Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-11-28
WEALTHY NAIL CITES COMPANY
STAGE bANDITTO SHOW CAUSE.
sent TO PRISON BEFORE BOARD
William Vane Figures Prom
inently in Robbery of
Uncle Sam-Was Highly
Respected Citizen.
With Three Others Priest
River Stage Was Held Up
by Him and Valuables
Taken-Judge Gives All
Prison Sentences.

In the conviction of William Vane,
at one time wealthy and highly re-
spected citizen of northern Idaho,
Gene Naccarato, Joe Bossio and Lonnie
Easley, on the charge of holding up
and robbing the Priest River mail
stage, federal officials Of this state be-
lieye they have broken up one of the
most desperate bands of bandits prey
ing on the public in the northwest for
years All of the bandits were SEN
fenced to prison terms at McNells
island by Judge Frank S. Dietrich at
Occur d'Alene this week, federal off
Gals here have been informed. Nane
was given six years Bossio four years
and Easley two years. Naccarato is
subject to epileptic fits and Judge Diet
rich postponed passing sentence on
him for the time being.
sAvORS OF DAYS OF OLD.
The stage robbery savoring of early
days and unusual in later years, was
one of the most interesting and spec
tacular. 1t took place in September,
1914. The stage was held up ny
mask ed men, the driver and passeng-
ers ordered out at the point OF revolv-
ers. lined up along the road, relieved
Of their valuables and the mail pouches
carried in the stage ripped open or
carried away. William Hart, the film
star. could not have done better.
All of the machinery of the depart
ment of justice was set in motion TO
apprehend the bandits. While many
cews were picked up and followed
they pinched out one by one leaving
The secret service men baffled. Nane,
at this time was a wealthy rancher of
the Priest river country. He was
held in the highest respect by those
who knew him, was of the more sue
cessful type of ranchers, lived well and
surrounded himself with many of the
Injuries of life. Gradually, however,
the secret service men wove the evil
dence that pointed the hand of sus-
picion toward this prominent rancher.
Bossio and Naccarato. both Italians
fell into their clutches as suspects
Then Easley was combed out. He
turned states evidence. Nanes arrest
followed and created a profound sen
sation. Bossio also talked.
JURY FIRST DISAGREED.
The trial of the bandits originally
took place last spring. The jury failed
to agree and was discharged. Instead
of dropping the case the department
of justice worked diligently to make
the evidence more damaging. During
the present term of the federal court
at Occur d'Alene, the defendants were
retired and found guilty by a jury
after delibera ting about an hour.
The charge that the defendants
placed the lives Of the driver and pas
sengers of the mail stage in jeopardy
was stricken out by the jury. Convir-
ton on this charge carries imprison
ment for life. The penalty for the rob
10 years in prison. and that for con
spracy 10 rob a stage two years with
a maximum fine of $4,000
1t was claimed during the trial thai
although once wealthy Nanes fortune
has been all but lost in the litigatio
sentence Judge Dietrich pointed on
that the crime the defendants were
charged with is dealt with severely b!
the federal statutes, but prosecutions
are of rare occurrence since the pass
ing Of the old stage coach days wher
to rob stage coaches was quite com
mon. Vane was held to be the leade
In the holdup and in large measure
responsible for the crime.