The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-02
Motorcycle Hidden.

Following the robbery several Tooele
coat walking rapidly north across a rye
field. He appeared TO be carrying some
thing under his coat. According to Sha
fer this man was Walton. Shafer tells
back to Salt Lake on his motorcycle The
motorcycle had been hidden in the rye
field and when Walton attempted to start
1T there appeared to be something wrong
with II. He found that the gasoline had
leaked into the carbureter and IL was
with the greatest difficulty that he was
able 10 repair ii. The failure Of the mo-
torcycle to work added to the nervous
ror lest the robbery might be discov-
cred before he could get ost of the city.
Finally he got the machine 10 going
and he wasted no time getting into Salt
Lake. AT times, he declared, his motor
cycle reached the speed OF a mile a min
ute, The distance between Salt Lake
the motorcyclist made ii in an hour and
fifteen minutes, reaching Salt Lake be-
fore the robbery at Tooele was discov-
cred.
was committed Robert Page and Joseph
Baluff. a clerk for the Tooele Improve
ment company, of which w. l., Irvine is
manager, went In the bank. They
found Shafer in the lavatory bound and
gagged.
On being unbound and released Shafer
appeared 10 faint. He simulated great
pain and appeared to be suffering from
a shock. He said that he had been held
ND ty two men who covered him with
their revolvers, bound and locked him in
the lavatory. IT was also thought at the
time that he had been drugged.
There appeared no reason to doubt
Shafer's story and the officers followed
up every possible clew resulting from
Immediately following the robbery F.
Z. McGurrin. president OF the bank, gave
out a statement that the robbery was
due 10 the carelessness of the cashier.
pursuant to the orders OF Mr.. McGurrin.
Shafer Is Dismissed.
shafer was Immediately dismissed
from the employ OF the bank and George
Fl. Higgs, who until yesterday was not
the robbery, was appointed to succeed
Shafer as cashier OF the bank.
The first suspicion that the officers
self was occasioned by the finding OF a
piece OF cloth which belonged in the
bank. which had been tied about Shafers
head, That an outside bandit would
and the officers proceeded on the theory
that Shafer knew more of the robbery
than he had been telling.
closely and their questions let Shafer
know that he was being suspected Sha-
fer told Mr.. Irvine of the accusations be-
ing made against him and asserted his
innocence. Mr.. Irvine. too, believed
Shafer innocent. This, IL appears, led the
Tooelc officers TO suspect that Mr.. Ir-
vine was implicated in the robbery. The
fact that BaiuT had found Shafer in the
lavatory led the officers to believe that
perhaps he was an accomplice.
On the day following his arrest Shafer
made partial confession in confidence
to Sheriff Bush.
Deposits the Money.
Immediately following the robbery.
cording TO Shafer's story. Walton, having
reached Salt Lake on his motorcycle,
placed the money in a safety deposit
vault. Later he withdrew about $4,000
which, IL is said he used 10 complete pay
ments on his automobile and for other
purposes. When the proposal was made
TO return the money il was necessary
10 make up this deficit.
According TO Shafer. HigEs made up
this deficiency, advancing the $4,000 TO
replace that which Walton had spent
Walton, the confession runs. on the
day the cash was returned took the
stolen money TO the Kenyon hotel in a
grip which he checked in the hotel check
room. Walton gave the check for the
grip TO Shafer. who took IL 10 the Salt