The herald., 1893-07-20
CHRIS EVANS HONEST BROTHER
He Was a Salvation Army Man
at Pasadena.
His Religious Scruples Prevented
Him from Helping Chris.
His Associates Say that Chris Tried to
Got BIS Assistahce-His Career
In the Army at Pasadena.
A Straight Man.

Many visitors to the Salvation Army
barracks of this city in the early part OF
last spring will call to mind medium
sized man of ordinary appearance, about
80 years of age. who took the tickets at
the door when the army thought best,
as it often does, to declare silver COL
lection the proper thing.
Few, if any, Of the same visitors had
any knowledge Of the fact that this Sal
vatien Army door-keeper was younger
brother Of the notorious desperado and
outlaw Chris Evans, whose remarkable
career insconnection with John S0ntag,
has been, perhaps, the subject OF more
newspaper articles than any one person
of the Pacific coast.
This younger brother, Robert Evans,
has apparently been overlooked in the
many accounts which have appeared OF
the Evans family, but, nevertheless. had
it not been for religious convictions
which many who stand In high places
possess not half 80 strongly, he might
have figured as very important factor
IN the life and death game which has 80
recently terminated at Visalia.
Bob Evans is, in many respects, Pc
culiar, not to say a remarkable. charac-
ter, and the history Of his connection
with the Evans and Sontag case
is not without much interest. He
has spent large portion of his time
during the past two years in Southern
California and was in more or less con-
stant communication with his brother
Chris in the north during the time that
he was 30 badly wanted by the officials.
He has lived in Los Angeles, San Diego
and Pasadena, and although he has gone
by the name of Evans. but few people
have known that he was brother OF
the outlaw.
At the time of the train robbery he
was in San Diego, and shortly after the
occurrence, while the officers were hot
on the trail of Evans and SontaR, he
received letter from his brother Chris
urging him to come north and help him
out of his trouble, promising that he
would disclose where the money taken
from the express company was hidden,
and agreeing to divide with him If he
would assist him (Evans) and Sontag to
escape. At the time OF the receipt OF
this letter Rob was in hard luck, being
broke, with nothing to- do, and the
temptation to lend a hand in the fight
WAS bWouks HUI Oniy iOl oAO piolu uAiob
was promised, but from natural desire
to aid his brother in the hour OF need;
but it was here that the distinct and
almost opposite dispositions of
the two brothers became apparent.
Rob. while strongly tempted to go to
tho rescue, was deferred, not by fear of
the officers of the law, but from religious
scruples, which forbade him lending
assistance to what he considered law
less and Goddess piece of work.
At that time and ever since he has
been constant member of the Saliva
ton army, among whom he has the rep-
utation of an exceedingly honorable,
STRAIGHTFORWARD and devout soldier.
While in Pasadena he made few friends
outside of the army, seeming to; fear no.
toriety, and it was few of his feiioEi, sol-
diers who even knew of this relation to
the notorious Chris. 49,,
Had he consented to take up the cause
OF his brother, unknown as be WIS to the
officials who were interested in ntEe case
and assisted by the treasure secured
from Wells, Fargo & Co., the
story OF Evans and Sontag might
have been much different from what IL
is, and these outlaws. one of whom has
gone to his long account, and the other
of whom now lies in dangerously
wounded condition. might instead have
been living in security In some distant
land, enjoying the fruits OF their i'll
gotten gains.