The Nome nugget., 1901-10-04
AN ALLEGED FAKE ROBBERY.

man, woman and two young girls who live CD the sand.pit, say they h-l'i up. bound and gaegrd last Sunday night, about 730 o'clock by two thugs, and the house in which they lived robbed of gold dust and nuggets to the amount of three four hundred dollars The story they tell is cir eumstanta and has no appearance on its face of having been concocted, as has been alleged.
 The chief of police of the city of Nome scouts the story told by the man. the woman and the two girls. He says it is a fake and, constructiveay that the people ho alleged they were thus robbed put up the job on themselves. The motive assigned for such a fool piete of bus ness Is that they wished to gain q mpSthy, and thus. perhaps, reap few hundred dollars with which they might take passage to their homes on the outside. In support of his theory the chief of police introduces "Kd' Gallagher, who also tells plausible story. He states that he was cooling his heels that night in front of the Hovev residence, where the robbery took place He heard nc noise inside the building that might indicate that couple of highwaymen were gagging men and women and turning things topsy turvy inside the domicile. He also says that he the two young girls go into the house. from whence they shortl, emerged, saying that, in the meantime, they had been robbed. Gallagher ayers that he bold. or tind, highwaymen make their exit from the house. Gallagher also tells circunstantal story, but until he secures some one to vouch for him do not think that the public will accep, his story as against that of four other people. In short, We are of the opinion that robbery enacted in bold
 audacious and outrageons manner It is but natural
 we suppose. that the chief of police should r, to make light of the matter and cndcavor to make it sppear that thee people three women, two of them |. young and innocent girls, and man Of mature ysars. conceded cock-and-hu story, turned the interior economy of their house upside down, then rushed to the street and shouted ''police" We are not acquainted with any of the parties who alIegc that they the victims of couple of highhinters
 We understand, however that MrS. Hovey and her young daughters bear excellent characters, SO the
 motive of the crime which the chief of police alleges they perpetrated against themselves is wanting We are also freo to state our suspicion that the witness whom the chief of police brings forward to clinch his flake robbery" theory may have been mistaken to put it mildly. That robbery committed tlat tour persons were held up the sandsp, is not to the dscredit of the police department of Nome Rob. berries just bold take place in San Francisco, Chi. cxgo New York. Wor.e crimes than hold-ups and burglaries committed daily and nightly in cities where the police forces are as nearly perfect and s6tctvs az it is possible for money to make them and must say that when the chief of police of tn or any other town attempts to make robbers out the robbed in opinion, he should have soneth ng more tangible to go upon than in the case to WI ich we &fer Kumors persistent and have been afoat for some time concerning the conduct of police affair.", and in view of the allegations made pro and con in tho sandspit robbery case it would seem that searching investigation of police affirs and their conduct e in order