The San Francisco call., 1897-05-11
Bold Attack Upon Two
Masked Robbers at
Nevada City.
Walter Kavanagh Prevents the
Looting of the Union
Hotel Safe.
Unarmed and Alone He Assails
the Intruders and Drives
Them Off.

NEVADA CITY, CAL, May 10.-Walter
Kavanaugh, a 90 year-old youth, is the hero
of the hour in Nevada City. Unarmed and
alone he engaged in com bat with two
masked bandits who were robbing the safe
in the Union Hotel early this morning,
and drove the pair from the place. he
was the target for q volley of bullets. but
held his ground and escaped from the
fray unscathed, after preventing the loss
of nearly $1,000, which the robbers had
taken from the safe.
Two men wearing linen busters and
masks entered the Office OF the hotel at
$3.50 o'clock this morning through the
washroom, to which apartment they had
gained entrance from the rear of the build
ing. Walter Kavanaugh. the night clerk,
was alone in the office. One of the intru-
ders covered him with a revolver and or
dered him to give up the valuables.
Kavanaugh handed over his watch and
$40 in money.
The men then searched in the drawers
and lockers back of the counter for the
keys to the safe and the money drawer.
and succeeded in finding the keys, but
could not pick out the right ones. They
ordered the night clerk to open the safe
and take out the money. While kavan-
augh was thus engaged one of the robbers
stepped around in front of the counter
and kept him covered with pistol. The
robbers in the meantime had turned of
the lights and locked the front door.
The first thing taken from the safe was
bag containing money belonging to
sporting men. Into this bag was put the
watch and SO taken from Kavanagh.
Next came the cash drawer. Just as Kava-
nagh re moved this from the safe he noticed
that one of the men had his head partly
turned, and, raising the drawer, he threw
it with all of it's contents into tie robbers
face. The blow staggered the outlaw and
Kavanagh seized his revolver. which was
living under a newspaper about foot
from the safe, and began firing at the man
| in front of him. After the first shot Kava-
nagh dropped to his knee back OF the
counter, but continued shooting.
| The shots aroused the people in the sec
| ond story, and J. Northway, proprietor of
| the hotel, came hurrying down the stairs.
| above, and fearing capture, the two
masked men fled, going out by the same
route by which they had entered.
| AS one of the men reached the door of
the washroom he turned and fired four
shots at the night clerk, all of which
/ passed in close proximity to kavanagh's
| head and lodged in the wall.
! The only thing carried away by the rob-
| bers was revolver. There was over $3.50
in the safe.
Young Kavanagh is scarcely OF age, is
short of stature and weighs about 120
pounds. By this mornings gallant act he
has put himself on record as one of the
nerviest fighters in the mountains.
! Within half an hour after the bandits
had beaten a precipitate retreat Sheriff
Getchell and Night Watchman Russell
| had been notified of the occurrence and
were on the scene with the county blood
hound "Jim Budd."
In the alley in the rear of the hotel was
found a heavy dark coat, cast away by one
of the robbers, and the masks they had
worn. The bloodhound was given sniff
at these articles and took up the trail. He
led the officers along High street in the
rear of the gasworks. across the fll-in in
| front of the Catholic church, then out Coy
ote street into the Manzaniia hydraulic
diggings. An occasional track seen here
and there showed there were two of the
! fugitives and that they were afoot.
"Jim" followed them steadily through
the claim along the ravine and out under
! the South Yuba Company's fume to the
Blue Tent road, along which he traced
them north for mile. Finally tine trail
turned and the dog started back toward
the city. Sheriff Getchell believes the
robbers live here and that they are now in
hiding within the city.