The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1901-08-16

Superintendent Ropp Of the works who
he said, was the only friend ne had. In
hs conversation with Ropp Winters
manner indicated that he knew where
the gold had been hidden. Ropp told
him that they had strong case against
hlm and that he would be sent to pris
Tor 30 years. He said:
You will be an old man when Won get
out and it will do you no good 10 hide
the gold. We know it il hidden in the
water near the works and we will search
every inch. You may be sure that the
gold will be found before you get out of
prison."
Led Them TO Ii.
Winters finally weakened and told
Ropp that be had taken the gold and
would take him to the spot where II was
hidden. The criminal, in company with
Superintendent Ropp and force Of DO.
tectives, left on tug last night for
Crockett. There they waited all night
for the low tide. Winters pointed ONT
the place at the end of the railroad
wharf, behind the coal bunkera. at the
beginning of the Vallejo ferry slim. At
that point at low tide the mud il about
four feet deep, covered by n foot of
water. When the tug first 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 tbe
mud and water up to his neck and for
an hour and half groped for the miss
ing bullion.
Recovered Part,
Up to 10 o'clock $4,000 worth had
been recovered. This includes the f1ur
bars of fine gold. Winters had mt
some OF the bars in bags. He said that
one OF the bags had broken and some
small bars had dropped out. 1t il now
only question of careful search to find
the rest Of the S2SO.OOO. Winters
claims that he did the job all alone. He
says that he made II trips from the
vault to the wharf from which he
dropped the gold. The smelter officials.
however, are positive that he received
assistance from some one. The detec-
tlves think that his story that he did IL
all himself is correct.
winters, when he had made up his
mind to tell all he knew about the crime
was exceedingly willing to give all the
information that was necessary for 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 employed than as
a prisoner. As soon as he arrived at
the waters edge he called che superin-
tendent to his side and said: "NOw
watch where | am going to show. BE
careful that you get the locations right"
STOPPING he picked no three stones
and pacing forward he tossed one of
them INTO the 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, twill mark
the water boundary of the place where
your gold is hidden"
Stepping to the left, Winters drew a
nail from his pocket and asked for
hammer. he then paced off a few wards
to the right and drove another nail in
the timber.
1.-The gOld,' he continued, Twill be be-
tween these two nails, somewhere in line
with the stones | just tossed into the
water"
A small boat was secured and into it
Sheriff Veale, Detective KimbalI of the
PInkertOn agency and two laborers we're
loaded. Winters assisted in the search
for the bricks. He talked glibly all the
while. The deep mud finally put stop
to operations, and it was decided to
build a cOfferdam before trying to re-
cover the rest of the treasure.
How He Planned the Robbery.
Winters told the officers that he
planned the robbery long ago with
minute detail. He had been two or
three months on the work on his little
tunnel.
1t had taken two nights labor to cut
through the brick wall of the smelter.
Most OF the boring in the bottom of the
vaults had been done on the night when
the gold was taken. He carried the
plunder, which was heavy, from the
vault to the water and deposited it
where the water was from three to six
feet deep at low tide. The distance from
the vault to this cache was about
quarter OF a mile and be made round
trips. He was at work four hours on
Monday night Four small bars Of re-
fined gold he concealed among the stones
of the breakwater just at the further
mouth of the railroad tunnel.
His purpose had been to use this gold
for present needs.
Winters on his last trip had perceived
that dawn was breaking. Not daring
to complete the trip, he laid on the shore
the two bricks which were found Tues
day morning at the point where the rob-
bers' boat was supposed to have landed.
The trail OF red pepper ending at that
point had been a blind.
In view Of the fact that promises OF
clemency we're we're made Winters in con-
OF his unearthing the gold, it
is thought that his punishment will be
light.
Detective Gibson is quoted as saying
that it was promised Winters by Presi-
dent RalstOn of the Selby Smelling
works that be should not only not be
but should receive $4,000.
"Winters can not be prosecuted" said
Detective Gibson, ''fOr there is no evil
deRce against him. All that has been
drawn from him was secured by the de-
tectives under promise that it would not
be used against him. Under such cir
it would be extremely diff
cult to secure a conviction"
Hundred Year Clubs
Are becoming numerous. The idea is to
promote longevity. 1t il Interesting to
note that the means through which long
life is to be obtained, is food and the
stomach. Long life and good health