The morning call., 1894-12-29
LEFT TO DIE.
Awful Experience of
Captain Stolen.
LOCKED IN A VAULT.
The Deed Was Committed
by a Robber,
WHO SECURED BIG BOOTY
And Made His Escape Without
Being Seen.
WHO SECURED BIG BOOTY
TOOK soNoMA coUN1Y's MONEY.
The Victim Was the County Treas.
urer and Highly Respected
Citizen.


this afternoon the Courthouse officials and
clerks were startled TO hear that the county
treasury had been robbed and the Treas
urer locked inside the vault. a CALL re-
porter was one of the first TO arrive on the
scene and Learned the following facts from
Captain Stofen, his wife and Judge Moore
Treasurer Stofen arrived at his Office Fri
day morning al so o'clock, entering by
the public door. At 9 o'clock precisely he
opened the vault which is time-locked and
was set for that hour. When he had
opened the three doors be entered the vault
and brought out money tray which also
contained his revolver. He laid down the
money tray on desk and put the pistol in
one of the pigeon holes on top of the desk.
He entered the vault again to bring out
some more trays of money. On turning he
saw a large man with a drawn dagger fac
ing him in the vanlt door. The man had
no doubt been concealed in the side room
which connects with the Treasurer's Office
and the Sheriff's Office, and removing his
shoes had crept up behind him when Mr..
Stofen entered the vault second time.
Mr.. Stofen's visitor was obscured some
what by the light on coming to the door
from the dark recesses Of the vault and he
whose face. was in the shadow with the
light behind him.
In loud voice the robber ordered the
Treasurer TO drop the money. 1t is sup
posed at this juncture that the Iobber
dealt him a blow over the head with a
sandbag or other blunt weapon. Cap
tain Stofen must have lain insensible Tor
some time. and when be became conscious
Ifg Is a IA haa
of his head and a sick sensation at his
stomach. On trying to rouse himself his
head hit againsl the edge of the safe doors.
On further investigation he discovered the
middle door closed and locked. He
pounded on 1t repeatedly, but no one
heard him OF came to his assistance.
Mrs. Stofen was in Cloverdale Thursday
and Friday, but returned TO Santa Rosa
on the train which arrives here at $780,
She came uptown and visited Mr.. Stofen's
Office. but not seeing him she supposed be
had gone home. She started for home,
and on arriving there was surprised to
learn that he had not been home all day.
She then grew uneasy and returned to the
Office. Finding it still locked she got
Janitor Hassett to unlock the Office door.
and on entering when she saw her hus-
bands coat and hat she screamed. believ-
ing that her husband had been killed and
was lying in the next room dead.
She rushed out into the corridor and
meeting Judge Moore she requested him
to go with her into the next room. On en-
tering it no signs OF Treasurer Stofen were
seen.
Soon they heard some one knocking in
side the vault and il flashed across their
minds that he was inside. On trying the
door it was locked. Mrs. Stufen thought
she remembered the combination, but on
trying failed TO make it. She fell back in
despair. In a second attempt she was
more fortunate, and on opening the outer
door she saw nothing of her husband vet
as the inner door was closed and locked,
but the keys had been left in the lock-
On opening the door she beheld her hus.
band, who looked more dead than alive.
The meeting 10 the vault between husband
and wife was deeply affecting.
Treasurer Stofen told a CALL reporter
that the money taken amounts TO about
$1,000. He said that whom he became con-
sciOus OF where he was be realized that he
was in his tomb and would never get out
alive.
The first thing hs did was TO wet his
finger and run it along the edge of the in
ner door where he thought be felt a slight
draft He then lay down with his face
toward the draft TO keep from suffocating.
He was entOmbed seven and a half hours
Treasurer StofeD is an upright man and
faithful officer, and every one regrets the
loss which will fail upon him and his
bondsmeO. But there is great rejoicing
that his life has been saved.
Stofen's term of office expires the first
Monday in January. 1t is generally sup
posed that the robber made his entrance
with a skeleton KEY or forced the lock
with a jimmy. The door shows evidence.
During the night he was concealed in
closet till 9 o'clock.
Officers say there has been a number of
hard-looking characters in town recently,
but most of them have been common
trsmps and hoboes. 1t is the belief of
many that the job was done by parties
living in Santa Rosa who were familiar
with the county Offices and knew just how
to proceed to loo: he treasury. Owing 10
the start the robber had the officero think
the chances of finding him rather slim.