the gang could have come to Victoria, hired
a car, driven to Nanaimo and “cased the
job.” Two others might have taken a car
or, more likely a truck, to carry guns, over-
alls and all other equipment, driven from
Montesano to Bellingham, where they gar-
aged their vehicle. This was proven later.

James Burns, wanted by B. C. Police,

hanged at San Quentin.

The El Toro steamed up to Bellingham
near Chuckanut Drive and picked up the
two men after the contents of the truck
were emptied. These included eight pairs
of overalls and seven or eight pairs of boots,
the idea being for all to dress alike, making
identification difficult.

From these deductions, police figured,
the El Toro would come into Canadian

waters and anchor near Yellow Point. Mean-
while the pair who had looked over the
bank would join their confederates, and,
leaving one man aboard the boat, carry off
the robbery as planned.

Returning to Wildcat Cove, instead of
Bellingham where police were waiting,
some went to the hideout at Montesano,
others drove off on two highways.

Two ARRESTED IN SEATTLE

Inspector Cruickshanks, in charge of
investigation for the Provincial Police was
receiving valuable assistance from Tacoma,
Seattle and Bellingham officials and the
quiet around Headquarters at Victoria was
broken on December 23, when the call
came through that two men had been
arrested in Seattle. They gave their names
as Richard Shively and Ross Watson, the
latter being an ex-detective of the city force.

From Tacoma word flashed back to Can-
ada that a William Bagley and T. H. John-
son had been apprehended.

Officers making the two surprise arrests
included Chief of Detectives J. Strickland,
of Tacoma; Detective Charles Tennant and
Sherriff Matt Starwich, of Seattle.

On Christmas day, 1924, R. Stephenson,
cashier of the bank, identified three suspects
and extradition proceedings were launched.

Who was the ringleader of this desperate
band of criminals?

At first the finger pointed towards the

S

tall, heavily built Johnson, but American
police quickly dismissed the theory.

“That mild mannered little fellow with
the glasses,” said one detective, glancing to-
wards a small man, nonchalently slouched in
a corner, ‘is Bill Bagley, and he is one of
America’s most dangerous criminals.”

H. Stone, “hard guy,’ now doing
twenty-five years at Alcatraz.

That the others were not far behind as
desperadoes was evidenced four days later,
when “Big” Johnson broke jail while await-
ing extradition. A physician was visiting a
prisoner and Johnson, with a dummy gun
made from a tobacco tin and a four-inch
piece of broom handle held up a guard.

The Brewing Industry of British Columbia
salutes the Oldest Police Force in
Canada through this, the
first issue of its new
official organ

Che Shoulder Strap

Page Thirty-Four

THE SHOULDER STRAP