The record-union., 1893-07-04
Proofs Of His Plot to Release Convict
George Sontag.
But il Could Not Have Been He That Mur-
derei Nike TOyey.
The Outlaw NOW at Bay in the Woods Of Nevada
County and SUIIOald6d-HG Refuses
10 Surrender

James 3. Hume. the veteran detective,
was in the city yesterday and had long
conference with Warden Aull of the Fol-
som Prison. After comparing notes these
officers have come to the conclusion that
the theory of eX-Convict William Fred
ericks having been the murderer of Ex-
press Messenger Michael Tovey, near
lone, Amador County, must be aban-
doned, although it is certain it was he
who shot Bruce and killed Sheriff Pas
coe of Nevada.
Tovey was killed at ) p. NJ. on the 18th
day Of June. That was the same night
that the rifles were stolen from Lovern's
saloon in Visalia, and as there appears to
be no question that
FREDERICKs WAS IN vIsALIA
At that time, and that he stole the weap-
ons, he could not, of course, have been
Indeed, he did not leave Visalia until the
18th of the month.
Lovern, the Nisalia saloon-keeper, has
fully identified the rifles captured at the
prison last Tuesday, also the calico quilt
In which they were wrapped, and which
was stolen from his saloon the same
night the guns were taken.
Lovern has also fully identified Fred
ericks' photograph as that of a man who
was about his place in Nisalia from the
Sth to the 18th OF June. While he has no
actual proof that he is the person who
stole the rifles, knife and pistols, he does
know that tredericks had made his head
quarters at the saloon for some time up to
the night on which the weapons were
stolen, and that he was not seen after
ward.
ONE POINT UNEXPLAINED.
1t IS now believed that Fredericks sent
the package OF weapons by express, to his
own order, to some small station near
here, as the bundle weighed thirty
pounds, and he could not have carried it
and steal his way on trains. Circulars
are now being sent out To all express
agents making inquiry if any such pack
age was received, and who got it.
1t Is possible, however, that some friend
OF the Evans-Sontag combination may
have taken tredericks up from Nisalia
in wagon.
THE FIRST PLAN FAILED.
There is positive proof that Fredericks
visited the Evans house in Nisalia fire.
quently between the Sth and 18th of June,
and what can be more natural than that
his presence there was known to Evans
and Sontag?
taxing all the circumstances together,
II now seems certain that Evans and Son
tag We're to Join kredericks in Visalia
and there prepare plot to make descent
on the Folsom Prison, release George
Sontag, and then the whole outfit strike
out for the mountains.
But the capture of Evans and John
Sontag, on the Eth, upset the whole plan
and forced Eredericks to undertake the
job himself. How well he succeeded. so
far as his part of the work was concerned,
IS well known. His personal knowledge
OF the ground, together with his dare
devil pluck, enabled him to accomplish
that which most men would have made a
failure of.
Messrs. Hume and Warden Aull kept
the wires very warm yesterday between
this city and Nisalia, and succeeded in
verifying many things that heretofore
had been mere surmise. Regarding
THE KILLING OF ToVEY,
Mr.. Hume contends that there is no rea-
son at all to believe that the killing was
for revenge, but that there is every reason
for believing it was for the purpose of
robbery.
Mr.. Hume paid a very high compli-
ment to Warden Aull on that officers
ability as a detective. To a RECORD
UNION reporter he said that Captain Aull
mas the best detective brain of any man
IN the State, excepting no one.
on FREDERICks' TRAIL.
Dispatches received yesterday bv Mr..
Hume show that Fredericks; is in the vi
clnlty OF North San Juan, Nevada
County, and heading northward. He is
evidently striking direct tor the railroad
In Butte County, with the hope OF reach
ing oregon. lie is very proficient in
boarding trains, and railroad men should
Keep sharp lookout for him.