The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-06-22
EVANS AND soNTAG.
Captured Ia the Mountains After a
- Desperate Fight.

| Captured Ia the Mountains After a
| = Desperate Fight.
VIsALIA, June 13.-Day before YES
terday a desperate fight took place in
the mountains eighteen miles from
here between the officers of the law
and Evans and Sontag. The posse
was under command of United States
Marshal Gard.
The bandits were surprised near a
house in the mountains. Evans fired
the first shot. The firing then became
general, and Sontag returned the shots
with q vengence. Jackson went round
the far end of the house to get better
place from which to shoot, and as he
turned the corner he was shot in the
left leg, between the knee and ankle.
About forty shots were exchanged be-
tween the police and the robbers, but
darkness ended the battle. Sontag
was seen to crawd from behind a rub
bish pile, and Rapelje again opened
fire on him. Sontag then rose to his
feet and ran toward the hills, followed
by Rapelje, who continued firing.
Sontag did not return the fire, aud
was soon out of sight.
Yesterday John Sontag was cap
tured and brought to the Visalla Jail
at 1870 A. NJ. by United States Mar
shall Gard of Los Angeles. Evans is
supposed To be wounded also, for when
he left Sontag he also left all his
shooting outfit, except his revolvers.
SOntag looks like man who has had
hard time. His appearance refutes
the charges that the bandits had been
well cared for by their friends.
Chris. Evans is now an inmate of
the Visalia Jail. He was captured N
Wilcox canyon, about four miles from
the scene of the fight with Deputy
Marshal Cards posse. Evans right
arm is broken in two places. his left
arm shot through the f1eshy part, and
one of his eyes has been shot out.
Notwithstanding the grevious condi
lion that Evans Is in he was able to
walk up to the second story of the
Jail. Officer Jackson passed = good
night and feel we'll aud cheerful,
much elated over the outcome of the
battle. SOntag is very low. The doc
tors say the bullet in the lungs is
very dangerous. About midnight his
friends, the Byrd-, Were summoned to
his bedside us lie thought he VS. dy-
ing. Perkins, who lives in Wilcox
canyon, just east OF where the Sunday
nights fight took place, arrived in
town last night with information that
Evans was at his house badly Wound
organized and left about
midnight, hurried through the dark
hess aud over rough roads and ar
rived at Perkins house about 2 O'clock
at morning. A little boy of the
Perkins family went upstairs and in
formed Evans that the officers had
arrived. Mr.. Perkins then went up
while the officers remained below
and told Chris. that the officers were
below and advised him to give up the
fight and surrender before he was
heart, replied: "All right" and re-
quested that the officers come up
stairs and he w. uld give himself up. |
Deputy Sheriff Hall and posse then |
entered the room, and tiall said: |
"Chris., L have come to arrest YOU"
and Evans replied: "All right, Billy"
When asked if he had any arms, he
replied that he had pistol under his
pillow, lie being in bed. When asked
the fight with Cards posse,
he said that the posse opened fire
the fire. About the tenth shot Son
tag complained of being hit in the
side. Evans then fell and fired from
the grou d. Evans then went on to
say: 1--WE laid OH the straw and kept
firing. Sontag did not complain of
the shoulder, but kept asking for
water. / said: Are you much hurt,
John" He replied: pm shot to
pieces. L can't stand this old pard,
kill me- l refused to do the deed and
he renewed his supplication for me to
md his life and said, 'If you think
anything of me, Chris, sh, o. me-
We kept up the fight determinedly
against heavy odds, and stayed there
Until it was good and dark" Evans
vas shot by a member of Cards
posse, who stood near the fence, as
he bandit was running up hill.
The physician in attendance on
,ontag reports that he is much inn
proved but the outcome is still In
ioubt. Evans Is very crest fallen and
IL no danger whatever.