It was pay day and the funds for that pur-…

chunk 250 · paragraph 949

emand for the company’s money which was in his keeping, ran into the back room and seized a shot gun, which was standing in a corner, determined to protect the property entrusted to his care, at all hazards. One of the robbers followed him and shot him through the heart. He fell back into the corner but with his dying grip fired the gun, but unfortunately, the charge entered the ceil- ing instead of the body of his murderer. They then compelled Mr. Arnott to put the money, amounting to about $5,000, in a gunny sack, and taking it they passed out the rear of the office, and mounting their horses, rode up the canyon and soon disappeared from sight. The firing in the office had caused an alarm and their de- parture was witnessed by a number of miners and others, who fired after the retreating rob- bers with revolvers but without effect. A Mexi- can named Abalar, firing from the roof of a blacksmith shop, at long range, brought down one of the horses ridden by one of the mis- creants, and both robbers were compelled to mount one horse and effect their escape that way, taking their booty with them. After pro- ceeding up the canyon a short distance they turned southward, toward the mountains. The robbers secured a second mount and were well on their way before an organized pursuit could be started.