The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-05-24
OROFINO ROBBERY
CASE GIVEN JURY
MOST SPECTACULAR CASE OF
FEDERAL COURT TERM NEARS
CLOSE WHEN JURY .RETIRES

Sam Rose, Mike Conway, and James
WoOdsOn, charged with the robbery of
the post office at Orofino, on May 5
or 6, was given to the jury this after
noon shortly after o'clock in the
federal court, before Judge Frank S.
Dietrich.
The defendants are charged with
the robbery of the post office which
occurred three weeks ago, and which
: netted the burglars approximately
$500 in stamps and $50 in small
change after they had blown off the
vault door with a heavy charge of
nitro-glycerine.
The trial of the indicted men be-
gan yesterday afternoon, and occu-
pied the court during an evening ses-
sion last night and until noon to-
day, at which time counsel for the
government and defendants made their
arguments to the jury.
Evidence Spectacular
The evidence introduced by the gov
ernment in the case was of a specta-
cular nature, and disclosed the fact
that government agents had been
seeking the men since February 25
in connection with a number Of rob-
berries throughout the Inland Empire.
After the discovery of the robbery by
the OrOfino postmaster investigating
officers found inside the vault an en-
velope upon which was clearly visible
the imprint of new unworn rubber
soled shoes, which exactly fitted those
of Rose, when he was apprehended
later in Lewiston.
A revolver, identified this morning
as one having been purchased from
secondhand dealer in Lewiston, to-
gether with a quantity of five-cent
pieces, was found hidden on the banks
of the Snake river below Lewiston in
a sock Identical with a sock found in
the automobile in which the men were
arrested.
Interested In Mines
The defense sought to contradict
much of the evidence introduced by
the government, and claimed that the
men we're in that part of the country
Investigating several mining proper
ties, principally in the Elk City sec
tion 1t was claimed that they left
Ahsahka early on the morning of the
fifth, camping at the place which the
government claims they stayed after
committing the robbery. They denied
having been in Orofino during the
time that the post office was entered.
There were four men in the party,
according to the government agents,
the fourth member of the quartet, |
known to have been G. Co1burn, alias
ss Little Dan," leaving the other three
with the loot while they were en-
camped at point about two miles
from Leland, in rough, wooded coun-
try. Despite every effort made by
federal agents to track his movements
he has managed to remain hidden. I
The other three man went to Lewis I
ton where they were taken into Gus
tody by Sheriff Welker, Deputy Sher
Of pO1ion 4
Eugene Gasser of Lewiston, and De-
putty Sheriff Yancy McNeill of Asotin.
Have Records
All three of the men on trial here
are known to have long criminal re-
cords. Sam Rose was sentenced in
1898 to three years in the Folsom penl-
tentiary in California for robbery,
and again in 1906 he was given ten
years on similar charge. His most
recent jail term was when he was
convicted for grand larceny and SEN
fenced to six months in the Ellens-
burg reformatory, Washington. He
is known to have a pal, known as
Tom Gray or Tom Shay doing four
years in the Wa1Ia Walla state peni-
tentiary.
Members of the jury sitting in the
case are John Miller, Ralph Thomas,
n. T. Grant A. J. Williams, J. T.
Baken John D. Schadt, Chas. F.
Webb, VIM G. Short, Ed. Reed, VIM.
Huber, w S. Hunt, and w. P. Kill +.
gore.
witnesses called by the government
we're C. E. Bobo, e. r. Chambers,
leonard Profit Luther Profit, James l
Blake. Yancy McNeill, Robert N. Mol :
oy, Wayne Bezona, Ed. Klonick, Dave q
Daniels, Jesse Daniels, G. H. Pippen /
,er. J. G. Stalnaker, Tom Dohertey.
.. Fl. Taylor, Otis Stone, Columbus !
lark, J. S. Armstrong, L. w. Houck,
" J. Harris, L. G. Houck, J. A. Hea-
OK, r. F. People, and Charles L. Mon
oe.
Convict Two
George Elliott, Ivan Remington
nd Oscar Chandler were found guilty u
his morning of defamation of wit ~
less and fined $40 apiece, a bench
having been issued yester Z
ay afternoon by Judge Dietrich
harging them with contempt OF
ourt They were charged with hav
ng accosted Bert James on the W
treets of Moscow yesterday, calling II
i'm vile names, by reason of his hav-
ng testified for the government Fl
gainst Remington and Frazier in ts
he governments case against them. t,
harging them with possession of 81
quor and still, manufacture of II
quor, and maintaining nuisance. b.
The jury out yesterday afternoon p;
n the case of Remington and Frazier
ound the two men guilty on three Of +
ne counts, and they were sentenced =
his morning to serve three months \
! the idaho county jail, and to pay +
fine of 5000 each.
Emil Hakanson charged with +
quor law violations, changed his =
lea to- guilty on two of the three =
lunts nreferred and was given three 4.