The Coconino sun., 1920-09-03

true story of that affair, giving names
 and the facts.
 George Martin, who receives men, tion further along in this story, was
 postmaster at Santa Fc, and knew
 what the writer said about the rob
 bery, and he knew he was the only
 person in the city to size it up The whole city of Santa Fe was unduly excited, but why people fly off the handle ever trifling incidents, or for any incident, is mystery to the writer. Years experience has proven to my satisfaction, that the average coroner and jury, sheriff and fool deputies, ct al, accomplish nothing
 All they do is to obliterate any pos sible clues left by the criminal; as a rule the above guys are looking for white elephants never realizing the fact that criminals never leave white elephants" as evidence of their crime. IL is small, insignificant things that afford clues, never ''white elephants.
 One Sunday morning, May, 1869, the robbery and death of Colonel Col lins was discovered by the coloners married daughter. Visiting the scene of the alleged robbery, soon after the Wllil HO OlitE luSd put d TOD bery and murder had been committed, l made five minutes examination of the premises and the whole matter appeared as clear to my mind as if I had had hand in the robbery. Say ing nothing to people at the old Palace building where the crime had been committed, but soon afterwards, to questions by some excited persons l said: "The robbery was not by out side people, but was done on the in side, and Colonel Collins committed suicide" In few minutes my re- marks had spread over the city, and many of the old colonel's friends Che was so years old), made threats to lynch the "slanderer of an old respect able and honorable gentleman. In due time Mir. Harris, of the Unit States secret service arrived, and after a few minutes examination, he cor roborated my statement in every par ticular.
 The foregoing must suffice for the incident at Santa lFe, and the follow ing will relate to the Gillett robberies:
 Many persons will recall the series of robberies which took place near Gillett early in 1883. Wells, Fargo & Co.'S special officers, J. B. Hume and Johnny Thacker, after several weeks of fruitleSS efforts to run down the robbers, gave up the job and went to Tucson. At this time George Martin, mentioned above, was agent for Wells. Fargo at Tucson. Up to this time l had never met either of the special officers. .
 The twelfth legislative assembly, of which the writer was a member having adjourned, Pat Hamilton and writer took the Black Canyon stage for Phoenix and thence to Tucson. One day at lunch--Pat had gone to Puebla Viejo-GeoFge Martin and two strangers came in and took seats at table on the opposite side of the hall; before seating, MT. Martin lean ed forward and spoke to the strangers. both glanced toward me and said something to Martin, who crossed the room and said: "Those two gentle l men are Wells, Fargo's special officers and they desire a few words with you after lunch" l was introduced, Mar 1 tin returned to the office, Thacker be- gan by saying: "You have heard. of | the Gillett robberies." 1 nodded as- | sent. We have been on these rob- | berries for weeks, cant get a clue and l are now at the end of our rope; dur | agent, MT Martin, tells us if there is | anyone in the territory capable of | working the cases to a successful is- | sue you can. Will you help us out of | this tangle ?" l was en route to Mis- | souri, but had stopped at the Old Pu- eblo to visit for few days. Consid- l ering the matter a few moments I de- cided to give it a trial, and Tucker | and self immediately left for Phoenix, via old Maricopa Wells, Hume re- maining at Tucson. Before going to Gillett, I learned from Thacker that the box contained 5000 in S20 gold pieces and $35 in paper; that the hold ups were always at one point of the road. This information suggested to me there was reason, and to find this reason was to locate the criminals. Mir. Thacker said: "You will investi- gate the agent, the company is sus- picious, think the agent in collusion," but agent proved to my satisfaction to be innocent of the charge. I must go alone for Thacker to go would ere ate suspicion, but if had occasion to write hlm, to address letter to John Lang. With letter from stage agent, directing drivers to allow the "bear- CT" on and off the stage at any point and make no mention of the fact. Ar irving at Gillett about midnight; talk ing a seat where I could keep an eye on all persons and movements in the room the first thing to attract atten- tion was the agents location of his lit- tie two and a half foot square table, where he opened the express box; also noted this table was railed off in front high enough for one to lean up- on and take look into the box. With an eye upon the agent as he opened the box, l noticed two men enter the room. They were the blacksmiths of Gillett, and well known by all; they walked up to the aforesaid railing, leaned upon it and the larger of the two looked into the box; the agent be- irS h,rc l,l @lo l