Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-07
BANDITS HEMMED IN.
Only the Poor Nerves of Their Pur-
suers Can Save Them From
CERTAIN CAPTURE AND THE ROPE.
They Plug Up the Rody of the Bravest Of
the Posse With "a Shots.
EXCITING CHASE AFTER THE ROBBERS
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.J
VIsALIA, CAL, Aug. 6-Full details
have been received of battle with
the Coils train robbers early this morning
at Evans ranch, which resulted in Oscar
Beaver receiving IA shot wounds, from
which he died late this afternoon.
The robbers doubled on their tracks and
came back to Evans house while a large
posse was racing across the country in an
other direction. They calmly ate lunch,
leaving their stolen coin in the barn. AS
they were loading their buggy with provis-
ions, Beaver, who was near to them, or
dered them to halt, and then fired two shots
at them with shotgun. badly crippling
one of the horses and also wounding the
other animal.
The horses fell, and this made it impossi-
BILE for the bandits to leave in the buggy.
Beaver at once opened fire on them, but
they jumped behind the horses and so
escaped. Beaver continued to fire shots in
rapid succession.
The Bandits Make Their Escape.
The robbers returned the fire with their
shotguns, riddling one side of Beavers body
from the face to his waist. One of the shots
went through his cheek, but the most dan
gerous wounds were in his chest. As soon
as Beaver fell the bandits made off with all
haste. The other members of the posse,
who were not in full view of the bandits,
thought they had taken refuge in the barn,
and this accounts for the delay after the
shooting
The cries of Beaver could be distinctly
heard. The wounded man must have lain
on the ground 10 minutes before any one
came to his assistance, as the others were
all afraid to venture near the barn where
the robbers were supposed to be still con-
cealed Beaver was brave man but he
foolishly exposed himself The other men,
bers of the posse say that shot came in q
perfect shower from the barn, as the high
waymen fired four times. Beaver thinks
he hit one of the robbers, but this is not
thought likely.
Beaver died this afternoon. His death
settles the fate OF the outlaws should they
be caught, as they will be treated like
beasts.
The Robber Skill ccounted For.
Evans is well-to-do, having good ranch
and mine, but it has been observed that
the Sontag brothers, though laborers, had
managed to live with very little work. One
used to be trainman and the other an en-
gineer on the Southern Pacific, which ac-
counts for their skill in holding up the
train and disabling the engine.
Last night false reports of the capture of
the train robbers came in a private dispatch
to Chlet Detective Hume, of the Wells
Fargo Express Company, thought to be
sent by Railroad Detective Will Smith,
who was responsible for the escape of the
| two criminals and the wounding of two of
the Sherif's posse
When he located Evans and Sontag,
Smith set about capturing them by strategy
instead of surrounding the place with a
| Gordon OF armed men. He did not even
| wait for Sheriff Cunningham, the most
| noted officer in San Joaquin Valley, who
had telegraphed he would be in Visalia in
| an hour.
Good Results of the Only Arrest.
Smith went out with a companion to
Evans house, and induced George Sontag
to accompany him to town. There Sontag
was placed in Jail, and made damaging ad-
missions against his brothers, John and
Evans Smith made another trip to Evans
house with Deputy Sheriff Witty with the
idea that he could get John Sontag to town.
| Evans and Sontag suspected the motive of
the visit and opened fire.
Witty was badly hurt, but Smith was
merely scratched. Smith failed to
head off the robbers, who took his
team and drove away. Then followed
a wild chase after the robbers,
in dead level country. They ought to
have been captured, but the pursuers
evidently lacked nerve. The robbers, after
several hours OF pursuit, were lost on the
river bank in the tall reeds. Hundreds Of
men secured the country till late at night.
1t was then that the robbers returned to
their house where the shooting between
them and Beaver occurred.
| The Posse Still in Pursuit.
The robbers were last seen at 8 O'Clock
this morning driving toward Samson fiat in
the mountains, where Evans has mine.
Three miles from town they tried to bor-
row horses from an acquaintance. Officers
! in pursuit traced the men four miles north.
west, where they entered field. The pur.
suers' team gave. out and they returned tc
town. Twentylto 80 men are now in pur
suit on horseback.
Sheriff Cunningham says there is nc
doubt the men committed most of the train
robberies in this valley. They can hardly
escape, as all thoroughfares are guarded.
Deputy Sheriff Witty, who was shot yes
| terday, will recover unless blood poisoning