The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-12-30
FOR A CHRISrMAn
The Donation OF Evan, NJ.
Oherch In Califnru1.. "

"'"" OF Evans and so,,
ch-rch Ia califor.,. ~ |
About two years ago the na..o
tne Methodist church south ., 0r Of
ana Cal. found on the doorsta VS.
his church a japanned tin hov Fps u
watches, says the San Pranc,so,uil Of
aminer. The church was nv" ~.
an elaborate festival for ChsJ,paring
A splendid tree was among tho ''aas
ures OF the proposed festival ana '.sE
good people OF Visalia were ,av we
with their donations tina, wa aa'sA
hang on the branches ~ ,ho .e 70
evergreen at the church. RI, o'g
box OF watches was much the hios snat
contribution of gifts with whicSssa
stock the Christmas tree. Even ~,
unsuspicious minister was staa
by the generosity OF the unLnsea
friend OF the church. Before
hung the watches on the eyeroraa ~
boughs among the colored wax tan AM
and bon bons and threaded ponross
and Sunday-school books he tooL Nv
precautlon to give notice in the =.
pers that certain undescribed 10 ~
elry had been found, and ths,
the owner could recover the sama ~
proving property and paying for tSs
advertisement. Some of Wells pa,
go 4 Co.'S men saw tho notice a.,
went around to the ministers ~
had put the casket containing ths
watches inside cigar box. The ex.
press company's men told him tha.
If the jewelry was that for which
they were looking, the box contained
number OF watches and they tola
him the numbers of the timepieca.
and described them. They added the
information that the box was part 81
the plumber secured by robbers who
months before had held up South.
ern Pacific train near Goshen. Thew
paid for the advertisement and the
preacher surrendered the timepieces
The cigar box was sealed and placed
in the bank at Visalia. They We're
keeping it against the time of the
apprehension of the train robbers
All this was long before the robbery
at Coils attracted attention to Chr.
Evans and the two Sontags. Evan,
was only known as hard working.
serious-minded farmer and his two
friends were able bodied young men
who hewed logs and drove teams.
When George Sontag made his con.
fession he was asked if he knew any.
thing about the box of watches that
the parson found on the church door.
step.
did Chris or John ever say any.
thing to you about them?' asked
Detective Hume.
YES" answered George. 81 think
that was in the Goshen robbery tina;
they took that box OF watches. They
wrote on the box train robbers and
put it On the steps of the preachers
house in Visalia, ana think that's
where they found it, the preacher or
the janitor of the church"
WHO did it?" was the next ques.
ton.
Il don't know who it was; it was
either Chris or John. They didn't
want to handle any jewelry."
The detective announced that he
proposed to test the truth of George
Sontag's confession, and the box OF
watches suggested way. He tele'
graphed the express agent there to
examine the box in the back vault
to see if it bore out George Sontag's
story. The watches were found all
right. and scratched on the bottom
of the case were the words train
robbers" 1t was only scratched in
lightly and had escaped the eye OF
the parson. No one knew OF the
words on the box until George Son'
tag told about it.