wells. Fargo express
company and the police telegraphed to
New York to Intercept it, but there is
little likelihood Of it's being stopped at
this late date
Though the police have been unable
to obtain any definite information
from Bohmer regarding the necklace
a search Of his rooms at the hotel
brought to light quantity OF silver
ware belonging to the st. Francis and
bearing it's monogram. The hotel
management has been missing the sill
yer from time to time, but so cleverly
were the robberies carried out that
little could be learned of them.
Bus Boys Mate Arrested
Following Bohmer's arrest the po-
lice arrested Max Schneider, his room
mate. and another bus boy" at the
hotel. BONNER was not aware last
night that his partner had been ar
rested. and the expectations are that
there will be some interesting devel-
opments when the two are brought
face to face. Through them the police
expect to locate the Croclzer pearls.
Bohmer's statement regarding the
package he sent to Hungary was ex-
tremeIy brief. but it was sufficient
4 for the police. From Schneider they
learned that it had been forwarded 70
Bohmer's mother in Radcbarin. Wold.
Hungary, and an investigation at the
main ofices showed that the parcel
was about the size Of small cigar
box and contained no valuation on tha
wrapper.
No less important was the accurate
knowledge which BONNER possessed re-
lgarding the pearls. He knew thelr