The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-11

San Francisco, August 10--Jack Winters,
who was arrested for the Selby smelling
works robbery, has confessed the crime
and so far $4,000 worth Of bullion has
been recovered from the bay where he had
sunk 1t. For three days the detectives
made every effort to Induce Winters 10
confess, but without avail. Finally he
asked 10 see Superintendent Ropp of the
works, who, he said, was the only friend
he had In his conversation with Ropp,
Winters manner indicated that he knew
where the gold had been hidden. Ropp told
him that they had strong case against
him and that he would be sent to prison
for thirty years. He said "You will be
an old man when You get out and 1t VIII
do you no good to hide the gold We know
1t is hidden in the water near the works
and we VIII search every inch. You may
be sure that the gold will be found before
you get out Of prison"
Winters finally weakened and told Ropp
that he had taken the gold and would take
him to the spot where it was hidden. In
company with Superintendent Ropp and
force of detectives he left on tug last
night for Crockett. There they waited all
night for low tide. Winters pointed the
place at the end of the railroad wharf be-
hind the coal bunkers at the beginning
of the Vallejo ferry slip At that point
at low tide the mud is about four feet
deep, covered by a foot of water, When
the tug reached Crockett, Winters pointed
out the spot in the water where he said he
had thrown the gold Superintendent Ropp
marked the place on the wharf and the
| tug steamed away to wait for low tide
This morning Winters himself got into the
mud and water mp to his neck and for an
hour and half CROPPED for the missing
bullion. Up to 10 o'clock S13OOOO worth
had been recovered. This includes the four
bars Of fine gold. Winters had put some
of the bars in bags He said that one of
the bugs had broken and some bars had
dropped out. 1t is now only question Of
careful search to find the rest Of the $3.50
coo. Winters claims that he did the job
alone. He says that he made fourteen
trips from the vault to the wharf from
which he dropped the gold The smelter
officials, however, are positive that he re
ceivcd assistance from some one, The de-
1 tectives think that his story that he did
1T nil himself is correct.
The tug with the detectives and prisoner,
winters. on board has returned to this city,
winters, when he had made mp his mind
60 tell what he knew about the crime was
exceedingly willing to give all the informa-
fion necessary toward the recovery of the
bullion He acted more like one of the
detectives than prisoner. AS soon as he
arrived at the waters edge he picked up
three stones, and, pacing forward, tossed
one into the water. II fell to the south
Of the spot at which the prisoner stood
Another stone fell to the east and the third
was thrown directly in front of Winters.
THAT" said the prisoner, will mark the
water boundary of the place where your
gold is hidden Stepping 10 the left Win
tiers drew nail from his pocket and asked
for a hammer. He then paced of few
yards to the right and drove another nail
In the timber.
"Tbe gold" he continued, will be found
between two nails somewhere In liue with
the spots marked by the stones just threw
into the water. "
A small skin was secured and into which
Sheriff Vale, Detective Kimban OF the Pink
erton agency and two laborers were loaded
Winters assisted IN the search for the
bricks. He talked gllhly all the while.
The deep mud finally put a stop TO opera
4 4 corner
dam before trying to recover the rest Of
the treasure.
Winters said that he planned the robbery
long ago with minute detail. He had been
two or three months working on his little
tunnel II was two nights labor to cut
through the brick wall Of the shelter.
Most Of the boring In the bottom Of the
vault had been done in the night when tho
t@ was taken. lie carried the plumber,
which was very heavy, from the vault to
the water and deposited it where the
water was from three to six feet deem \ I
low tide The distance from the vault to
the eachf WAS about q quarter OF a mile
and he made fourteen round trips, He was
ut work four hours on Monday night Four
small bars of fine gold he concerned among
me stones OF the hreakwater, Just at the
further mouth Of the railroad tunnel His
purpose had been 10 use this gold FOR
present needs. Winters on his last trIp
nad perceived that dawn was breaking He
then laid on the shore the two bricks which
were found Tuesday morllng at the point
where the robbers boat was supposed ~
have landed. The trail of red pepper and
Ing NJ that point had been a blind
In view of the fact that promises of cler,.
ency We're made 10 Winters I'M eonsiders-
tion Of his unearthIng the gold. n n
thought that his punt. hment will be iirht
Detective Gibson Is quoted as saving fhaf
II was promised Winters by President R, si
stOn OF the Selby smelling works that g.
should not only not be prosecuted bnf
winters can not he prosecuted " ,.,s
detective Gibson Tor there is no evidence
2gainst him, All that has been drawn from from
promise that II would not be used se uInst
him. Under such circumstance il s .snls
tlon. eonVlc-
ONCE LIVED IN TEXAS.
Winters Was a Very Free Spens., -