Amador ledger., 1902-05-09
THAT P|CCARDO HOLD-UP
On the Trail Of the Sup
posed Perpetrator.
His Present Whereabouts Unknown
General Impression That He
Has Left the State.

1t is generally known, because it has
been freely circulated throughout the
county during the past week, that sus-
picion strongly points to George Gates
jr, as the perpetratOr of the hold-up at
Piccardo's saloon on the night of Fri
day, April IL. A chain of circum-
stances has been forged that has so i'm
pressed the opinion OF his guilt in the
minds of the officers, that no effort
whatever is now directed in any other
channel for the unravelment of that
bold crime except the discovery OF the
whereabouts of that individual.
AT the time we went to press last
week, Sheriff Gregory was on his way
back from Alameda, whittier he went
to locate Gates, and confirm or disse-
pate the suspicious that had been
created respecting him. He left here
Thursday morning of last week, and
expected to get back Friday. His
mission to the bay was only revealed
to one or two persons, with instruc-
tions to tell no one about the affair.
During Friday, however, the report
was all over the county that the sheriff
had caught his man, and would bring
him back that night. But he returned
alone, and repudiated the stories that
were floating around, and was very in
dignant that his name had been con-
nected with them as author. 1t was
true that he went to Alameda, with
the expectation of bringing back the
accused. This expectation was based
on information received from official
sources in that city, and which proved
to be false. Hence the disappointing
outcome, and the circulation of the an
noying stories referred to.
From Sheriff Gregory we have OBJ
tanned full history of this remarkable,
case, rendered doubly notorious on ac-
count of the ease with which the alleged
criminal has managed to slip through
the hands of the officers who have been
so eager to land him in limbo. The
facts show a lamentable lack of CO.
operation among the peace officers,
which is the main cause of this
miscarriage of justice.
The robbery was committed on the
l1th of April, Friday, between and 8
O'Clock at night. For several days
previous to the robbery young Gates
who was stopping at Nixon's hotel in
Sutter Creek-had appeared on the
street having bandage on his hand,
one finger of which had been injured
while working in the Central Eureka
mine. He worked in the mine long
enough to earn $50. He was frequent
visitor in Jackson. The morning after
the robbery he showed up in his room
at the hotel, and meals were taken to
his room by the walters. 1t is also
claimed that his wounds were dressed,
and that bird shot was actually picked
out of his arm by attendants, and all
these suspicious facts were kept from
the knowledge of the officers until long
after the accused had left the county.
Instead of being seriously wounded, as
was at first supposed by inspection of
the bloody duster found at the Bell
wether mine, Gates was around as
usual. There was no lameness observ-
able. No bandaged hand or arm was
in sight, according to the orthodox
version. All this tended to avert sus-
picion from him. A day or so after the
hOld-up, Constable Kay saw him in
Sutter Creek, and Gates greeted him
with this remark as he held out his
hand in recognition: "Well, suppose
you are after me-" Others from Jack
son saw him and drank with him DUR
ing two or three days following the
crime, and if they saw anything that
aroused suspicion they kept their
thoughts locked up in their own minds.
On the 14th he paid months board
at the hotel to landlord Nixon, amount
ing to S24. This was not in full. At
the same time he said he intended to
stay another month. This was the
last that Nixon saw of him. He left
Sutter Creek on the 18th, in the after
noon. 1t is believed that he took the
train at Valley Springs.
From letter received by Sheriff
Gregory from the sheriff of Stanislaus
county, it appears that young Gates
was at ranch near Modesto on the
10Th, wounded in the wrist, and told
parties that the officers had his pistol;
that it was cinch against him; that
he had been shot in the wrist.
On the evening of the 22d of April,
George Gates sen. arrived in Sutter
Creek. He inquired of the barkeeper
of Nixon's hotel where his son George
was, and was told that he was at
Paloma. He then asked, do you
know he is there" The barkeeper
suggested an inquiry direct by tele-
phone, but Mr.. Gates said: 'Never
mind, [ am going over there myself.
He was given young Gates room. He
came down early next morning, and
went off by stage, taking with him
young Gates trunk, filed with all his
belongings found in the room.
The knowledge of Gates visit to
Sutter Creek was known the same
night to at least one peace officer.