Sonoma’s Lost Gold.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1921, Page 3

Sonoma’s Lost Gold.

AUSTIIALIAN AND IT.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. NEW YOU K, Nov. 28 San Francisco messages report the Sonoma’s recovered gold was found by Engineer Kmidsen stuffed in a rubber hose aboard the ship. NOVEL MIDI NO PLACES. NEW YORK, Nov. 28 Seventy-live thousand dollars worth of the gold was found in its original container, buoyed up by a large oil tied by a rope to the Sonoina’s rudder. Another message states: I'if teen thousand pounds were found in three milk cans, suspended underwater to the stern of the TSonoma. DISCOVERY ACCIDENTAL. SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. 28. The discovery of part ot the Sonoma’s gold was totally accidental. Knudsen, finding the ventilator shaft out of order, opened it and found the rubber hose stuffed, thus shutting off the air. He then pushed a shower of sovereigns out. This strengthened the belief of the detectives that the remainder of the gold was still aboard, and the searches were renewed, pro- - ceediug over the vessel slowly and minutely. The llurns Detective Agency, when called in, advanced a theory that was partially substantiated by known facts. It was that the thieves were passen-

gers aboard the Sonoma. The company officials immediately consulted the records, showing that one man mads three consecutive trips. His name has not been disclosed, but the Burns Agency declares this individual is now on route to the East, and it is believed that his arrest is likely to follow shortly.

IDENTIFICATION MOVE FAILS. NEW YORK. Nov. 28.

The San Francisco Chronicle states: Attempts to identify ,1. )\ button, the Sonoma’s cabin boy, as Charles Barrett, who was implicated in a bullion robberv from the steamer. Humboldt in 1920, failed to-day. According to Mathoson, a detective, there is no possibility of Whatton being Barrett. He said: “1 arrested Barrett when I was working on the Humboldt ease, and I am certain that Whatton is not the same man. There is absolutely no similarity in their description. I am almost certain Barrett is at present in the East. The habits of the two men are totally dissimilar. MORE GOLD FOUND.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 28. The United Press reports that TS,<NIV dollars more of the Sonoma’s gold has been discovered. The “Frisco Chronicle" states that all of the gold has been found. STILL MISSING. (Received This Day at 8 n.m.l NEW YORK. Nov. 29. The limit cheek shows tbit teen thousand dollars are still missing of the Sonoma gold. ARREST OF CREW MEMBERS. SAN FRA NCI.SCO. Nov. 29 Three-'tif the Somalia's crew are in irons, and a fourth is being sought.

FI'RTHFR DFT.AIFS ok ROBHFR Y. This Day at 12.25 p.m.) SAX FRANCISCO, Nov. 20. Details of the Somalia's robbery are slowly living revealed. It sounds hhe a story from Arabian Nights. It upIwans one member of tin- Sonoma s ,-,ew had the key of the sail chest which was kept the rubber hose ol which a twenty foot length used to hide one portion of the gold. Tins individual went ashore to-day, saying he would return in a few hours. The police are now seeking him. The detectives have not relinquished" a nation wide search lor the master mind of the robbery, who is believed to be en route to the Fast. It is though; when he and the mission member of the crew are caught, they, with the three in custody, will form the live who executed the coup. The authorities jet use to give the names of the individuals sought or apprehended. The work ol searching the Sonoma continues. No one is now jiermitted to leave or board the vessel, which is guarded by detectives on all sides. F.very bit of cargo still remaining on the vessel is painstakingly opened and carolully examined. The authorities are convinced that the missing thirteen thousand dollars will be found on the vessel. The retrieved gold was safely lodged in the valuta of the local bank. A re-check shows approximately twenty-seven thousand dollars were found and it is hoped eighty-live thousand may be found in the container in the water.