The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-08
Jury Charges Them With Murder
Their Minnesota Antecedents.


VIsALIA, CAL, Aug. THE coroner re-
sumed the inquest today on the body of
Oscar Beaver, killed by train robbers on
Friday night at Chris Evans house.
Harvey Ward, who lives twelve miles
north of this city and who furnished the
robbers with cart and mule, testified:
Chris Evans and John sontag came to his
house Saturday morning between 8 and 6 o'clock
and demanded breaks fast and a team, offering to
pay for the same. The men were armed with
doube-barreled shotguns and six-shooters
Evans said he had shot man in Visalia. He
was backing the buggy out of the barn when a
voice said: ''Who is here?" 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 Detective Smith and Whitty
tried to arrest him Friday noon on suspicion of
being the train robber and that he would allow
no man to arrest him in his own house. Evans
said he was innocent of any crime. He was
anxious to know who he had killed on Friday
night. After the shooting Evans and Sontay
left town, seeing no officers on the road though
expecting to run into them every minute. The
robbers stayed at Wards place about two hours
and then left, taking the mule and cart and pay
ing s. for their use. They said they had plenty
of provisions in the mountains. While eating
breakfast at Wards place the train robbers were
very watchful against surprise and kept their
guns handy for use. Sontag was very lame and
tired.
w. Nolan corroborated Wards testi-
mony with the exception that he says
Sontag told him that he shot Beaver.
John March, stock raiser, testified that
last Monday he saw Evans and two other
men on Niger creek. One man was
named Young. The other man he did not
know. John Sontag was not with the
party. March then identified George Son.
tag as the man of the party he did not
know. The men were on horses and had
-four sacks on the horns of their saddles
filled with something. March's testimony
was considered an important link in show
ing that these men were on their way to
rob the train.
The jury returned verdict that Beaver
came to his death from gunshot wounds
inflicted by Chris Evans and John Sontag.
Sheriff Kay and party, who went in pur-
suit of Evans and Sontag last night, re-
turned at 4:30 this afternoon. All have
closed mouths and were instructed to
keep so. Under Sheriff Hall and four or
five others. who left yesterday morning.
are still absent. 1t is believed the Kay
party lost the trail but it is whispered and
probably correctly surmised that they
came back to secure pack animals and
will leave again tonight prepared to camp
on the trail of the robbers. They brought
back to town the mule and cart Sontag Sc
cured of Ward. The outfit was secured in
the bed of Niger creek. The Kay party
saw nothing of the Fresno posse, who are
said to be stationed higher up the noun
tain with expectation of hearing of the
robbers. 1t is said that the Kay party
overlook Evans and Sontag and were
within eighty yards of them, when
young man could not resist the tempta-
tion to take shot at them. This spoiled
a possible capture, as the pursued men,
who were to be taken by surprise, were
thus warned to seek safety, which was
easily found in the rugged section where
they are. This story is not given as truth,
though apparently coming from reliable
source.
Deputy Sheriff Witty's condition was
much improved today. Witty said he was
not informed by Smith of the correct OBJ
iect of Smiths visit to Evans. He was
told that an interview simply was wanted
with Sontag. Had he known the facts he
would have gone prepared for an en-
counter. He says he was shot three times.
the first shot hitting him in the neck,
which stunned him and caused his pistol
to fall from his hand. Nothing was left
then but to flee from his murderous assail-
ants. Detective Smith did not jump the
fence, as claimed, but went through the
pickets, breaking eight or nine to splinters.
1t is generally believed the scratches he
shows were thus obtained. Beaver was
buried today at Lemoore, the funeral pro-
cession being one Of the largest ever seen
there, His wife arrived from Rio Vista
last night Two sisters came from Santa
Cruz this evening, not expecting that the
funeral would occur today. Several floral
pieces were sent from San Francisco, but
| arrived too late for use.
MAsKATo, Mimi, Aug. George and
| John Son:ag. who are supposed to have
been implicated in the express robbery
| near Hollis, Cal, on Wednesday, are be-
| heyed to be former residents of this city.
John Sontag removed to California five
wear. ago. and has a good record. George
was brought before the United States
| eourt in ST. Paul on the charge of raising
| United States currency. His reputation
| has not been good. lie returned here
| three months ago. but has not been seen
| since. This circumstance, together with
his fight with the officers at Visalis. CAL,