BRUCE PROFITT Arizona Republican Newspaper September 23, 1901 Prescott--Bruce Profitt, a miner at Big Bug was shot from ambush and killed this afternoon. Profitt was employed at the Argyle Mine and started to work about 2 o'clock. This was the last seen of him alive. The murderer evidently lay in wait for him at the roadside and shot him with a rifle of small caliber, the ball entering the right side, ranging upward, causing death instantly. His body was found soon afterwards by his fellow workers. He had the reputation of being a quiet, law abiding citizen and is not known to have had any enemies. Sheriff Munds was immediately notified and is now on the ground with assistants and it is thought they will soon succeed in placing the deed at the door of the one that is guilty of the crime. Mrs. Profitt and family of two children are in Redlands, California and have been notified by wire of their sad bereavement. Profitt was about 30 years of age. September 27, 1901 Regarding the murder of Bruce Profitt at Big Bug last Sunday, the Prescott Courier says: "Deputy sheriffs Lon Young and Jack Nelson came in from Big Bug yesterday having in custody Thomas Powias who is charged with the assassination of Bruce Profitt who was shot from ambush near Big Bug the afternoon of the 23rd of this month. Profitt was going from his cabin to his work. He was found about eighty feet from his dinner pail in a dying condition. He had dropped his pail and ran this distance before falling, after being shot. He was shot while walking in the road from behind a rock fence not over ten feet distant. The bullet which made the wound was of small caliber, probably a 32. Tracks leading to and from the place of ambush indicate that Powias is the man who did the shooting. Further circumstantial evidence is that Powias and Profitt had had some trouble. It seems that Powias had been corresponding with Profitt's wife in California, had been sending her money--$140 it is stated-- on the supposition that she and Profitt had separated. By some means Powias ascertained that Mrs. Profitt was sending his letters and some of his money to her husband. At any rate Powias remonstrated with Profitt and wanted his money back, so the story goes. It is also stated that both Profitt and his wife had told Powias that they had separated, that Profitt had told Powias that he could have Mrs. Profitt. The above statements are of course gathered from talking with various people, and should not be accepted as sworn testimony.