The Washington herald., 1912-04-21
ROMANCE or LOST
PEARLS RELATED
Tale of Queen Of Slams Jewels
Is Told in London
Court.

London, April 2e.-A romantic story OF
the Queen Of Slams lost pearls, valued
at $4,000. which were stolen three years
ago in transit between London and Bang
kok. has been told at Bow Street Police
Court
Paul de Boseck. aged thirty-one. for
msrly the wharf superintendent at Bang
kok. who was arrested on the steps of
the general post-oftice, then committed
to take his trial in the Straits Settlement
on a charge Of unlaufulIy receiving two
Of the pearls. knowing them to have been
stolen.
The wooden box from which the pearls
were taken had been sent back from
Slam and was produced in court. It was
carefully examined by de Boseck from
his place in the dock. The box was
sealed at the sides with impressive red
wax seals, which were still unbrollen,
and II had been bound with iron strips
and carefully screwed down before IL
left London.
His exceIlepcy Chong Qua, the King Of
Slams chamberlain, on April u. 1909, or
dsred a rope of pearls for the Queen Of
Siam from the Association of Diamond
Merchants OF Charing Cross, and the
pearls had been securely packed in this
strong box for dispatch. The pearls. in
a case, were placed inside. the zinc inner
lining was soldered up, and the screws
in the solid Id were fixed, the iron
clamps fastened down, and the box was
sealed.
When the box reached the Queen Of
Siam It was apparently as secure as
when II left London. But when II was
opened, the pearls were gone, and only
the empty Jewel case was left. The top
Of the I'D had been cleverly split, the
screws on one side removed, the zinc
lining cut, and the jewels removed with
out breaking a single seal
A dramatic statement. signed by de
Boseck. yesterday was read in court. II
ran:
About the middle Of June. 1909, was
In the Siamese government gambling
house at Bangkok with some other Eu-
ropeans. As usual I met in this den
several of the Chinese clerks and others
belonging to the steamers. I left the
gambling house about p. m, a winner
OF some 1000 ticals (S15Ol.
'Tt was usually known" his statement
continued. that !, as wharf superin-
tendent. lent money on the security OF
trading goods, and while at the gambling
house was asked by one OF the kranis
(steamer clerks) for loan Of 100 tIcals
Il told him that IL he gave me security
1 could advance him couple Of thou
San1- ADCut p. m received WISH
from the man in question. He asked me
to make an advance. He had security.
he said, in the shape Of small box Of
pearls.
II looked at these and believed that
would not risk much by lending him $3.50
or $500. and so, after a lot Of haggling,
agreed 10 a loan Of loo ttcais. handing
him go. received receipt signed
Slang Heng.'
The following morning he came TO my
ONCE and wished me to make a further
advance. This I refused TO do, as had
not seen the pearls in the daylight.
''He thsn asked ne whether I would
sell them for him. When ! asked him
for his authority TO sell them he admitted
they were stolen. wanted to know the
name of the owner, but he said he did
not know, and understood II was part
Of a cargo. 1 gave him another 500
ticals, and the pearls became mine by
right Of purchase"