The record-union., 1893-12-29
snecial to the REcoRp-uN1ox.

FRESNO. Dec. 2S.-At 6:10 o'clock this
evening Chris Evans, the notorious train
robber, escaped from the County Jail.
Deputy Sheriff Ben Scott was on duty as
regular night jailer, Ben Merritts being
absent Scott went on at o'clock and
found everything regular, About $50
Mrs. Evans, who had arrived in the
morning from Visalia, came to the Jail to
see her husband. She went TO the upper
corridor where Evans was confined, and
they talked together for awhile. Shortly
after o'clock a man came TO the jail door
with supper for Evans. Scott admitted
him, and let Evans out of the tanks into
an open space between the upper corridor
and Jail Office. Scott locked the waiter In
with Evans and his wife, after which be
left them. Evans ate for awhile. when
the waiter, whose name is Ed Merel,
asked to be let out, as he wanted to leave.
II went up to the grated door," said
Scott, "and unlocked it. L had no sooner
done so than Merel pulled a six-shooter
on me and ordered me to throw up my
hands I supposed he was joking and
did not obey. Just then Chris stepped
up and said, That's right, Zen; put your
hands up / saw they meant business
then and did as | was told. Evans then
demanded to be let out the back door OF
the iail through the kitchen, but told
him that | hadn't the keys; that they
were in the safe. They then said they
would go out the front door. Before
leaving they searched me. They stated
their intention of making me go with
them, and 1 protested. 1t was no use,
however. l was marched out between
them.
Mrs. Evans was the only one in the
Jail besides myself, the prisoners and
Evans and Merel. She renamed behind,
having apparently fallen into faint.
Evans allowed me to lock the door of the
Jail behind us. / was marched to the NJ
street entrance to the Courthouse grounds
by Evans and Merel. We cut across NJ
street, and went up Mariposa street. At
the corner we met man passing, and
Evans ordered him to come along. The
fellow saw what was passing, and made
tracks in another direction. Merel was
somewhat in advance, and when we got
10 the Adventist Church, at the corner of
. and Mariposa streets, suddenly l heard
a shot. Believing 1 was being fired upon
I started to run. Evans ordered me not
10, but | broke away, and coming down
town gave the alarm. ! heard another
shot while running away. W hile going
toward the church mentioned, Evans told
me that his wife had nothing to do with
his escape"
The shots heard by Scott were fired un-
doubtedly by Evans, and one of them
struck City Marshal Morgan. The story
OF Scott in this connection is undoubtedly
incorrect he being too greatly excited by
the event to give a correct version. w hen
Merel went ahead he came across City
Marshal Morgan and w. NJ. Wyatt,
capitalist, who were standing talking
together, a little east of the MaripOsa-
street entrance to the Adventist Church.
II Merel ordered them TO hold up their
hands. and they did SO. He then took
Morgan's pistol, and was turning his at
tenti0n to Wyatt, when Morgan turned
suddenly and caught Merel about the
waist, pinning his arms to his side.
Merel struggled and yelled, ''Shoot, you
son of a -p' Wyatt was about to take
away Merel's pistol when Evans came
up and cried. Let go that man or I'll
kill you" Morgan, seeing further resist
ance useless, was about to release Merel
when Evans fired, hitting Morgan in the
right shoulder, iniicting painful though
not dangerous wound.
Evans and his pal then attempted to
get into wagon near by, but the horses
frightened by the shots, plunged and
reared and finally broke away. The
fugitives ran TO Mono and q streets, and
came across a man named Willard Coch-
ran riding along in a cart. They fired at
him several times, making him alight.
They then took possession and drove
away.
Morgan in the meanwhile was taken
home, and is resting easy. He says he
has not the slightest doubt it was Evans,
and not a footpad who shot him, as he
remembers Evans general appearance
very well, and the man who shot him had
l. lnc.r taI
by Wyatt, and Scott therefore must have
run away from his captors before any
shots were fired.
The escape has caused intense excite
ment and officers have gone out III all
directions 10 pursue the men.
When Scott got back to Jail he found
Mrs. Evans in a faint. She recovered
from one fit only to go into another, and
during the interval of consciousness
stated to the jailer that she had nothing
10 do with her husbands escape. She is
very i'll, and under the care Of a doctor.
No one for moment believes her state
ment, and she is accused on all hands of
being in the scheme to hberate Evans.
Either she or Ed Merel brought Evans
his pistol, and most people are inclined
TO think it was Mrs. Evans.
OF Merel little can be found out. S. T.
Cowan is proprietor of the Quimby
House, on K street. He said that about
o'clock Merel came and said ne wanted
supper TO take to the Jail as soon as possi-
bic. He asked what time the train left
Tor the south, and was told that it left at
5:45 p. NJ. Cowan said TO him that If he
wanted TO catch the train he had better
not wait for the dinner. He then said he
would take the dinner up any way. He
did not show himself much nor remain
long, but said he would be back soon. a
few minutes later he came back and paid
for the dinner. Cowan asked him who
would bring the dishes back, and he
asked Cowan If he would not come up
after them. Cowan demurred to this. and
Merel said; "All right; FL bring them
back tomorrow He took the dinner
and left. Merel worked for the proprietor
OF a merry-go-r round last fall but was
discharged for stealing from his EMPLOYER.
Merel is also said To have served at San
Quentin and his name appears on the iail
register for threatened offense He was
pur in September I'D and got out a few
DAYS later, paying fine. From all ac-
counts he is a very hard case. He is a
small man, of about five feet, and has a
very feminine appearance. What he has
been doing for living cannot be ascer-
tanned now.
The escape has caused the greatest ex-
element, and every officer in the city,
whether municipal or county, immedi-
ately armed themselves heavily and went
in pursuit.
Evans and Merel went in the direction
of Centerville aud it is just now reported
BY telephone that cart and horse, with
cut driver, supposed to be the one