Amador ledger., 1907-04-26
PLYMOUTH AND SACRAMENTO
STAGE H0LD-UP S =
Butler, the Driver, Relieved OF $t4
by HighWayman. Suspect in Jail.

A daring stage robbery was com
mitted at an early hour on Wednes-
day morning, near the old Finn ranch,
three miles below Drytown, on the
Plymouth and Sacramento road. The
daily stage operating between Ply
mouth and Sacramento, owned by
Butler and Talbot, was making the
down trip to the capital city. W.
Butler, one of the proprietors, was
driving. %t was about Z O'Clock in
the morning when the stage reached a
point some two miles out from Ply
mouth, near the harness store of f.
Vanderpool. There we're no pass
engers aboard. At this point man,
having a mask in the shape of a red
handkerchief over his face, stepped
into the road, and commanded the
driver to halt, and demanded his
money. Whether he exhibited a wea-
pom to back up his demand we have
not learned, but probably she did,
Butler surrendered all the coin he
had with hIm-amounting to Sl4 to
the road agent, and was thereupon
permitted to continue his Journey.
Butler drove on to Sacramento, and
it seems he failed to notify the
sheritt's office of the hold-up until he
reached Forest Home,
As soon as sheriff Gregory was
apprlsed of the crime, he, assisted by
constable Norman Wheeler of Ply
mouth. started out to hunt for the
perpetrator. Upon reaching the scene
of the robbery, it was not long before
they we're on the track of the
criminal. Footprints we're readily
traceable leading from the spot across
private cultivated lands and by a
roundabout way through Drytown.
About O'Clock a man wearing heavy
boots, muddy and wet evidently from
tramping over soft grass grown fields,
was seen passing through the main
street toward the Fremont mine.
With this information the sheriff pro-
ceeded to the Fremont mine, and
speedily placed under arrest a man
giving his name as William Robinson,
who answered to tie description
given of the traveller through Dry
town that morning. He reached the
mine about haif-past eight that morn
Ing. Heavy boots, soiled and grassy,
were found in his possession. They
fitted the tracks leading from the
scene of the robbery over the poughed
ground. There was no money found
Oh his person, nor weapon of any
kind. He is supposed to have secret
ed these somewhere on his journey
toward the mine.
The officers are thoroughly satisfied
that they have the right man. Robin
son is not his right name. 1t seems
that he was passenger on the Ply
mouth stage on Monday from Sacra-
mento to Plymouth. He went to
work at the the Fremont mine on
tuesday, and worked until II O'Clock
that night-a half shift. That was
the last seen of him prior to the
hold-up. He slept in bunkhouse
alone. What time he left his room
that night or the following morning
no one knows. He failed to appear
for breakfast at the boarding house
Wednesday morning.
lie has made several contradictory
statements to the officers. He gives
his age as 81, but he is thought to be
older than that He worked in the
Kennedy mine for a short time. 1t is
thought he is no novice in crime
He would not deny that he had been
jailed before. At first he denied hav-
ing worn the heavy boots that morn
ing, but afterwards admitted the tact.
He wanted to know how long a SEN
tence he would get if he owned up to
the robbery. .EIt is believed he will
make clean confession of the crime
Butler, who was robbed, will likely
be here to-day for the purpose OF
Identifying the suspect, II he can.
Later. THE prisoner made a con-
fession to the officers on Wednesday
night, and told them he would show
where he had concealed the money
and his gun. Accordingly, Thursday
morning sheriff Gregory and the dis
trlct attorney took the prisoner over
to the Fremont mine, and at a
place nearby pointed out by the
accused they took out Sl2 in coin and
formidable regulation revolver.
Butler says he surrendered Sl4 to the
persuasive looks of the revolver.
The shortage is doubtless due to the
re bier having appropriated the other
couple of dollars for incidental ex-
penses. The sum of Sl75 cents was
found on him when arrested, so that
the total sum is accounted for except
25 cents.
At the time of the robbery the stage