The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-02-28

that they say committed this ROBBERY
are now In Jail with a seven years
stretch over them.
"You know, John, after all. don't
know such q devil of lot about this
thing myself. / got mixed up In It
by accident. / happened to see the
governor on another matter; and
when l had finished my business, he
told me he had received a good
many letters asking him to pardon
the men that were In Jail for the
Circle Lake robbery. Many of these
letters were from lawyers, in which
they said that. after they had read
the evidence, they doubted II the men
we're guilty Also, one OF these reform
societies has got mixed up In the
| thing. The governor had read the
| evidence brought out at the trial, and
he believed himself that the men
might not be guilty Of the robbery.
Then he asked me II you were In the
city; and. when 1 said Yes he sug-
gested that l ask you to look into the
affair. II you, after having invcsti-
gated the matter. think the men are
innocent, then he will pardon them.
He said. also. that there was some
sort of a fund from which he could
pay your fee"
Barley gave me a curious look,
then turned to Rogers. THAT parts
all right. Rogers. Only haven't the
faintest idea what you are talking
about. OF course, know where Circle
Lake Is. It's near Saratoga A
friend of mine has a summer place
there. But beyond that. l have no
idea what you are driving at Why
not start at the beginning and tell me
what this crime was?"
With a grin the chief started at the
beginning of the story.
"Of course, you know who Rober
Slyke is?'
BARLEY nodded; but, seeing that I
did not recognize the name, he turned
to me.
"Pelt, don't you remember the Wall
Street broker who announced at a
Billy Sunday meeting that he had
been converted, and that he was go
ing to give back to his clients the
money they had lost in his officer"
Both BARLEY and Rogers laughed.
and the latter commented. HE never
gave 1t back"
mo-" said BARLEY, "he never did
That conversion did not stick. Slyke
is q strange sort of a chap. His
friends are few and there nave been
wild rumors as to where he got his
money. He has dabbled bit in spir
itualism, and has been fooled by sew
eraI mediums"
Rogers nodded IN agreement.
That's the chap. He has a place al
Circle Lake. He has lived there for
the last two years all the year round
No one knows exactly why he left the
city. but 1t is said that he has lost q
lot of money in stocks"
He paused. then continued, at was
Slyke who had the robbery. Earl,
one morning, about a year ago, his |
step-daughter came to his room and |
said there were burglars downstairs |
He jumped from his bed. and. without |
any weapon. rushed down the stairs |
while the girl stayed on the top step !
From then on, 1t becomes mixed up
MIXED up?" asked Barley
Eyes. Just what took place ana |
how paay men were in the room a. /
the time, was a point of dispute al
the trial. The girl says she is sure
that is, almost sure-there were twt
men In the room. On the other hand /
Slyke says there was Only one
though, he added. there might hav,
been second man whom he did no |
see. There was a bit of struggle
and the men jumped out Of an opeI
window and got away"
BARLEY. who had listened carefully
asked, They did not get anything?
mo, not a thing. The safe in tn,
room was unopened"
"Are these men," asked BARLEY
''the ones that are serving the sever
years sentence?'
Rogers paused long enough to llgh
another cigar, and throw back hi,
head to watch the smoke curl to tn.
ceiling before he replied. That's til,
big question"
He was silent for a moment. thei
After the burglars got out Of tn,
window, Slyke called up the city pc
ice and also the state police. Whe.
he city police arrived at the hous
hey made no arrests. But early tina
same morning the state police pickes
I'D two men about six miles away OF
The other side Of Saratoga. The
we're both well-known characters VIII
lad been in trouble before. One
he men had a slight bruise on hi
lead. Slyke clsImed that In tn
struggle he hit one of tie rohber
With a cane. Both men refused
ay where they had been during tn
light. The strange thing about I
vas that they were taken to thei
,wn homes before being locked NJ
When they were searched. the polio
ound nothing on them whatever"