SONOMA’S GOLD

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 55, 28 November 1921, Page 5

SONOMA’S GOLD

ROBBERY DESCRIBED AS CLEVER PIECE OF WORK I DISCOVERIES ON THE SHIP By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. November 27, 11.5 p.m.) San Francisco, November 26. Pinkerton detectives ore now assisting the police in the investigation regarding the Sonoma gold robbery. ChiefDetective Matheson, who is in charge of tho men on tho case, thinks that the robbery was committed shortly before the vessel’s arrival at San Francisco, perhaps by the same gang which has been conducting boot-legging operations on almost every trip. Quantities of liquor were' seized aboard tho Sonoma on her lasi trip, and tho value of the seizures amounted to a fortune. This time there was no liquor found. The Pinkerton men believe that an international, well-organised band of criminals did the work, and every particle of the ehip’s cargo is being examined ns it is removed from the ehip. Tho police and Pinkerton men are continually "grilling” members of the crew, who are not permitted to remain aboard the vessel. Mr. F. -Samuels, manager of the Oceanic Steamship Compiany, is positive that the specie could not have been* taken off the ship at Sydney. Captain’ Trask is equally sure, pointing out' that tho gold was brought aboard only twenty-five minutes before the vessel sailed by bank messengers under a heavy guard, which remained until tho ship sailed. Captain Trask said to-day: "Since only two stops were made, one at Pago Pago (where Naval officers alone disembarked) and tho other at Honolulu (where, io the best of my belief, it was impossible to take off the shipment), th'is leaves only San Francisco. All I can say io that it was one of the cleverest pieces of work I have ever heard of.”

Detective Matheson declares that a further investigation showed that the specie tanks were opened with duplicate keys'' in regard to two of the locks, while the third lock was apparently battered off and a replica substituted. The Pinkerton defectives and local police are attempting to locate where the duplicate keys and lock were made. Another discovery made to-day was, that a portion of tho Sonoma’s cargo, in No. 2 hold, which adjoins the hold containing the specie, had been moved while the ship was at sea. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.