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Hi Jim, thanks for your message. We are away at the moment and will get in touch in September. Wack

This one is for Valda
As a result of the info you gave me I got in touch with the Sherrif of Sierra County, who has started looking into the case this is what he has found so far:

So far, I have found the following text from the book, "Over North in Sierra County', by James J. Sinnott.  In a chapter on Cold Canyon, he writes
"In October 1877, William Stone, who had been a resident of Howland Flat and vicinity, was shot and killed by a group who were in the act of robbing the sluices of the Sierra Tunnel Company at Cold Canyon.  Stone was an owner of the mine along with TA McFarlane and Alex McNee.  He was awakened at night by noises made by the robbers and he and another man of the mine made their way toward the gravel dump from which the noises had come.  They had gone but a short distance when one of the robbers, who had been placed on watch, fired, killing Stone, who was in the lead, almost instantly.  The shot aroused the other men of the mine who immediately turned out, but not in time to capture any of the robbers, who got away with about sixteen ounces of gold.  Further efforts by groups of men scouring the country did not result in the apprehension of the robbers."

We have just discovered also that James Stone also spent more time out there than we thought, so maybe he is down on some records. He is my wife's G,G,Grandfather.
Thanks again for the information 

Hi Kath
I've posted some pictures and there have been some interesting developments on the Lancashire (UK) strand
Thanks

Two more pictures
1 The Wanted Poster
2 William on his wagon