St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-08
Two Of the Men Implicated
in the Train Robbery
in California.
They Are the Sontag Broth
erS and Hail From Man.
kato, Minnesota.
The One Captured Says He
Had Nothing to Do With
the Robbery.
Lightning Strikes an Ele-
vator, Which is Burned
With It's Contents.

VIsALIA, Cal, Aug. THE man
known as George Sontag. who was ar
rested here Friday for completely in the
train robbery, says: My name is
George G. Constant, and my stepfather's
name was Sontag, and my brother John
also bore that name. |. however, have
Invariably registered myself as Con-
slant. My home is at Mankato, Minn.,
where l. my wife and children are.
Last year l came to California and re-
turned to Minnesota this year. l left
Mankato July S. l came out to
work some mining property with
my brother, Clark Moore and
Chris Evans, though l have been
railroad man and frescoer and deco
rater by trade. came down from the
mine at Dunlap last Monday morning
and rode horse into Visalia. Tuesday
L went to Fresno and returned on the
morning train that was robbed above
Fresno. l was at Fresno waiting for
that train to come in. When in FresnOI
stopped at the corner of l and Mariposa
streets. l took my meals at the Opera
restaurant. A mine up ON Samson flat
was jumped bv Chris Evans, and | went
up there to see if it was all right.
Chris said assessment work had not
been done on it. 1
Told Detective
who questioned me everything l know.
| said [ had 44-caliber revolver, but no
other arms. l never had any other.
When came down from the mine there
were two men with me. One was named
Young, think. He has ranch up on
the mountain. The other Was young
fellow who works up there. The MORN
ing | got here after the robbery my
brother drove Mr.. Evans in from the
mine. They reached Evans house
at s or 9 O'Clock. The night l
spent in Fresno before the robbery
| roomed with chap met in
the Park theater. He seemed < to be,
an American, and said he was a'pini
shak.' man who hauls freight to the
depot. | don't think my brother has
been to Fresno since Sunday, when he
brought my trunk down from there. If
they find me guilty of train robbery,
they can hang me up.'
At the coroner's inquest today on the
body of Oscar Beaver, killed by the
train robbers Friday night at Chris
Evans house. Harry Ward, who lives
twelve miles north of this city, and who
furnished the robbers cart and mule,
testified that Chris Evans and John
Sontag came to his house Saturday
morning between and o'clock and
Demanded Breakfast
and team, offering to pay for the same.
The men were armed with shotguns
and six-shooters. Evans said he shot
man in Visalia. He was backing buggy
out of barn when voice said. "Who's
this?" and he shot in that direction.
Evans said he never saw bullets fly as
thick as they did then. The fellow who
called out was gritty little devil, and
returned the shot. Evans told Ward how
Detectives Smith and Wiley tried to
arrest him Friday noon on suspicion of
being train rObber, and that he was
trying to arrest him in his own house.
Evans said he was innocent of any
crime. He was anxious to know who
he had killed Friday night. After the
shooting Evans and Sontag left town,
seeing no officers in the road, though
expecting to run into them every min
ute. The robbers stayed at Wards
place about two hours and then left,
taking a mule and cart, paying 81 for
their use. They said they had plenty
of provisions in the mountains.