The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1915-03-26
ROBBERY AT THE OWASCO MINE

One night some three weeks ago six
copper plates were taken from the
tables at the Owasco stamp mill, To-
Gated short distance west of Oro-
vile. The thieves went to the mine at
night, broke into the office by tearing
boards off the side of the building, Sc
curing candles and then went to the
mill where the robbery was consum-
mated. The plates were secured to
the tables with double row of
screws, and the thieves did not waste
time loosening the screws but pried
them off with crowbars. The plates
the depot and shipped to Spokane, bill
ed as a gasoline engine.
The morning after the robbery G. w.
Smith, who is interested in the prop
erty, had premonition that some-
thing was wrong at the mill, and the
hunch was so persistent that he drove
up to the mine and discovered the loss
Mr.. Smith quietly notified Deputy
Sheriff Carroll and the two started out
To do little detective work, which
was so skillfully conducted as to final
ly result in the apprehension of the
two guilty men at Spokane, who prov
ed to be Burrell Robertson once en-
plOyed at the mill under the Harper
regime, and Joseph Schuerer who
worked for Harper at Republic. Mr..
Smith ascertained that these two men
registered in town under partially as
sumed names the day before the rob-
berry, and that they had engaged a
team and wagon to drive short dist
ance out in the country. Then a man
was found who had ridden part of the
way from the mine to town in the
vehicle containing the boxed plates.
Officers at Spokane were at once no.
titled to be on the watch when the
box was called for, and Mr.. Smith
waited for further developments. In
the meantime, however, Robertson and
Schuerer had been given the tip from
this end by some friend, and they did
not show up at Spokane freight office.
Then Deputy Sheriff Carroll started
out to do some more detective work
on his own hook, and the persistency
with which he followed the slightest
clue until the arrests were finally
made was the most consummate piece
Of sleuthing that has ever been done
by an officer from this county. Mr..
Carroll left Oroville early last week,
went to Republic following tips and
from there preceded to Spokane,
where he succeeded in locating his
men and securing their arrest. He is
silent as to the methods employed, but
that he was successful in his mission
is honor enough without going into
particulars.
Saturday evening Officer Carroll ar
rived in Oroville from Spokane with
the two prisoners, and was met here
by Sheriff Stark and Prosecuting At
torney Johnson. The prisoners waved
examination before Judge Parsons,
and were bound over in the sum of
$1,000 each. In default of bail they
were committed to the county Jail
pending trial.
The plates taken were covered with
coin silver, as is necessary for taking
up the gold that comes from the
stamps and are valued at from $40O
to $500. Besides the plates the men
had sold at junk shop a quantity of
oil cups and brass mill fixtures and
some betting most of which it was
thought was taken from mill at Re-
public. According to the Spokesman
Review Schuerer confessed to the rob-
berry, pleading poverty in extenuation
for the crime.
Much sympathy is expressed for
Schuerer, as he has wife and young
child in destitute circumstances, and
he does not bear the appearance of a
criminal 1t is the opinion of Officer
Carroll that Schuerer was led into
wrong doing, and besides thought he
was in a measure getting even with
Harper, the two men, according to re-
ports, being among the many who
worked for Harper and failed to Sc
cure their pay.