The Detroit times., 1910-01-22
CONVICT HEIR, TO
M|SER'S MILLIONS
Is Now Serving a Seventeen Term
in Sing Sing Prison for $250,oOO
Jewelry Swindle.

NEW YORK. Jan. 21-J. Edward
Boeck, who Is serving a sentence OF
seven years In Sing Sing for a jewelry
swindle in 1907. is perhaps the only
heir TO more than a million dollars
left by his uncle. j. G.. Lounsberry, OF
ST. Paul, who died there on Jan. II
amid sQualid surroundings. Louns-
berry was thought by his neighbors
to be very poor, but when his effects
were searched II was found that he
had securities and bonds representing
fortune.
The first intimation that Boeck
was related to Lounsberry was when
a message signed Louisa c. Boeck,'
Boeck's wife. was found among the
miser's effects. II read:
Wont you go security for Eddie {!
Cash not required, only security. II
you can't furnish all, will you furnish
part? Have hope OF winning If this
could be arranged"
The message was dated April IS,
1908, few weeks after Boeck had
been brought back from San Francis
co, where he was caught a year after
his swindling operations among New
York jewelry firms and art dealers.
His bail was fixed at $4,000 when he
was held for trial.
Friend Of Chinese Prince.
He posed as a friend of royalty, had
travelled extensively and was well ed
ucated lie was an art connoisseur
and jewel expert and numbered
among his acquaintances ]. Pierpont
Morgan. ex-senator w. A. Clark.
members of the Guggenheim family
and other wealthy men.
He had been In China for a number
OF years and Prince Pi Lun was one
Of his personal acquaintances. In
many instances Boeck had acted as a
special agent for the Chinese govern
ment I'm transactions here.
He is tall and good looking and
through his acquaintance with prom
inent men he was introduced into So
ciety and became the confidential
broker of many wealthy women. He
both spoke and wrote Chinese and
was familiar with Chinese porcelains,
antiques. bronzes and other works OF
art. lie had dined with the Chinese
Empress, he said, and was able to
tell of the magnifcence of the art
works in the palace In Peking.
Rated as Al. Boeck secured Jewels
on memoranda and then disappeared.
Ludwig Nissen & Co., of No. 1872
BroadW ay, and Il. w. Drayton. jewel
err and antiquarian. at No. 4 West
Thirty-ninth-st., were the chief vic
tins. Between them they lost over
$4,000. II Is known that he had
many other victims among Jewelry
firms and that when he fed he had
obtained nearly a quarter OF a mill
lion dollars worth Of jewels on cred
It. He went to China, remained there
nearly year and then ventured back
to San Francisco, where he was
caught
His attorney at the time was Ja-
cob Marx, No. 10 Wall-st.
Sole Heir, Says Lawyer.
at looks as though Boeck is the
sole heir to Lounsberry's millions"
said Mr.. Marx yesterday. II am go
ing to Sing Sing to see him this week
and apprise him OF the death of his
uncle. II he has not yet learned of It.
While have official notification OF
a will, ! learn indirectly that Boeck
is the only heir to his uncle's estate. "
Among other messages found In
Lounsberry's effects was a telegram
from the law firm of Marsh, Viewer
& Wemple, Of No. Ill Broadway. II
was also an appeal to Lounsberry to
furnish the $4,000 bail for Boeck
while he was awaiting trial.
MIR. Viewer OF the firm said yester-
day that he did not act directly in the
case, but that the telegram was sent
at the instance OF Mrs. Boeck, who
came to him from Boeck's lawyer,
Marx. The appeal to Lounsberry was
In vain, fol- Boeck was compelled to
remain In jail until his trial and con-
viction.
AT that time Boeck gave his ad-
dress as Stamford. Conn. His wife
is now believed TO be I'm TamaQua, Pa.