Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-14


mountains. The posse was coming
down the trail by Young's place, an
had no sooner got opposite Young's
house than the door was violently
thrown open, and Evans and Sontag
appeared on the sill. Before the officers
could recover from their eurr rise the
two robbers opened deadly fire on the
posse with shotguns and then with
Winchesters. The posse was 80 demor-
allied by the sudden attack, that they
could make no effectual resistance.
Four men fell under the deadly fire of
the robbers, three being mortally
wounded. The names of the latter are !:
United States Deputy Marshal McGin-
mis-, Dick Wilson and L. Olsen. Fred
Witty was shot through the neck,
though it is not believed he is mortally
wounded. The horse ridden by Consta-
BILE Warren Hill was shot from under
him. 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 were wounded, but it is likely
not very badly, if at all. Immediately
I after the shooting the robbers escaped,
without any interference, further up
into the mountains, in q northeast di-
rection.
The dead men and Fred Witty are in
/ Young's house, where the latter is re-
ceiving the best care.
y. The whole country in the neighbor-
hood of the encounter is aroused, and it
is said no further attempt to take the
robbers alive will be made. They will
be shot on sight, if discovered.
This last horrible outrage has thor
oughly aroused the people, and they will
pursue the robbers until they have been
run down. The whole mountain coun-
try in the neighborhood of Sampson
flats is in arms, and it is hardly possible
the desperate robbers can escape.
The posse was one that left Visalia q
few days ago, and had tracked the rob-
bers to Dunlap, and thence to Sampson
bet.
The news caused most intense ex-
element here. Sheriff Hensley, with
deputies Ed McCaude and W.. j. Pickett,
and Constable j. G.. Ashman, left inn
nediately for Dunlap, and will 60 into
the mountains in pursuit of the despera-
does. The sheriffs of the adjoining
counties have been warned, and will
take care that the men do not escape
north or south.
j Fred Witty, who was wounded, ia a
brother of George Witty, who was dan
gerously wounded in an enct unter with
Evans and Sontag at Visalia, shortly
after the train robbery.
Sampson fat, where the encounter
occurred, has a bad reputation. It is a
rendezvous for outlaws of all kinds, par
ticularly cattle thieves. Evans and
Sontag own mine at Sampson fat, and
are Thoroughly acquainted with the
country. They are on good terms with
all the hard characters there, and re-
eluding their pursurers. Four men there
will be arrested as the robbers' ac-
completes.
1t ia the general opinion that the Off
! eials should enter on the chase with the
intention OF killing the b10od-thirsty
desperadoes, and thus end their career
of butchery.
1t was known here that Evans and
Sontag were at Howell's ranch, near
Dunlap, Sunday evening. Howell is
said to be relative of Evans. The
robbers had the horse and cart which
they took from Supervisor Ellis some
days ago, and left them with Howell to
be returned to Ellis. Evans also sent
word that he intended to kill the men
who shot through his house.
The camp of the robbers was discov-
cred near Dunlap. 1t contained large
quantity of provisions and late newspa-
pers. Detective Smith says he knows
who the parties are that have supplied
the robbers with provisions and infor-
nation, 60 they could keep out Of the
sight of the officers.