Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-12-18
ARREST OF THE GEIGER GRADE

Our readers wiA remember that
on the 3lst of October last an import
ant stage robbery took place on the
Geiper Grade, q few miles this side OF
Virginia City. Five or six men with
shotpuns and Henry rifles stopped the
stage, forced the passengers : o dis
mount, blew up Wells, Fargo & Co.'s
treasure-box, took, $3.50 in gold coin,
relieved the passengers OF their loose
change, jewelry, etc., and then de-
camped. Wells, Fargo Il Co., the Cali
fornia Bank and Governor Blasdel, all
offered rewards, which in the aggregate
amount to $4,000 Ofthis sum $4,000
was offered for the recovery OF the sto-
len treasure, and $4,000 for the arrest
and conviction of the highwaymen.
Many of the detectives of both Nevada
and California have of course been en-
ergetically at work e~ndeayoring to fer
ret out and capture the offenders.
Among the most active, and, as the re-
suit proves, the most successful of the
officers, was Chief of Police Edwards,
Virginia City. Five or six days ago
this officer passed through the city on
the way to San Francisco. While here
he called on Chief Burke and informed
him that he had every reason to believe
that he would soon be able to arrest the
chief and several others of the band OF
highwaymen, and that he would proba-
bly, need the assistance Of Chief Burke
in carrying out his plans. He had
placed a "shadow" on the track Of the
men he was after, who was instructed
to call on Burke for aid if it should be
found necessary to do so. Three days
afterward, on Friday last, the man re-
ferred to called.at the station-house and
stated that Tom Laswell, the Captain of
the gang Of highwaymen, and James W.
| Crum, another of the party, had arrived
in the city from Grass Valley. Chief
Burke and officers Chamberlin and Rice
made arrangements for arresting them in
the evening, but they could not be
found. It was since found that the men
had visited Harmon's ranch, a few miles
north Of the American river. In the
meantime, Chief Edwards, who had re-
turned from San Francisco, kept in the
background, as he was personally known
10 the robbers, while he directed the
movement of his assistants. At about
two o'clock on Saturday afternoon
| Burke and Chamberlin stationed them
selves at Twelfth and E streets, with
the expectation that Laswell and Crum
would return to the city by way of
Lisle's bridge, leaving a sentinel in the
vicinity of the Atlantic Hotel, at Twelfth
and I streets, where it was expected
they would put up. The officers had
no means of identifying the two men
except by description. A man passed
on horseback, concerning whom they
had their doubts, but he was not mo-
Tested. In a short time a wagon loaded
with wood made its appearance, driven
by a man who was recognized as Har-
mon, who was mounted on the saddle
horse. The of-horse was ridden by
another man, who was identified by his
appearance as Laswell. One Of the
Ulcers took one side of the street and
the other the opposite side, and calling
on Harmon to stop his team, covered
Laswell with their pistols and ordered
him to dismount. He jumped to the
ground, alighting between the two
horses, and acted as though about to
make o fight. If this was his design,
he failed to carry it out, but surrendered
himself to the officers and WAS taken
to the station house, The anne officers
returned to the hotel at Twelfth and
street, and there found Crum, who
proved to be the man who had ridden
past them an hour before. 1t is said
that the evidence against these men is
positive and conclusive. Chief Edwards,
whose perseverhg and discreet efforts
have led to their arrest, will start for
Virginia City with them this morning.
The men who compose this gang o high
waymen are we'll known in M~arysville,
Grass Valley and Virginia City, and
have been engaged until quite recently
as miners, blaeksmiths, teamstcrs, etc
Sacramento Union, Dec, I'm.