The San Francisco call., 1905-03-22


veri6cation of the statements made by
John +. DAILY and Frank K Roche
concerning the $4,000 robbery near
Siege yesterday. when they were re-
neved by highwaymen Of money in
transit from the Central Bank to the
Bank Of Richmond, was obtained to-
day by Sheriff Neale Of Contra Costa
County, under circumstances eXtraordl-
nary ana unparalleled in the history of
crime. From a residence a quarter of
4 mile distant from the scene Of the
daring hold-up. Miss Mabel Perry saw
The occurrence through field glasses,
and as a matter Of justice 10 the two
men she to-day narrated her aStonish-
ing experiences to the authorities that
all doubt as 10 the genuineness Of their
recitals might be set at rest.
by merest accident did the young
woman. as she scanned the country
with the glasses, catch the dramatic
scene within the range Of her observa,-
tions. But a chance glance across the
fields brought her gaze upon single
incident. made vivid by the powerful
lenses that held her spell-bound with
intense interest, no movements of the
quartet at the railroad cut escaping
her.
AVhen Miss Perry gave the story of
her experience TO Sheriff Neale to-day
il confirmed to a dot the previous re-
ports from DAILY and Roche To the
authorities il cleared the atmosphere
al once and gave them still more tangi-
bic evidence upon which to continue
their digging for the fugitive thieves.
Miss Perry resides with her mother
al the residence of Assemblyman Harry
Ellis. whose spacious home is in the
grounds Of the California Cap Com
pany at Siege That has been the
voung wOrlan's home since her child
for Els who is superintendent Of the
cap company, and as well a Deputy
Sheriff Of Contra Costa County.
The residence commands an unOb-
structed view of the scene of the rob-
berry. II is south and a bit west Of
the cut at the Southern Pacific cross
ing where DAILY and Roche were held
up. From the upper windows of the
north side of the Els home one can
look straightaway across the open
fields to the cut From this point of
vantage Miss Perry saw the hold-up,
witness all the more valuable because
she was in no wise acquainted with
the persons involved. and until after
news Of the robbery had been taken to
her was not absolutely positive to
what was going on. although she suS-
pected crime of some sort.
ROBBERY is REVEALED.
In the Els household is a pair of
field glasses that are frequently used
by members of the family in scanning
the open country. OF late the spe-
cial point Of interest had been the
construction work on the San Pablo
avenue electric road.
Miss Perry went to the upstairs
windows yesterday morning, intending
TO use the glasses TO see whether the
track gangs were working on the
road. AS she peered through the
lenses her eyes caught a horse and
buggy tied to a fence at the west side
Of the railroad crossing embankment.
Then she noticed the movement of
two men. She saw the fence where
2 board had been removed so that
DAILY and Roche could climb through
into the incloseure where they were
bound. gagged and blindfOlded. Miss
Perry watched the movements OF the
highWaymen. She saw one of them
drop down the embankment and dis
appear in the direction of the will
lows. where DAILY saw q horse and
buggy tied. Her glasses brought the
second robber into view as he climbed
into Days buggy and drove off
through the railroad cut and on rap
idly down Potrero avenue toward
San Pablo road. She saw the second
buggy emerge from Railroad avenue
and move along behind the first one,
the stouter OF the two robbers driV-
ing the second riA
Unable at the time to fathom the
mysterious movements, Miss Perry
was further engaged by noticing the
actions of DAILY and Roche as they
were freed from their bonds after the
robbers. departed. These actions Miss
Perry saw and described later identi-
cally as. the two robbed men told
them. The young woman watched
Roche as. he dragged himself to his
feet and went 10 Daly's rescue. She
saw Roche when he stood and looked
about furtively over the embankment
just before she noticed him untying
Daily. she saw both men climb out
into the road and hasten across Po-
trero avenue, losing them as they ap-
parently neared the cypress hedge at
". II. Johnson's home on the ave-
nue..
Though at the time Miss Perry knew
nothing about the identity Of the VIC
Tins. she gave such minute descrip-
tions OF DAILY and Roche's appearance
that there was no mistal1ing them nor
confusing them with the two highway
men.
TELLS TALE TO MOTHER.
After the buggies had disappeared
and the two men were beyond her Wis
ion. Miss Perry decided that she had