The morning call., 1893-06-29
Frank HIilfams.

iran" h'N'0ms' Daltons, with Chris
Evans, have long worked together in train
rObberies is every day becoming more
certain. and that men who joined their
gang assumed the names of either Sontag
or Dalton is certain. George Sontag was
christened, if he was ever christened,
George Contant. and Anthony Dalton was
baptized when a babe. if he was ever bap-
tiZed, as Albert Pike Dickinson.
In week or two the full history of the
depredations Of these bandits will be
known. At present only a brief h story
can be learned from the men who have
hunted the robbers for years.
When the Dalton brothers first became
known as traiu-robbers there were four or
five men In the band who took the alias of
Dalton and became one Of the brothers"
but who bore no relationship to the real
Daltons. the leaders of the outlaws. One
of these men was George COntant, now
known as George Sontag. Constant pur-
suit Trimmed the ranks of the original band
Of outlaws and train-ro bbers, and the real
Daltons went to Texas. From outside
sources George Contant and John Soniag,
also a member Of the original Dalton GU fit,
recruited Albert Pike Dickinson, known
as Anthony Dalton. and Chris Evans.
John Sontag and the real Daltons were
train-robbers long before they came to the
Pacific Coast, and it is possible that Dick.
inson. alias Anthony Dalton, who lived in
Arkansas, and Ge1rge Contapt, alias
Grorge Sontag, had worked with the rob-
bers in the East. Chris Evans seems to
have joined the band after he came to
California. but it is known that he ac-
cOmpanled The bandits East on more than
one trip, and it was only when the de-
tectives scattered the bandits that he, John
Sontag. George Contant, alias George
Sontag, and George Pike Dickinson, alias
Anthony Dalton, returned to California.
Chris Evans, John Sontag and George
Contant went to Visalia and began work
as farmers. leaving Dickinson to come to
San Francisco, where he found work as
conductor on the Hayes Valley streetcar
line. The men laid quiet for many months
and then concluded. as the original Dal-
tons had been so closely bounded as to
render their visit to this State perilous, to
start 10 work on their own account.
Dickinson, the ear conductor, was IN
structed to get ready for work. Arms,
ammunition and fine tools were necessary,
and Dickinson, on he night of August 81
1891, attempted to rob the gunstore of Ladd
Brothers at 531 kearny street for the pur-
pose of securing what was needed. The
burglary was committed in bungling way
and Dickinson tumbled through a sky
light He was caught by the police and
convicted.
Dickinson. or Anthony Dalton. the name
under which he was convicted, escaped
ha Off ha ;, -
Folsom prison, but was caught in a few
days at Placerville.
Then began the series of robberies of
trains at Ceres Goshen, Coils and in the
East. All the robberies bore in the man
ner Of their accomplishment similarity
that decided the detectives that they were
all the work of one band Of men.
II is probable that Chris Evans was not
approached by John Sontag and his alleged
brother. George Contant, until after the
original Dalton gang had been so thinned
out and scattered that new recruits were a
positive necessity. What arguments were
used with Evans will never be known
probably, but the love John Sontag pro-
fessed for Evans daughter Eva and the
desire of the father that his daughter
should be the wife Of rich man were
possibly among the most effective ineen-
tives for joining the bandits. Besides he
had been harboring two of them for
months and they probably insti.led into
his mind the poison that has worked his
ruin.
When Dickinson was sent to prison it
left only John Sentag and George Con-
tant of the old band and Chris Evans,
their new convert on the Pacific Coast, to
carry out the robheries planned and to re-
enforce the real Dalton gang in the East
when re-enfOrcements were needed.
The robbery and murder at Goshen. the
robbery at Ceres and the robbery at
Coils were all undoubtedly the work of
John SOntag, George Contant, assisted
by Chris Evans.
The last robbery at Coils was disas-
trous. George Contant was recognized
as having been passenger on the train
that was ''heId up" and be was also recog-
niZed as the man who. at the depot in
Fresno, long before the pluudered train
reached that station Qor the robbers dis
abled the engine). told all about the rob-
berry to number of people. The theory
is that he, John Sontag and Chris Evans
rode from Coils TO Fresno, where George
Contant was dropped. the other two GO
ing on to their common home at Evans
place, near Visalia, taking with them the
plumber.
George Contant was arrested at Evans