THEFT OF GOLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1921, Page 5

THEFT OF GOLD.

THE SONOMA SENSATION. A FUTILE SEARCH. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. New York, Nov. 27. Mr. Flattery, port surveyor, of San Francisco, with a group of Customs officials, familiar with the Sonoma as the result of many inspections in past years, made a minute search of the vessel in the hope of locating the stolen gold. They found that several compartments of the lifeboats had been tampered with. Investigation disclosed 450 bottles of liquor, valued at several thousand dollars. This was confiscated. The detectives now suggest that the gold was possibly dropped in San Francisco Bay when the Sonoma was quarantined. the boxes being buoyed and subsequently lifted. The authorities are convinced that none of the ship’s officers are involved, but several members of the crew are unquestionably implicated. Mr. Samuels, manager qf the Oceanic Company, summing up the situation, said: “We now know positively that the gold was stolen after the liner departed from Honolulu. We know it is not in the vessel now. We are convinced it is hidden somewhere in San Francisco ar present.” POLICE CLUES. . A PURSER ROBBED. New York. Nov. 26. In connection with .the Sonoma robbery the San Francisco police state that the clues they possess connect the robbers with the men who, on Wednesday, robbed Mr. ’ Leighton, purser of the Marama, of £lOOO. The belief is that they mistook Mr. Leighton for Mr. Albert Conquest, of the Sonoma, who was in the bank at the same time. Mr. Conquest was carrying the pay roll of £4OOO. If the theory i« correct that tne gang came to San Francisco on hoard the Sonoma the police admit that the chances are that the robbery occurred just before the ship reached Honolulu, where the specie was probably landed.