Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-08-16
STOLEN GOLD
SUNK IN BAY
The Suspect Jack Win
terS Makes a Confess
sion.

bullion has been recovered from the
bay where he sunk il.
For three days the detectives have
tried all sorts of persuasious to make
Winters confess, but apparently with
out effect. Finally Winters asked to
see Superintendent Ropp, of the Selby
works, who. he, said, was the only
friend he had.
In his conversation with Ropp, |
Winters indicated that he knew
where the gold had been hidden.
Ropp told " Winters that they had a
strong case against.him, and that he
would be sent to prison fer thirty
years. He said:
You will be an old man when you
get out. and it will do ynu no good
to hide the gold. We know it is hid
den in the water near the works, aud
we will search every inch. You
may be sure ;he gold will be found
before you get out of prison"
Winters finally weakened and told
ROpp, that he had taken the gold,
and would lead him to the spot
where 1t was hidden. Winters in
company with Superintendent Ropp
and force OF detectives, left on tug
ast night for crockett They waited
there all nIgut for low tide. Winters
pointed out the place at the end of
the railroad warf, behind the coal
bunkers at the head of the VelIeio
Ferry silly. At that point at low
tide the mud is abou: four feet deep,
covered by foot of water.
| When the tug first reached Crock
EFT, Winters pointed out the spot in
the water where he had thrown the
gold. Superintendent Ropp marked
the plnce on the wharf and the tug
steamed away to await for low tide.
This morning Winters got in the
water up to- neck, aud FOR an houl
, and half CROPPED for the bullion. III
/ to 10 o'clock $4,000 worth haC
been recovered. This includes th,
four bars of fine gold. Winters ha,
!. put some of the bars in bags HI
n said one Of the bags had broken ant
some small bars had dropped out
1t is now only question OF careful
search to find the rest of the $28(
600.
WintCrs claims heIdid the job a
! alone. He says he made fourtee
d trips from the vault to the whal
+ from which he droppen the gold.
= The tug, with the detectives an
7. the prisoner, returned to this cit
this afternoon.
}, PLANNED 1T IN MINUTE DETAIL,
Winters told the officers that /
planned the robber long ago vii
minute detail. He had been two
D. three month working on his lit
ID tunnel. It had taken two nigh
v. labor to cut through the brick WI
n. of the smelter. Most OF the boriI
in the bottom OF the vault had be-
done In the night when the gold W
taken.
We He carried the plunder, which W
n very heavy, from the vault to the "
ter, and deposited it where the wat
as was from three TO six feet de
de at low tide. The distance from I
to vault to the cache was about
he quarter of mile, and made fourte
trips He was at work four hot
wn on Mondsy night.
ed -Four small bars of refined gold
Jar concealed among the stones of
% breskwater at the further mon.I
the railroad tunnel. His pnrp
had been TO use this gold far pres
- needs.
Winters on his last trip had r
ceived that dawn was breaking.
dearing to complete the trip, he
'ce on the shore the two gold br
'no which were found Tuesday morI
" at a point where the robbers
=" was supposed to have landed.
trail of red pepper ending at
point had beeu blind.
In view Of the fact that proml
'"'S clemenry was made To White
(, by consideration of unearthing the
He 1t is Il o light his punishment will
yhen light.
as Detective Gibson is quoted as
inn khaf ~ tEnniSed isX PR