The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-11-03
THE EXPRESS ROBBERY.
The Preliminary Examination of
Otis Savage and Ralph Gibbons
For the Crime.
Wednesdays Report.

g Wednesdays Report.
!; Justice Davis, yesterday afternoon
j adjourned the examination of the ex
t press robbers from the buildingin whic
he usually considers his temple of jus
tice to the court room. As soon as the ex
: tortion case was disposed of the case O
the state VS.. Otis Savage was called, and
after some legal sparring on technical
ties, an order was made by the court ex
Guiding all witnesses from the cour
room, both for the state and defendant
except the one who was testifying.
The state was represented by District
Attorney Jayne and the defendant by
III. S. Wilson. After all preliminarie.
were arraigned the court adjourned un-
til half past O'Clock when the exami-
1 nation was continued, The first witness
on the stand was Mr. F. N Hill, the
agent OF the Pacific Express Co. in this
city. He recounted the facts of hauling
| the treasure box on the night in which
the robbery was committed from the
train to tho Office, placing it inside the
door, and then proceeding to the post
office with the mail. There was nothing
new drawn out in his testimony,
| with which our people are not already
familiar.
Mr.. James Blakely was next called
and he was followed by Mr.. M. A.
Moody. The testimony OF these wit
nesses was in reference to the time of
the robbery, footprints leading from the
office, and that these were measured
and patterns cut from them. This
ended the examination last night, and
the court adjourned until 8 o'clock this
morning.
This morning, when the case was
called, the justice held preliminary ex-
animation of both defendants at the same
time, OTIS savage and Ralph Gibbons.
Judge Bennett was counsel for Gibbons
and Zera Snow of Portland was added to
the counsel fer the state.
Chas. Tibbetts was the first witness
called, and he gave testimony regarding |
his duties in the express Office. He was |
followed by Mr.. Simmons, the detective,
who detailed his experiences in tracing
the stolen specie to It's hiding place.
AT about ii 80 Frank Klein was called
in by the state. After being sworn in he
told how Otis Savage, Ralph Gibbons and
himself had planned the robbery Ralph
Gibbons was at first not inclined to take
any part in the robbery because, as he
sald, he hae family to look after. Then
Frank testified that Glbens said, "H ell
have to rob some one before spring"
The signals which Gibbons was to give
in case IN oneY was in the treasury box
we're agreed upon. On the night OF the
robbery Frank testified that he went to
bed about o'clock, and that Savage woke
him shortly after ten, and informed him
that coin was TO arrive that night by ex-
press and that they could get it. After
hearing this Frank got up and they both
prosecuted east on Third street until they
came TO Court street, when they proceeded
north. Otis stopped in at Wisemans for
lew moments, and Frank went down near
Maetz & Pundt's. They again met near
he corner of Second and Court streets.
While there Frank says that Ben Eben {
md some one else passed them, but Frank
lid not know who this other person was.
After these two had gone by, Mr.. Allaway,
# the ID. P. and A. Co. went past. Then l
hey proceeded east IN the alley back of c
he old Sun office until they came to the a
ValX across the alley on Washington I
treet, where they got the iron with which I
he box was opened. After waiting a Q
hort time the express wagon came up 3
With Frank Hill and Ralph Gibbons on l
he seat. After the express matter had 4
een put in the express Office Ralph Glib v
IONS gave the signals agreed upon, and |
e repeated them as the express wagon q
rove off. As coon as the wagon was out v
f sight Frank and OTIS came out of hid
ng and proceeded TO the express office. a
rank unlocked the door of the express r
ffice with key which he had fashioned
fter the one given him by Gibbons. Once
inside the office they hunted up the treas
ry box, and after two attempts broke 1t
pen. There were five sacks of coin in L
he box. Klein and Savage took four Il
acks and went north on Washington a
treet until they came to the alley, which Il
ne of them ran up and dropped card d
ack Of j. .. Mack's. They then went a
round the Cosmopolitan hotel to an old a
hanty where the money was thrown. After b
DING this they went to Franks home and [
etlred. Frank was asked about the iron S
e used in prYing open the box, when A
ourt adjourned till 80. {
At l:30 Frank Klein was again placed 4
N the stand. He identified the iron o
nd also the shoes he wore on the night I
# the robbery. He threw the shoes /
lnder the sidewalk back OF Stubling &
Williams because they were worn out. \
The state here turned the witness over !
o the defense. The cross examination
vas taken up by Attorney Wilson. On
ross examination Klein testified that he
made the iron about three weeks after =
he trip to Badger lake and the bar was I
lnder the cross walk for about FIVE weeks (
before the robbery was committed. He ,
lid part of the money in his fathers
,ard, but no one knew it was there ex-
'ept himself. He knew nothing about
he 5000 which was missing. just as we
% to press Klein is relating where the
money was hid
Thursdays Report.
Klein was on the stand Yesterday when
We went to press He was not cross ex-
Imined very severely by the defense: all |