The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-30
HUNTING A BAD MAN
Hundreds of CalifOrnians In
Search of Bandit Chris Evans.
The Murderer Assisted i'm Escaping from
the Fresno Jail by His Wife
and Detective.

fRESNO, Cdl, Dec. I5-lHc peOpic VI
Fresno county engaged in an exciting
man-hunt. The jail delivery here last night,
by which at least temporary freedom was
secured by Chris Evans, the Visalia ban
dit, who led the Evans and Sontag gang
in the Coils train robbery and through
a series of desperate battles that finally
resulted in the capture OF Evans and the
Sontags, created such excitement in Fresno
that few men slept last night. Evans was
to have been taken to the State peniten-
tiary to begin TO serve a life term for the
murder of Vic Wilson, a deputy United
States marshal from Arizona, who was one
OF the three men killed by the bandits In
stead of wearing stripes, Evans Is again
free to shoot and kill. Evans and the
young man who assisted in effecting the
delivery disappeared in the direc-
ton of the mountains and big
woods and 1T is supposed that
the bloody encounter of the past few
months will be fought again. The
people here now recognize in Chris Evans
one OF the most desperate of the many
desperate men who have figured in the
annals OF California crime. Though the
recent gun fights at Visalia and in the
foot hills left him crippled in one arm
and with one blind eye. the bandit is still
a
young man who made the escape possible,
and who fled with the bandit, it
learned to-day that he is detective and
has been in Evans's service for several
months. He was a prisoner in the Jail
three months beginning Sept. 2. and it is
thought that he managed to get in the
Jail for just the purpose of releasing Evans
Probably five hundred men are now scour-
ing the San Joaquin valley in pursuit of the
fugitives. Sheriff's posses and volunteer
forces are going in every direction. When
the escape became known men rushed to
hardware and gun stores, where they seized
rifles and ammunition as If the stores were
public arsenals AS fast as the men could
get horses and guns one posse followed an
other into the foot hills. The officers and
machinery of the Southern Pacific railway
was also put into motion. In an incred-
IDLY short time an engine and cars were run
out and q train bearing many determined
citizens of Sanger, a small town on the Por-
terVille branch, started in the direction or
the mountains. This posse seems 10 have
gone in the right direction, for to-day word
was received from Sanger that a cart and
winded horse without driver had been
found on the roadside near there. This was
the horse that Evans and Morrell took from
the newspaper carrier as they were escap-
1t now appears that the escape was very
carefully planned, and evidently young
McrreIl and Mrs. Evans had many accom-
pliceS. The conspiratorS planned TO get
nearly all of the SheriffS men out of the
city. Sheriff Scott was in Los Angeles.
All the deputy sheriffs were then decoyed
away. Early yesterday morning a young
man appeared at the town of Ronson, about
thirty miles south of here. to leave notice
at the station of train robbery which he
said was effected that night. He said he
was one of the gang, but had concluded
not to commit the crime, but To surrender
his confederate5 TO the officers. Four dep
on tic
found the youth waiting for them at
a point agreed upon, but he was alone
od the trds the t Rh6r he hsa
tCCk him into custody. They now believe
he was connected with the jail
delivery conspiracy. About the time of the
jail delivery there were a number of run
Always down town to attract the people
IRON as hd the jail The prisoner gives his name
With these men out Of the way Young Ben
Scott, the tailer, who is the sheriff
brother was the only one left at the jail.
Mrs. Evans entered first and was admitted
to her husbands cell in the main corri-
DOR she was not searched. Then young
Morrell, the, waiter, was allowed to enter
mitted without question. When the taller
answered Morrelrs call to be let out he
OF both men. They compelled him to un-
lock the bars and let them into the street
Jalior scott however. was compelled to
the pistols were drawn and was locked in
Jail as the trio went out She is now de-
tanned in jail. 1t was just getting dark
when the men passed into the streets The
electric lights were not burning yet. Spiri-
ted horses and a wagon were waiting for
the fugitives on the street, but I'm the
shooting ARRAY which ensued, when CITY
Marshal Morgan was shot, and when Jailer
Scott made his escape, the horses became
frightened. broke their hitching straps and
dashed away. The bandits were then COM
PEELED TO take a newsboy'S horse and cart
Marshal Morgan was shot in the shoulder
but was not seriously injured. Early this
morning the police arrested two girls and
a boy, brother and sisters, named Hutchin-
son, ranging in age from eighteen To TWEEN
ty-thiee years, at whose house Morrell had
boarded. All are suspected of being impu-
Gated in the delivery. and the younger has
made damaging statements to the police
though. so far, her statement has been
withheld from the public.