The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-20
lmador Molina the Man Who
Saw the Burglars.
nusRoE MAKES A STATEMENT.
He Tells Chief Reed How the job ut
The Whole Burglary Required
Just Forty Ninufes-Fifty Cents
All That Is Needed To Pick the
strongest safe Lock Manufactured

Who is the man that saw Harry Num-
roe. alias Joe Howard. alias David Davis,
J. G. Webster and Fred Buchan preparing
90 5urgiarlze Finck's teweiry store?"
This question has been asked thousands
Of times since Chief Of Police Reed and
Detective Cudhee got 70 the bottom Of
the case. Strict secrecy has been main
tanned al police headquarters regarding
the matter. but gossip has settled the
question At last. There * little doubt that
Amaaor Molina is the man who furnished
the last Ink iu this most remarkable case
II Is an established fact that the de-
tectives were talking a great deal with
this little big man just prior to the arrests.
and Post-Intelligencer reporter was told
last night By one who Is IL a position to
know what he Is talking about that no
mistake would be made in announcing him
as the states star witness Molina is well
known In Seattle. being one OF the clever
est Of the local boxers. He has appeared
al several OF the Seattle Athletic Club
smokers with his brother Tom. and they
invariably put UP one OF the most scien-
fifc bouts OF the evening. Amador is
called the little big man because he is
very short but very broad and very mus
cBiar. The two brothers together are
capable OF wiping Up the floor with any
four ordinary men. and looking upon the
operation as chiid's play. Amador takes
when amateur games were the rage was
frequently called upon 10 act as umpire.
When he stumbled upon the burglars
he had no idea what they were about, but
subsequent Developments left little doubt
in his mind He was averse al first to
getting mixed up in the affair, but at last
came TO the conclusion he might as well
tell the authorities What he knew. Owing
10 the discovery Of the stolen goods and
the confessions OF all three burglars.
Molina's evidence will not be as important
as otherwise. Some people say that an
amusing story might be told about the
way in which AHsdor happened to dis
cover the clue that helped the police un-
earth the greatest gang of burglars that
has operated in the Pacific Northwest
Harry Munroe had an interesting talk
with Chief Reed yesterday afternoon. He
gave a detailed statement as TO how ne
did the work at Finek's II took him.
according 10 his statement just forty min
utes from the time he commenced o. the
bars Of the window until he and his con-
federstes were going up Marion street
with Sl0.ee0 worth OF jeweiry. According
70 his calculation. ths Post-InteIigencer
was right when Il stated that II required
thirty-five minutes of actual work TO do
the Job.
During his story the kingpin craftsman
told The chief that the people who believed
II NaS ciedr Sdlilng AFTER the handle OF
the combination had been knocked off
were mistaken. He explained that after
he removed the handle he had 10 take
piece OF wire and pick what is called
false lock This operation being over. the
steel punch was used to knock the tun-
hlers down into line The work OF pick
ing the lock. although Munroe did not say
50, Is an operation that calls for nice
work, and only one who is thorough
~ acquainted with the mechanism of
safe could do IL successfully.
1T Is all foollshness." said Munroe. ito
carry hig XII, of tools. Fifty cents will
purchase all that IS needed
The chief asked him about Policeman
Chapman. who was on the Second avenue
beat at the time OF the burglary. Mum
roe replied that Chapman did all that any
officer could hays done. He was attend
Ing strictly TO his duty and tried the
front door at the time he. Munroe. was
at the back window. As soon as Chin
man made his appearance work on the
bars was immediately stopped until ne had
passed on
We calculated, said Muuroe. that we
could DO the work while the officer was
making his rounds once. 1t required only
forty minutes"
The preliminary examination Of the three
prisoners viii probably take place this
afternoon before Justice Austin.