The San Francisco call., 1909-05-30
$325,OOO THIEF
BREAKS PAROLE
TO GET MONEY
Comes to Bay Counties to Force
Payment of SUM Alleged TO
Have Been Promised
Declares S25,OOO Was to Have
Been Paid for Restoring
Stolen Gold

think it was. opposed any change in
our original orders. lie insisted that
Winters should live up to the terms of
his parole, and so he was ordered back
TO Sacramento
Leaves for Sacramento
Charles sonntag is associated with
Porter on the board. and according to
the lieutenant governor. it was Sonntag
who insisted that winters should not
be allowed to stay here. In order not
10 risk his liberty further Winters
obeyed instructions and left yesterday
for Sacramento.
AS far as can be learned Winters was
unsuccessful in his efforts to collect
the $25.0Oo. 1t is the belief of the po-
lice that he intended 10 compel the pay
,ment on threat OF another gigantic rob
berry.
Winters crime was committed in
August. 1901 Winters. also known as
Buck" Taylor. had for several years
been an employe OF the big plant at
Vallejo junction. He laid of in the
summer OF 1901. complaining of stom-
ach trouble. He lived on the hillside
near the works and was something of
: reciuse. He did not associate with
any Of the employees and kept TO him.
self. on the door of his cabin he
tackled q sign threatening with death
any one VINO should attempt an en-
trance.
Near the Selby works was a railroad
tunnel. Working at night, Winters
began TO bore from this tunnel toward
the vaults Of the Selby plant. For
three months he carried on his labors,
crawling into the narrow hole and dig
ging with small instruments at times.
and again making use Of a shovel with
q small handle. After some three
months he reached the base of the
vaults. He drilled the steel lining and
left everything in readiness for the
coup Of the next night.
Took S5Z5, 900 in Bullion
on the night when he completed the
robbery he had but to drive drill with
a few weu directed strokes and a big
jagged hole opened in the steel frame
of the vault Forcing his way inside,
he gathered up bullion To the amount Of
S325 coo, and sliding back through the
tunnel dropped it into the bay at
point well marked near the end Of the
wharf at that point It required several
trips TO complete the work, but by
morning the job had been done.
Suspicion at once attached TO Win
ters. He had burne dhis clothes, which
had been badly torn during his opera
tions. Tools necessary TO do such job
We're found about his cabin. In addi-
tion. q cap which fitted his head was
found in the tunnel.
Despite all the strong circumstantial
evidence. Chief Lees and Captain Sey-
mour. then in control of the local po-
lice department.. did not believe that
something more tangible. Winters
they could convict the man without
finally confessed and assisted in the
recovery Of the money. He was sent to
Folsom for IS years
Captain Seymour. head of the detect
ire department at the time Of the Selby
NObbery. said last night that Winters
mad never been promised S25. 600 or any
other sum Seymour carried the inves-
tigauon to successful completion and is
familiar with all its details.
I was present at the interview at
that time, said Seymour last night,
~and I know that no promises were
made TO Winters. There was a report
that he had been promised s25. 600, but
Il was not true"