The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-14
AMBUSHED THE POSSE
Evans and Sontag Kill Two Men
in the Mountains.
THE BANDITS STILL FREE.
Tho Whole Country Aroused-No Fur
ther Effort VIII be Made to Take
the Desperadoes Alive.

countered Evans and Sontag at Samson
fiat this morning. and an exchage OF shots
took place. The posse, consisting of United
States Deputy Marshal McGinnis, Dick
Wilson, L. Olsen. Constable Warren Hill,
George Witty, two Apache scouts and one
or two others, had tracked the robbers
from Dunlap to Samson fat, about forty
five mics east of here, in the mountain
fastness. The posse was coming down a
trail by Young's place, and when opposite
Young's house door was violently thrown
open and Evans and Sontag appeared on
the scene. Before the officers could re-
cover from their surprise the two robbers
opened deadly fire on the posse with
shotguns and then with Winchesters. The
posse was so demoralized by the sudden
attack that they could make no efectual
resistance.
Four men fell under the deadly fire of
the robbers, three mortaliy wounded. The
names of the latter are United States Dep
uty Marshal McGlnnis. Dick Wilson and
L. Olsen. George Witty, who was so badly
wounded in his encounter with the rob-
bers at Visalia was shot through the neck,
though it is not believed that he is NOR
tally wounded. The horse ridden by Con-
stable Warren Hill was shot from under
him. and one or two other members of the
posse were slightly wounded. The Apache
scouts escaped unhurt. 1t could not be
found out whether the robbers we're
wounded, but likely not very badly, if at
all. Immediately after the robbers es-
capped, without any interference, up
further into the mountains, in northeast
direction. The dead men and George
Witty are in Young's house. where the
latter is receiving the best care.
The whole country in the neighborhood
of the encounter is aroused, and it is said
no further attempt to take the robbers
alive will be made, but they will be shot
on sight if discovered.
The news caused great excitement here,
and Sheriff Hensley Immediately got a
posse OF eight men and left for Samson
fiat. The sheriff of Tulare county has
been telegraphed to, and will leave for the
mountains Immediately to head off the
robbers ON the south. This last outrage
has thoroughly aroused the people, and
they will pursue the robbers until they
have been run down. The whole mount
ain country in the neighborhood of Sam
son fiat is up in arms, and it is hardly pos
sible that the desperate robbers can es-
cape.
VIsAL1A, CAL, Sept. 13.-The posse that
started out this afternoon has Just re-
turned to town, having met Detectives
Smith and Burke with the dead bodies of
Constable McGinnis, of Modesto, and G.
Wilson. Witty was only slightly
wounded. Detective Burke says he is sat-
istied that he shot and wounded Evans,
and the capture of the desperadoes by the
parties in the mountains is matter of a
short time. The man Olsen who was shot
is a mountaineer and his remains were
left in the hills:
SANGER, CAL, Sept. 13.-Constable War
rem Hill, who was with the posse which
had an encounter with Sontag and Evans,
arrived here tonight. He says the posse
consisted OF Detective Will Smith, Deputy
United States Marshal Vic Wilson, of
Tucson; Deputy Sheriff Frank Burke, of
Yuma; Constable Warren Hill, of Sanger;
Deputy United States Marshal McGinnis,
and two Apache Indians from Yuma.
The posse knew they were hot on the
trail, but as they had visited Young's
cabin the day before and found
it deserted, they did not expect to find the
robbers there. The posse was riding In
dian file down the narrow trail in front of
Young's cabin, Wilson and Burke leading,
McGinnis next, Hill next, leading a pack
animal, then Smith, Olsen and Fred
Witty, brother of the man shot at Visalia
by the robbers, the Indians bringing up
the rear. Wilson and Burke were within
ten feet of the front door when it was
thrown suddenly open. Evan and Sontag
S-o
son and Burke dropped dead in their
tracks. McGinnis, who was standing next
to Hill, tying his horse, fell dead riddled
with bullets, as also did Olsen. Witty re-
ceived rifle ball through the neck, but
the wound is not dangerous. Hills hat
was shot off and his horse killed. The
white men were taken by surprise and
did not have time to fire a
shot in return. The Indian trail
ers, however, fired at the robbers. but
1t is not known with what effect. The re-
mainder of the horses ran for cover, while
Evans and Sontag walked through the
house and made off i'll a northeasterlv di-
rection through the brush. Smith and
the Indians stayed with the dead and
wounded. while Hill went 10 Seauia Mills
and teiephoned to Sanger for help.
Hill says the robbers will probably at
tempt to escape by coming down the lum
Der tlume on raft. When the news was
telephone To Fresno this afternoon Sheriff
Hensiey Immediately started to meet Hill
aud the others at Duniaps. Parties are
being formed in All the small towns of the
foothills tonight. 4 large body of men
will, in the next few days, give
the murderers hard chase.
It is now thought that there ia
no possibility OF the robbers escapinr
their camping outfit having been captured
and it being assumed that their ammuni.
ton is not very plentiful. An intimate of
Chris Evans told one Of the leaders on the
hume that he had seen Evans a day ortwo
ago, and that Evans told him they were
going to leave the country in a little
while, but not before they had had
another crack ut the Southern Pa
enc. The same man stated that
the friends OF the robbers were
very numerous in that part of the coun-
try, that they seemed devoted TO them
and they would supply them with hiding
places, food and ammunition. Warrants
have been issued Tor the arrest of certain
parties believed To have afforded prDtec-
ton 10 the robbers, and II is thought that
this viii have a favorable result.
SAN FRASCIsCo. Sept. l3-Another ac-
count OF the fight with Sontag and Evans
has been received from Nlsaia. II differs
IN many points from the stories sent from
Sanger and Fresno, and is as follows.
only two men were killed. Wilson
ana McGinnis, and they were with
III i've feet OF the house when the
door was thrown open, and Evans and
S3ntag commenced shooting The q