The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-06
An Encounter With the Coils High.
Waymen at Visalia.
THEY DESPERATELY RESIST ARREST.
The offterS, Wounded and Bleeding, Allow Two Of
the FugtipS TO Make Coed
Their Escape.
Special to THE MORNING CALI.

FIsALIA, Aug. 5.-On Tuesday last Chris
Evans and John Sontag hired livery team
In this city to go to the mountains. Yester-
day at noon they returned with the shoes
off the horses.
After the Coils train-robbery Detectives
Thncker and Hickey and Sheriff Cunning
ham got on the track and traced the rob-
bers to this city. Before noon to-day De-
tective William Smith asked Deputy Sheriff
Witty to accompany him 10 Evans home in
the north part OF town, where he stated, he
wanted to interview a man.
They went to the house and found George
Sontag and brought him to Jail to interview.
Alter the interview they employed an ex-
press-wagon TO go with them to Evans
house, where they secured trunk supposed
10 contain the coin obtained at the robbery.
The following is Smiths statement Of the
occurrence at Evans house: Witty and
myself went down to Chris Evans house
and asked George Conaut. alias Sontag, to
step up to the Sheriff's office, as we heard
he was on the train when it was robbed and
wanted to ask him relative to what he saw
John Sontag was in the house at the time.
We brought George Conant to the Sheriif's
Office. where he made statement and was
afterward arrested Tor completely in the
robbery.
Mr.. Witty and / then returned to Chris
Evans place. While we were hitching the
horses we saw John Sontag. Conants
half-brother. enter the house. We asked a
little girl In the house where Mr.. Sontag
was and she said he was not in.
Just then Chris Evans entered the house
from the back door. The house consisted
OF sitting room with bedroom on the left
side. In the place Of door to the bedroom
there was portiere. There was another
iedroOm next to the sitting room. Evans
was in the latter bedroom. He said that
Sontag had gone up town. / told him that
Sontag had just entered the house.
L stepped into the house and pulled aside
the portlere and there stood Sontag with a
dOuble-barreled shotgun. / stepped to one
side and attempted to unbutton my coat TO
reach my six-shooter, when saw that Chris
Evans had another shotgun down.
Mr.. Witty and then ran out through the
front door He ran through the gateway
and j went over ths fence. | turned to the
left of the road and Witty to the right. We
left the team, a. we did not have time to un-
hitch IL. Evans pursued Witty and Sontag
me.
looked over my shoulder just as Evans
nred at Witty. l stopped and fired two
shots at Evans, when Sontag stopped and
fired at NE. AS he pulled the trigger l
crouehed and the charge went over me.
But raising he fired again, the shot striking
me In the back and hands. The shot was
double Il shot / had an eXpress-wagon
close by, with which / intended taking
George COnauts trunk TO the depot.
While running toward the wagon they
threw out their empty shells and reloaded
their guns, their intention evidently being
TO Kill us at all hazards. L jumped in the
wagon and drove 10 town and In 20 minutes
posse was in pursuit They took the team
that we had htched 10 the post and drove
OF. but az one-of the herses is stiffened up
they will be undoubtedly overhauled
found in Chris Evans house the material
that the masks were made from. The team
and buggy they used at the robbery was
hired here by John Sontag. After Witty fell
Evans stepped over him with gun to shoot
again, when Witty said: Don't shoot as
am killed now"
Smith and Witty were brought TO town,
and as soon as they LETT the scene Evans and
Sontag took Witty's team and started north.
Half an hour alterward 100 men were in
pursuit. but to the present moment the rob-
Ders have not been caught
Witty was shot under the right shoulder
blade, the bullet coming out under the left
arm. His back aud one side of his face was
well sprlnkled with shot from the shotgun.
The cavity OF the chest was not penetrated.
Detective Smith was the first shot, but
the wounds are barely scratches. although
be was In hurry 10 be brought to town.
his claim TO being wounded caused him 10
be laughing stock In town.
ne opinion Is general tnat III Smith had
waited tho arrival of Cunningham and
Ibacker the men would easily have been
arrested. Smith was too previous. Evans
Is well acquainted in the mountains east Of
here. and the chances are il he reaches the
timber he will escape.
Evans has wife and seven children here.
Sontag is courting his eldest daughter.
Sontag mas been railroad engineer. The
two men year since kept livery stable at
Modesto that was since destroyed by fire.
Sontag has been under the surveillance of
the officers for some time