The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-06-13
FIGHT With DESPERADOES.
Evans and Sontag, California
Train Robbers, Run Down.
SONTAG FATALLY WOUNDED.
Forty Shots Are Exchanged Between
the Officers and Outlaws.
Evans Makes His Escape Under Cover OF
Darkness-One of the OfHcers Wounded
The Wounded Desperate
Taken to visalia.

NISALIA, CAL, June II. - After
search extending over ten months, and
after six encounters with different legal
posses, the notorious train robbers, John
Sontag and Christopher Evans, fin
ally last night met four deputy
United States marshals, and as
result OF the encounter which
followed Sontag was wounded, possibly
fatally, and is now in custody, having
been brought here at 1890 this forenoon.
His companion, Chris Evans, escaped
after firing forty shots at his pursuers.
Where he made his stand last night he
left hat and two empty guns, and the
ground was found covered with blood
this morning an Indication that he too
was wounded, and being without gnns or
ammunition it Is thought he too will be
captured.
The officers have been in the mountains
for week looking for the robbers and
Sunday afternoon encamped at vacant
house eighteen miles northeast of this
city. About 20 minutes before
sunset two men were seen COM
ing down the hill toward the place
and on closer observation it was discov-
cred that the men were no other than
Evans and Sontag. The fugitive desper-
ADDS, marshals and deputies grabbed
their guns and prepared to make fight.
The officers went out the front door OF the
house, and as they went around the back
corner Evans saw them and took deliber-
ate aim and fired.
Just then Deputy Jackson opened fire
on the bandits and Sontag was seen to
throw up both hands and fall backwards,
and then the firing became general, and
Evans returned the shots with a
vengeance. Evans got behind an old
rubbish pile out of sight, but kept up
terrible raking fusilade. Jackson was
shot in the left leg between the knee and
ankle. About forty shots were exchanged
between the officers and bandits and
darkness ended the battle. Evans was
seen to crawl from behind rub
hills followed by a deputy, who con-
tinued firing. Evans did not return the
fire and in few minutes was out of sight.
Deputr Rapelie returned to the house
and procuring a wagon placed Jackson
in it and came to this city soon after mid
night.
Marshal Gard and Burns remained at
the scene until this morning. Sontag
lay behind a small stack of hay all night.
Evans tracks show that he started to-
wards V1salia and his home will be
watched day and night. Sontag talks
freely. He says the jig is up and he does
not care for the future. 1t is possible
that he may recover from his wounds.
The train robbery which was the be-
ginning OF this criminal chapter occurred
at Coils, near Fresno, on Aug. 8, 1892. An
and Express Messenger George ID. Rob-
erts seriously injured. Officers soon after
arrested George Sontag at the house of
Chris Evans in this city. He was after
ward tried and sent to the penitentiary
for life. When an attempt was made to
arrest Evans, he and John Sontag opened
fire on the officers, wounding George
Witty. In the second encounter Oscar
Beaver, an officer, was wounded in front
drew McGinnis and Victor G. Wilson were
killed in the mountains by the bandits
and two other officers wounded. On May
! 26 s. J. Black, another officer, was
| wounded by the bandits in the mountains.
| No previous criminal incident In the his
| tory of California has occasioned greater
public interest. Until the train robbery
occurred Evans bore good reputation
| and great surprise was shown when the
crime was traced to his door. Coming
down from the scene of the affair last
night Sontag talked freely to the
| officers. He said he and Evans had
not had cent of money for
month but did not intend to hold up a
train. They would have left the noun
tains only they had no money or clothes.
"When | was shot last night he said,
81 asked Chris to shoot me but he would
not. We had two Winchesters,
two shot guns and two six-shooters.
Chris carried away the Winchester
and had plenty of ammunition.
Evans has often said he was sorry that he
shot Deputy Sheriff Witty. He thought
it was Detective Smith. He would have
shot Detectives Hame. Smith or Thacker
though, but besides these we were only
after blood money men. We did not al
ways stay together but never separated
longer than four hours.
eve could not nave been convicted o.
train robbery as we had no hand in it
The Southern Pacific did me hard turr
when was hurt in their employ, sc
when Smith tried to arrest me las
August, l was determined would not BIT
taken by Southern Pacific officer, tina
is why / resisted Sontag talked
calmly. He refused to state what he anc
Evans had in contemplation. He seemed
confident that Evans would never b,
captured alive.