The morning call., 1894-12-30
ONLY A BREATH OF AIR,
That Came Through a Crack
Under the Door.
WITHOUT 1T He MUST HAVE DIED.
There Is Yet No CIew to the Man
Who Robbed Sonoma County's
Treasury.

SANTA Rosa, Dec. pa CALL repre-
sentative saw Treasurer Stofen to-day as
be lay in bed.
Relating his feelings as he lay entombed
in the vault he said: when l regained
consciousness put u my hand and Ielt the
safe. l then began TO realize where l
was. MY God,' / said. my wife alone
knows the combination to the safe and she
is In Cloverdale. What if she does not re-
turn to-day?'
81 crawled up to the door, knowing that
If any air could get In it would be beneath
it. wet my finger and thought l could
feel slight draugbt at one corner. l put
my mouth close to that corner and re-
NAMED in that position all day. OCCASION
ally striking the door with my hand in the
hope of attracting attention"
81 heard the scream of my wife and rec
ognized her voice. when she came In and
found my coat The atmosphere was
growing mere and more sitting, and l do
not think I would have lived much
longer.
IL believe there were two men in the
robbery, though saw but one. and as that
one came upon me like a thunder-clap
from clear sky, am unable to give any
definite description of him. He flashed
upon me and two seconds afterward l was
unconscious"
There are two rooms to the Treasurer's
Office and the vault is in the first room
Both rooms open on the hall. It is thought
that the entrance was made either through
the north door or a window. On getting
into the Office recess in the wall between
the Treasurer's and Sheriff's Office would
afford hiding place for two persons. 1t
is used as q closet.
The back door opens into the Sheriff's
Office and the front door into the back
room of the Treasurer's Office. II was a
former entrance from the Sheriff's Office TO
the Jail when the jail was in the Court
house. Both doors of this recess were
locked from the Treasurer'5 side and the
keys were in the doors. The first door,
forming the closet and penIng into the
Treasurer's back room. was unlocked, and
the second, leading from the closet to the
Sheriff's Office, was locked, as usual, from
the inside.
In this place the robbers were probably
hidden, and when Captain Stofen opened
the vault door and went in the second
time the robber slipped up on him in his
stocking feet and with a drawn knife de-
manded that he drop the money. When
Captain Stofen stopped over to put the
money down ne remembers nothing but
that the man was In his stocking feet.
About 10 O'Clock on the day of the robbery
The CALL representative saw stranger
as he was entering the Courthouse near
the Treasurer's Office. He looked like a
German. about Is years of age. nearly six
= y s,As ~
brown beard and was fairly well dressed.
The man has not been seen since.
The following notice has been sent out
One thousand dollars will be paid as a reward
for The arrest aud conviction of the person or
persons who assaulted County Treasurer p. N.
Stolen, and robbed the Treasurer's Office OF
Sonoma County, California. on Friday, Decem-
ber %. 1894. P. n. STOFEN.
Santa Rosa, CAL, December 20. 1894.
At s. o'clock tonight word was received
here to the effect that man answering to
the description of man seen in Santa
Rosa had been arrested at Vallejo with
considerable money on his person. No
other clew has been found. but several de-
tectives are at work on the case.
II has been found since the robbery that
the electric burglar alarm system which is
COnueCt6u WIN tuC SuctIu OlllCc Hdu De6l
tampered with. Atany rate it will not 10 W
sound an alarm from any bell in the office.
1t will probably be found on further in
vestigation that the wires have been cut,
and that was probably done during the
night or before the arrival of Captain
Stofen.
Captain Stofen is not certain as to the
amount of money taken. He thinks the
sum is between $4,000 and $1,000, butcanuot
give exact amount until he is over the ex-
citement and strain to which he has been
subjected.