The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-11
$141,000 ALREADY FOUND
REMAINDER HAS SUNK INTO MUD,
But WILL BE FISHED UP.
Arrest of Walter N. Dimmick on the
Charge of Stealing 100000
from the Frisco Mint.

has been recovered from the bay, Wnere ne
had sunk it, For three days the detectives
made every effort to induce Winters to
confess, but without avail. Finally ne
asked to see Superintendent Ropp. OF the
works who, he said, was the only friend he
had. In his conversation with Ropp, Win
terss 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 IL will do you
no good to hide the gold. We know 1t is
hidden In the water near the works and we
will search every inch. You may be sure
the gold will be found before you get out of
prison"
Winters finally weakened and told Ropp
that he had stolen the gold and would take
him to the spot where II was hidden. The
criminal. In company with Superintendent
Ropp and a force of detectives. left on
tug last night for Crockett. There they
waited all night for low tide. Winters
pointed out the place at the end OF the rail-
road wharf behind the coal bunkers. at the
beginning Of the Vallejo ferry slip: AT that
point, al low tide. the mud is about four
feet deep, covered by foot of water. When
the tug first reached Crockett. Winters
pointed out the spot in the water where he
ent Ropp marked the place on the wharf
and the tug steamed away to walt for low
tide.
This morning Winters himself, got into
the mud and water up to his neck and for
an hour and half groped for the missing
bullion Up to 10 o'clock $l41. 900 worth had
bers of De go Wnters e had put of
the bars in bags. He said that one of the
bags had broken and some small bars had
dropped out 1t is now only a question of
600. Winters claims that he did the job
alone. He says that he made fourteen trips
he dropped the gold. The smelter officials.
however, positive that he received as
sistance from some one. The detectives
think his story that he did IL all himself is
correct. The tug with the detectives and
the prisoner. Winters, on board, has re-
turned 10 this city
WINTERS WAS METHODICAL.
Winters. when he had made up his mind
to tell what he knew about the crime, was
exceedingly willing to give all the informa-
tion necessary toward the recovery Of the
bullion. He practically assumed charge of
the operations and led Captain Seymour
and Superintendent Ropp TO the dock. He
acted more like one of the detectives en-
ployed on the case than prisoner. AS
soon a he arrived a the waters edge he
called the superintendent TO his side and
said:
Now, watch what I am going to show
you. BE careful that you get the location
right"
STOPPING, he picked up three stones, and,
pacing forward. he tossed one of them
into the water. 1t 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 to the left, Winters drew nail
from his pocket and asked for hammer
He then paced off a few yards To the right
and drove another nail in the timber.
THE gold he continued. will be be-
tween these two nails, somewhere in line
with the spots marked by the stones 1
just threw into the water.
A small boat was secured and into IL
Sheriff Vale, Detective Kimball, OF the
Pinkerton agency, and two laborers were
loaded. Winters assisted in the search for
the bricks. He talked glibly all the while
The deep mud finally put a stop to opera
tions and il was decided TO build a Golfer
dam before trying TO recover the rest of
the treasure.
Winters told the officers that he planned
the robbery long ago with minute detail.
He had been two or three months working
on his little tunnel. II had taken two
nights labor TO cut through the brick wall
of the smelter. Most of the boring in the
bottom of the vault had been done in the
night when the gold was taken. He car
ried the plunder. which very heavy.
from the vault To the water and deposited
ii where the water was from three TO six
the vault TO the cache was about "A quar-
ter OF a mile. and he made fourteen round
trips He was at work four hours on Mon
day night Four small bars OF refined gold
he concealed among the stones Of the
breakwater just at the further mouth Of
the railroad tunnel.
His purpose had been TO this gold for
present needs. Winters on his last trip had
perceived that dawn was breaking. Not dar-
ing to complete the trip. he laid ON the shore
the two bricks which were found Tuesday
morning at the point where the robbers
boat supposed 10 have landed. The
trail OF red pepper ending at that point
had been a blind. In view Of the fact that
promises of cemency We're made to Win
ters I'm consideration OF his Inearthing the
gold. ii is thought his punishment will be
light.
Detective Gibson il quoted as saying that
II was promised Winters by President Rails
ton. of the Selby smelter. that he should
not only not be prosecuted. but should re-
ceive $500. Winters cannot he prose-
cuted. said Detective Gibson ''for there
Is no evidence against him. All that has
been drawn from him was secured bv the
detectives under promise that il would not
bc used against him. Under such circum-
stances II would be extremely difficult 10
epctf-c "A conviction