The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-28
SOlTiG'S TRIAL.
The Prosecution Will Probably FiHist
Their Case To-Day.

FRESNO, Oct. o. The interest in the
Sontag case continues, as was manifested
by the large attendance at the opening OF
the court this morning.
Sheriff Hensley was the first witness ex-
amiGed. He testified that he tracked the
robbers on the morning after the robbery to
shed where their horses had been tied.
Tracks led from there in the direction OF
Fresno. He found empty cartridge shells
and Wells. Fargo & Co.'s tag, which had
been identified as one that had been used
on one Of the money sacks.
Thomas A. Elliott and A. II. Murry, Off
clal shorthand reporters OF the Tulare
County Superior Court. testified that they
had taken the statements made by George
Sontag 10 the detectives in the ViSalla Jail.
The statements were lengthy and detailed
the doings OF the defendant from the time
he lett Mankato up to the time of the rob-
berry. In the statement 10 Murry the
defendant said he was on the train when i.
was robbed. In the statement that Elliott
reported the defendant said that he was
not on the train, but had got ON at Fresno.
Reading OF the statements consumed most
Of the forenoon. They were objected to by
the defendants counsel.
II. Ii. Brown. a stoek-raIser, testified that
he met S0ntag in Fresno before the robbery
and engaged in conversation with him He
did not sleep or take his meals with him.
Detective w. E. Hickey of the Southern
Pacific was the ir,t witness on the stand at
the afternoon session of Sontag's trial. He
was with Sheriff HeDsey when the latter
visited the scene of the robbery. and the
first portion of his testimony was similar to
the Sheriff's.
After George Sontag's arrest Hickey
asked him IL he would like to have his trunk
sent TO Fresno, as he (Sontag) would be
taken to Jail there. SOntag answered he
wNnl6 hp
Hickey took the trunk in charge and he
and Thacker opened it. 1t contained
clothing that had been put in evidence at
the present trial and which had been ;den-
tilted as similar to that worn by the robber. =.
a lot OF DuckShot cartridges were also found
in the trunk. The trunk was found in
barn, near lot OF rags and discarded
wOmen's dresses, mostly cut up.
There were also two other trunks there,
and these, as well as Sontag's. were brought
by the detectives to Wells-FargO's Office in
this city.
At this stage the defendants counsel ad-
mitted that the coat and vest found in the
trunk were the defendants
Hickey further testified when he saw how
the clothes in the trunk tailed with the de-
scriDti0n given by the trainmen of the
same, he was convinced he was on the right
track and that the defendant had some
thing to do with the robbery.
j. B. Hume, Wels-Fargo detective, was
the next witness. de described the finding
of the money in Evans yard. He. Thacker
and Vic Wilson probed the ground with
iron rods, and after few hours search
found the money. Mrs. Evans was in
Fresno that day, and Evans aud John Son.
tag we're absent The money was brought
to the express company's office in this city
and locked up.
Thomas Bury OF Curtin's detective agency
testified that he saw man with a sandy
beard, growing 10 a point, in a dars-brown
suit and black slouched hat, in company with
George Sontag at the depot in this city on
July 16. When the southbound train ar
rived SOntag boarded the train and went
south. Both men were conversing together
on that occasion. That was the first time
he had seen either Of them. The coat worn
by the bearded man was kind of brown
c0lored, with dark check or plaid in it. 1t
was sack coat.
The coat found in Sontag's trunk was
here shown to the witness, and he was
asked whether il was the kind Of coat worn
by the bearded man. He said it looked
like 1t.
James Dick Of Dunlap testified TO meeting
Evans and George Sontag shortly before
the robbery, but his testimony was not iuI-
portant
The cross-examination of the witnesses,
though severe, did not change their testi-
m0ny in any material point.
The prosecution may finish their case to
morrow.