The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-08-09
A BIC BULLION ROBBERY.
Three Hundred and Forty Thousand
Dollars in Gold Bars Made
Off With.
NOT THE LEAST CLEW TO TIE THIEVES.
A Tunnel Driven From the shore of
San Francisco Bay Under the
Strong Room of the shelby SmeIt-
ing Works at VnIlejo-BulIion
Carried Away In IA Boat.

San Francisco, Aug. News has
Just reached here from Shelby's
smelling works at Vallejo that up
wards Of a quarter OF million dol
lars worth of gold bullion had been
stolen during the night. The thieves
had tunneled under the works and
gained access to the strong room
where bullion was stored. The works
are located close to San Francisco
bay, ",.l the tunnel extended from
the waters edge under the building.
1t is supposed that the thieves took
their plumber away by boat.
The Shelby smelteris the biggest on
the Pacific coast, and ores are sent
there from all parts of the western
country to be reduced.
The works are located on the bay
shore, about 80 miles from San Fran
cisco.
Few Particulars of the Robbery.
A few particulars of the robbery
have been received in this city. \. j..
Ralston, president of the company,
| stated to a reporter that the thieves
had eXcayated a tunnel between 300
and 400 feet long from a point near
the railroad tunnel and under the
strongroOm connected with the works,
and had secured bars of bullion ag-
gregating in value over $4,000, and
rad transported the gold to boat in
waiting near the company's wharf.
In their hurry to get away one bar
! of bullion had been left on the
beach. The robbers took the unusual
precaution of strewing their tracks
with red pepper, presumably to throw
bloodhOunds off the track.
The Bars All Numbered.
Each bar of bullion was numbered,
and description of the various bars
is now in the hands of the detectives.
President RalstOn stated that the rob-
bers could not dispose of the bullion
without having it remelted and mixed
with other metals. lie is of the opin-
ion that they will bury the gold or
sink it in the bay, awaiting a con-
venient time for its removal There
are but few smelters on this coast
where the gold can be remelted.
No CIcw To the Robbers.
President Ralston stated that he
had absolutely no clew as to the iden.
tity of the robbers.
At the Selby works the gold is kept
in steel-lined strong-room. The rob
bers tunneled until they got directly
11nln AZ hn al.
the floor. The tunnel was skilfuTly
constructed, and it must have taker
many days to run it. Once in the
strong-room. the thieves had only tC
help themselves to all in sight.
Discovery of the Robbery
1T was not until after seven O'CLOCK
Tuesday morning that the robbery
was discovered. Bullion is sent eacl
day from Shelbys San Francisco office
to the smelter by special boat. me
boat arrived at the works as usua
Tuesday morning with the consign
ment of bullion, and the strong-roon
was opened so that it could be stored
Then it was that the smelter official.
, discovered that big robbery LAX
) been committed.
List of Property stolen.
The following is the list of proper
ty stolen:
-Four fine gold bricks, all numbered
? and containing as follows:
No. 1,236-1,1 100 ounces and a frac
ton.
No. 1,237-3,3OO ounces.
No. 1,23S-1,123 ounces and a frac
: ton.
No. 1,230-1,O37 ounces and frac
ton.
Also 10000 ounces of gold in variou
shapes. and a little silver. The cold i
= the bricks is worth $50 an ounce.
Harr0Ws & Land Rollers
t the very best at SATTERFIELD & DoDsoN
:, If
Used His Razor.
j Harvey Hill colored, was tried Wed