The San Francisco call., 1904-09-07
Los Angeles Officers Are
on Their Way to Verify
Admissions and Theories
Arising From Confession
PRISONER PROMISES
TO DIG UP $15, 900
George Rhea Acknowledges
His Completely in Rob
berry of Paymaster ellison
Near Emeryyille Station

Two peace officers, Jack Cronin Of the
United States Secret Service and De
tective Boyd of the Los Angeles Police
Department, are speeding northward
on the Owl with a prisoner named
George Rhea, in high hopes that some
where IN the Berkeley hills. may be
found $4,000 taken by force from Pay
master ellison of the Risdon Iron
Works.
According to Los Angeles advices
Rhea. has. confessed his completely in
the hold-up. He processes a knowl-
edge and a desire to dig up the buried
treasure. Secret Service Agent Gro
min and Detective Boyd placed faith
enough in the fellows story of the
buried treasure to bring him from Los
Angeles to Oakland to search for the
missing money.
Chief of Police Hodgkins Of Oakland
is skeptical regarding the statement OF
the prisoner Rhea was arrested on
suspicion shortly after the robbery, but
was discharged for lack of evidence.
Chief HCdgkins thinks that Rhea is
trying TO make notoriety for hipself
and incidentally TO get transportation.
and food on a trip to San Francisco.
In an interview last night he stated
that there was nothing 20 connect Rhea
with the holdup of ellison and the theft
of $4,000.
CRIME WAS BOLD ONE.
The crime of which Rhea pleads
guilty was one of the most sensa-
/ tional robberies that have ever oc-
! CURED in the State. Paymaster Gill
son of the Union Iron Works left San
Francisco on April "a, 1892, with
| $4,000 to pay off the employees of
/ the Judson Iron Works. When the
train reached L station two men
with pistols confronted the paymaster
and demanded the satchel.
He gave UP readily, but one of the
/ robbers shot four bullets among the
! passengers. one of them taking effect
/ in the body of a man named Fergu-
son. The $4,000 was taken and until
| Rhea's confession no trace of 1t has
yet been discovered.
Rhea made the following statement
/ TO the two officers who are bringing
him north TO verify his declarations:
Il was one of the men that held up
ellison in 1892 and stole $4,000 from
him. 1 am ready now TO make con-
fession of the crime, for it is the only
one / ever committed in all my life and
I want a clear conscience now" began
Rhea.
! and l want peace for my tortured soul.
! If the Judson people want to give me
| half of the money when 1 reveal the
! hiding place they may do so. but
would prefer that they give me one
/ third. you officers one-third and keep
the remainder. However. 1 am going
TO tell the entire story and give UP the
money, even if 1 fail to get a cent.
TELLS OF ROBBERY.
Going back to- the robbery. the de-
tails are perfectly clear in my mind.
Riley, my pal, worked for the Judson
| Company. and he knew perfectly the
habits of the secretary. who who
went to a bank in San Francisco every
Saturday TO get money for the pay
/ roll.
We concerted our schemes in San
! Francisco and went over on the ferry
1 with ellison, following him into the
railway car at the mole. Riley blacked
his face because he knew that ellison
would recognize him otherwise, but few
people in that part of the country knew
! me.
! I'VE made a dash into the coach and