The herald., 1893-06-15
ORIGIN OF THE PLAN.
The Result OF Detective Thaoker's In
terview with Detective Lawson.

The Result OF Detective Thacker's In
terview with Detective Lawson.
Some inside history, showing the
wheels within wheels. the ultimate wind
up Of which resulted in the Evanston
tag capture. which occurred during the
past few days, would without doubt be
of interest to many.
Last night two weeks ago. May 3lst,
Detective Lawson of this city left San
Francisco, bound for the Angel city. A
short time after the train pulled out
from the Oakland mole he met On old
acquaintance, John Thscker, the chief
special agent OF Wells, Fargo q Go. Mr..
Thacker was bound for Fresno, but on
business which he did not at first di-
vulge. Lawson and Thacker are old
'buddies." having been associated to-
gether during the Dalton investigation
of the Alila robbery, and they also have
done considerable work in Merced, Fres-
no and Tulare counties,
Since the Evans-Sontsg attack on
Witty and Smith at Visalia, Thacker
had been constantly at work on the
case, and for number OF weeks was in
the mountains around Seguoia. The
fact that he had become known to all
persons living in the vicinity was the
only reason that compelled him to give
up the search, but while not working in
dividually on the case, he was giving all
his attention to it quietly from the out
eide.
On this Wednesday night referred to
Thacker made known all his plans to
Lawson and they both discussed the
matter to it's smallest detail. United
States Marshal Cards district took in
Tulars and Fresno counties, where
Evans and Sontag were constantly in
hiding.
1t was Thacker's idea that Gard
should take an active part in the cap
ture OF the bandits, as he had every
confidence in his ability to do so. He
asked lawson when he arrived in Los
Angeles to interview Gard in the matter
and ask him to take hand in the pro-
posed capture. Lawson, however told
'Chacker that Gard would probably be
rs---,- ---h i.er ssoiTcu sUiIo hngui ciey
and il would be better to telegraph him
to come to Fresno. Then the wires car
ried the message which was the first
page in the final chapter of the Evans
Sontag outrage. Lawson swore out q
warrant in Fresno charging Evans and
Sontag with OBTAINING the United
States mails at Coils. and the
beginning OF the end was on.
Gard Immediately went to Fresno
on the receipt of the telegram, and the
plan for getting into the mountains
where the bandits were located was
quietly unfolded and carried out unbe-
known to any in the vicinity or the
friends of the outlaws. Thacker chose
for Cards assistant Rapelie and jack
son, who were both sworn in as United
States msrshals. These men at once
left for the mountains, where they were
joined by Burns, who was with Officer
Black the night he was shot. Last
Thursday these three were joined by
Gard at designated place, about 20
miles from Visalia, unknown to anyone
in the country around. The hunt was
then on and was prosecuted until the
discovery of the outlaws last Sunday
night, shortly before sundown.
Thacker did not believe in large
posses, nor did he believe in trumpet
ing the presence of officers through the
neighborhoood, and his plan was the
sending of four brave men on the hunt
with the instructions to thoroughly in
vestigate and search all the redezvous
which the bandits were known to fre-
quent.
Too much praise cannot be given to
Thacker for the plans which eventually
were crowned with success, and more
praise, If possible, should be betowed
upon Marshal Gard and upon the brave
men who accomplished them.